# Most useless thing you carry all the time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 4, 2005, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014 "2005-12-04T07:28:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/1 "2005-12-04T07:28:45Z")
Since I am a guy, the stuff I carry all the time is limited to jewellery and what’s in my pockets. The only jewellry I wear is a watch and I realised only days ago that I rarely ever look at it. At home or work, wherever I am there is a clock visible - on a PC monitor, or the DVD, or the stove, bedside clock, car trip computer - everywhere. A few days ago I was driving and couldn’t believe the time on the car clock and glanced at my watch and thought it was funny that all I seemed to use it for was to check a clock. Then last night I was adjusting the time on the DVD because of a power failure. In the days since the car incident I had not looked at my watch at all that I could recall. I mentione it to my son and he said he only wears a watch at all on days he is going places on public transport. Any other useless artifacts you carry around? ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/2 "2005-12-04T07:44:45Z")
Do my dogtags count? I don’t use them on any reagular basis. I do wear them at all times. I occasonally have to prove I still have them tho. So 2 or 3 times a year I have to have em. Of course they are not supposed to be used on a regular basis. In fact they should only ever be used once per person for their intended use. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/3 "2005-12-04T08:00:08Z")
The girl on our staff who is supposed to schedule promos on the air during the day. I don’t know what she’s getting paid for, but I’ve been carrying her for six months. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/4 "2005-12-04T08:29:45Z")
On my keychain is my old dog’s first nametag: **ZEKE I belong to [my name] [address] [phone number]** I really ought to take it off of there, because I haven’t had that address or phone number since 1996 and I fear I’ll lose my keys and someone will find them and try to take them to that address. But I keep it on there because I really, really miss that dog. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/5 "2005-12-04T08:52:04Z")
You know those handcuffs they sell at certain stores? I always carry a key that opens them. Not that I have ever used the key in 20 years, but just in case. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/6 "2005-12-04T10:57:48Z")
A 1946 Florin (an old Australian coin, equivalent I believe to a quarter). I found it on the footpath at Woolloongabba one day in the early 90’s. We’ve been together every day ever since. mm ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/7 "2005-12-04T12:11:05Z")
The old florins were the equivalent more to a couple of dimes than a quarter, **mamboman**. That’s kinda like me – I have an old NZ ha’penny from '65 in a piece of leather attached to my keyring. I just like the Maori design. ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/8 "2005-12-04T14:38:06Z")
> [@mamboman](#): > > A 1946 Florin (an old Australian coin, equivalent I believe to a quarter). I found it on the footpath at Woolloongabba one day in the early 90’s. We’ve been together every day ever since. > > mm Now if only you could get an old Guilder and make them fight. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/9 "2005-12-04T14:47:58Z")
> [@parthenokinesis](#): > > Now if only you could get an old Guilder and make them fight. Rats. You beat me to it. I have one of those smallish LED pushbutton lights on my keychain, but it’s green (it came with a pack of mentol cigarettes) and green light, I’ve discovered, is freaking useless in most cases. ---
**Author:** ![ImaginalDisc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e57/32.png) [@ImaginalDisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ImaginalDisc)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/10 "2005-12-04T14:55:56Z")
I still have keys from my old job, to a file cabinet they threw out before I left. On the other hand, it makes a great utility key for opening boxes, and as an improvized lever. I can use it without being worried that I might break it, since it’s useless otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/11 "2005-12-04T15:09:20Z")
A joker card in my wallet (in case someone asks a question I don’t want to answer to). Three tiny dice is a tiny container attached to my key ring. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/12 "2005-12-04T15:18:29Z")
A spare car door key that Saturn sent me five years ago when I bought my car. I dutifully stuck it in my wallet, where it has taken up space ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/13 "2005-12-04T15:40:49Z")
It’s a toss-up between some mumblemumble-odd pounds of weight I’m currently trying to shed, or a couple of old newspapers in my backpack (what? I like to do the crossword on the bus!). ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/14 "2005-12-04T16:15:37Z")
I have a roach clip disguised as a key that I purchased on tour in Key West back in 1996 on my keyring. It has never been used. Not once. Periodically I realize that technically, I could be arrested for possession of paraphernalia just for carrying my keys, but then I think that a) it’s never been used, therefore it’s only potential paraphernalia, b) it’s a brilliant design and no one has ever noticed it in the ten years i ve had it and c) by this point it s become a totem for not losing my keys. But now I ve probably jinxed myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/15 "2005-12-04T16:22:55Z")
I have a key for my parents’ house. This is useless because first, I live 2000 miles from my parents and am not often there, and second because my parents never realize I have a key, and on the offchance I am there for a visit, they always rush to open the door before I can get my key out. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/16 "2005-12-04T16:37:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Woolloongabba Gah! I just love aussie place names. Please continue with your regularly appointed thread. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/17 "2005-12-04T18:29:13Z")
My FCC license. I haven’t needed it for 13 years, but I can’t seem to bring myself to leave it at home. You know, just in case I suddenly have to run a radio station or something. :rolleyes: > [@fishbicycle](#): > > The girl on our staff who is supposed to schedule promos on the air during the day. I don’t know what she’s getting paid for, but I’ve been carrying her for six months. Heh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/18 "2005-12-04T18:52:39Z")
I carry a shitload of cosmetics that I NEVER use to freshen up throughout the day. I think subconsciously I feel that I’ll need them in case I get kidnapped and I can’t get back to my bathroom to get all my stuff. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/19 "2005-12-04T18:57:06Z")
> [@parthenokinesis](#): > > Now if only you could get an old Guilder and make them fight. :smack: Oh my god, I never “got” that before. Good grief. I’m a dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014/20 "2005-12-04T19:07:27Z")
A laminated card with the list of advisors for the College of Business in my university. I am a business student, but I’ve never actually needed this card, as one of the first things you find out is who your advisor is. (whom?) Someone once told me that the rubber ducky I keep in my purse is useless, but that person was wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-thing-you-carry-all-the-time/334014.md?page=2)