You know you can use your phone’s camera for more than just taking selfies, right? ^_^ Sorry, couldn’t resist! I think one of the best uses is to take pictures of your most important documents and belongings, then you’ll never again have to worry about forgetting your ID, losing your driving license or other annoying and inconvenient stuff. Of course, you’ll have your own choices of what is important to you but here’s a general list to get you started.
Your passport is one of the most important pictures to keep in your phone - without it, you're in no end of trouble, if you’re traveling and suddenly find yourself without one. In most countries it is compulsory to show your passport or some other form of ID when asked to do so by the police. Having a back-up of your passport number and expiration date is always handy, when you want to book future travel or prove to a potential employer you are entitled to work in a particular country without a work permit or visa.
Your driving license ranks very highly among the most important photos to keep in your phone. Most people use this document as their main ID, when they want to prove their age at a bar, confirm their name and nationality at a hotel upon booking in or fill out forms for work/pension/benefits related issues.
How many times do you get asked for this?
Take a picture of the front and back of your insurance cards and that will give you all the info you need, should you have occasion to speak to your insurers about something or need to see your doctor.
Your pictures should show the names, expiration dates, dosages and doctor's name and phone number.
It is not unusual to forget where you've parked the car - so take a snapshot of your car with a memorable background that shows either the parking lot address and contact details or a recognizable street corner. And if that's not possible, take a screenshot of Google Maps of the exact parking location.
Take pictures of your furnished rental apartment the day you move in and the day you move out again - they serve as evidence in disputes over rental deposits. Your landlord or their agents won't be able to claim for damages or losses that haven't actually occurred according to photographic evidence on your phone.
Keep snapshots of your frequent flyer cards and those of your travel companion in your phone. That way you have them to hand when you need them.
Don't delay - do this right away: make a note of your license plate, and photograph it too, along with pics of your car insurance document, car registration and your VIN.
Take snapshots of your rental car, inside and out, before returning the vehicle to the service desk. Any defects should be noted down on the end of contract form your rental place will complete when you return the vehicle, but photographic evidence speaks louder than words in cases of dispute. Be sure to take pictures of the gas gauge and mileage.
Keeping serial numbers on valuables like TVs, photographic equipment, music equipment and instruments etc will make life so much easier when you have to make an insurance claim after a burglary, flood or fire. With the help of serial numbers, the police may even be able to trace your stolen goods and eventually return them to you.
Gripped by sudden wanderlust, our pets often run off without the slightest bit of consideration for their human companion, who must now telephone round neighbors and police, trying ever so hard to describe what your Labrador, Siamese cat, dachshund, poodle or schnauzer looks like. Important pictures to keep in your phone include good photos of your pet from all angles - which will greatly assist the police in tracing your pet, should your pet have been stolen or involved in an accident.
You can use this function for all sorts of snapshots of important things from your student ID to your library card to even consignment info for parcels. For the personal ID stuff, create a separate folder in your phone so you know exactly where to look for it.
Do you already do this? What important snapshots have you got in your phone?