# What's in YOUR purse? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991 "2005-07-18T16:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/1 "2005-07-18T16:25:54Z")
Inspired by this link: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325719](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325719) I feel compelled to ask what some of the odder items ladies carry around in their purses (or gentlemen in their wallets). I know that my own purse becomes the repository for an astonishing number of odd and yet potentially useful items. A current census includes: Two paperback novels One MP3 player One UBS cable One roll of duct tape Two pounds of smoked salmon A NYC bus/subway/train schedule 9.88 cents in change One twenty dollar bill Driver’s license Credit card/debit cards Building access pass Bic lighter Sunglasses Glasses-glasses 14 coupons 4 tampons (in plastic wrappers) One string of cheap plastic beads One cell phone Four AAA batteries Some drugs (OTC cold and headache remedies) One bottle of water One disposable camera Two packs of gum One checkbook Two small packages of Oreo cookies One box of raisins Three pens (two blue and a black) One pair of scissors One winter glove. Small assorted variety of pieces of paper (receipts, post-its with helpful reminders, etc). Yes, my purse is quite large, thank you. Other than the realization I probably need to clean out my purse, it occurs to me that the vast majority of those items were placed and maintained in my purse on purpose. So, what’s in _your_ wallet? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/2 "2005-07-18T16:54:00Z")
My Man Purse, otherwise known as a New York Times canvas tote bag, has: iPod headphones calculator antacids vitamins sugar-free hard candy book I’m reading reading glasses in case ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/3 "2005-07-18T17:06:36Z")
Wallet Spare pads of checks Insulin injector Digital camera SCA Award token I’m going to make into a necklace fingernail clippers nail file spare lanyard for my sword 9 pennies spare key for my car SCA membership & auth cards keyring with an LED flashlight on it spare memory card for camera screwdrive for my glasses ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/4 "2005-07-18T17:47:27Z")
Band-Aid Nail clippers Nail file 12 inch ruler Comb Registration sticker for my car (Got to remember to put that on soon!) Glasses prescription for my daughter (Hey, I’ve been looking for that!) Calendar Old check stubs Electric bill Copy of an e-mail I need to talk to Mom about Wallet Keys Calculator Two pens Cell phone Bottle of calcium, bottle of ibuprofen Makeup (I don’t usually carry it, but I was running late today) Brush Mirror Feminine hygiene products Notebook Chapstick Coupon file Tiny scissors Two pounds of smoked salmon\* Alcohol prep pads Sewing kit Migraine medication Aspirin Tube of lotion Clear nail polish (for stocking runs) \*No. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/5 "2005-07-18T18:17:08Z")
Wallet, containing checkbook, cash, credit cards, library card, insurance card, driver’s license Car key Cell phone Lip balm Breath mints Pack of cigarettes Two lighters, one that works and one that doesn’t Book of matches Tampon (in plastic wrapper) Bottle of 45 SPF sunblock Bottle of hand sanitizer Leather pouch with work keys, spare car key Key ring with keys to my dad’s house and a bunch of other keys (I wonder if he misses them or knows what they’re for?) Packet of tissues Old prescription bottle now containing three Advil and a Zyban Assorted receipts and pieces of paper with phone numbers/names of books I want to read jotted on them My husband’s wallet (I wonder if he knows it’s in there. It has been since Saturday.) ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/6 "2005-07-18T18:27:00Z")
The real question is: how are all your backs holding up? :eek: In my [pretty, gold Coach purse](http://i22.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/e9/95/05_1_b.JPG) I have: [My wallet I bought at the outlet mall last weekend](http://images.ninewest.com/images/products/421455.BLUEPVPD.jpg), which has: Driver’s License, two credit cards, ATM card, Kaiser card, AAA card, a picture of my friend who is in the Airforce, and $9 (what? I spent all my money on the damn purse! 😃 ) My [Mac Viva Glam V lipstick (the top one)](http://a248.e.akamai.net/www.maccosmetics.com/images/categories/vivaglamv_390.jpg) ← Pretty color and the money goes to AIDS research. [Ye olde cell phone](http://69.20.89.201/ProductImages/motorola/v551%20Large.jpg) And llaves. Sometimes I carry a hair brush, but I feel it clutters things too much. And may I say- I bow in your purse-filled greatness! ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/7 "2005-07-18T18:41:52Z")
I carry a giant black leather purse. Inside, you’ll find: –Prescriptions – Book (I bought the purse because it could hold a large hardback) – wallet – wadded reciepts, cellophane, and other assorted trash – pack of smokes and about a dozen un-findable lighters – candy for my husband – dog treats – large calendar from United Way (for appointments) – packet of tissues which I can never find when needed – bottle of lavendar spray ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/8 "2005-07-18T18:43:52Z")
I’m not currently so much a purse person as a messenger-bag-to-carry-my-crapload-of-stuff person. Currently in it: Wallet, with my debit card, two library cards (two different public libraries), health insurance card, ACLU card, license, teeny-tiny pocket copy of the Constitution, and far too little money. Two steno pads and a small ‘normal’ notebook. (one for class, one for work, one for me) Assorted pens and pencils MP3 player with headphones Public speaking textbook Waterbottle One emergency fruit leather Keys Train pass Bunch other crap, mostly crumbled-up papers. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/9 "2005-07-18T18:55:15Z")
Since it was my thread inspiring this, I’ll jump in. It’s a backpack style combination laptop case and, uh…backpack that functions as my briefcase. So: Toshiba laptop Logitech wireless mouse Charger cords for: laptop, both cell phones, digital camera Olympus digital camera Day-Timer File folder with take-home work Expandable file with selling old home, buying new home papers. checkbook 2 blue Uni-Ball Signo pens that I hope to Og don’t leak 1 bottle of Advil caplets an old band-aid 1 bottle of coated aspirin blood glucose testing kit my work keys squeezy, stress relieving yellow school bus tube of hand lotion (\*\*Bath & Body \*\* Works Warm Vanilla Sugar) contact lens solution Spare Tampon in case I’m asked. (well, not really, just wanted to see who was paying attention) ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/10 "2005-07-18T19:02:08Z")
Holy Crap! I don’t carry stuff. I carry very tiny purses. I just took inventory: My cell phone. (Sanyo MM-7400, currently sporting a pastel pink faceplate.) A small credit card sized lip gloss palette. (Urban Decay’s XXX shine a-go-go.) One brown hair clip/barette. My checkbook. (Black with Charlie Brown on the cover.) 3 credit cards, 5 business cards, my driver’s license, my organ donor card, 2 Blue Shield of California PPO insurance cards, and a ‘Be nice to me I gave blood’ sticker stating my next donation date (Sept. 08th.) My last paystub. My inhaler (Albuterol.) 2 bottles of eyedrops (Patanol and Flarex.) A grape Tootsie Pop. 20 cents. (A dime and ten pennies.) A small swatch of cloth to clean my glasses. A pen. That’s actually a lot. I usually don’t have my checkbook, since it takes up a lot of space. I don’t use a wallet any longer for the same reason. Whenever my husband and I go out, I just take my bank card and my license and give them to him to hold in his wallet. I hate carrying things around. My car, on the other hand, is another story. It is essentially on huge purse. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/11 "2005-07-18T19:10:08Z")
Wallet Mobile Phone Blood glucose monitoring kit office keys house keys A DVD from Amazon that arrived at the office today 2 pens a pencil a pack of tissues medicines moisturiser lip balm deodorant small mirror pencil lead usb stick sunglasses pack of sugar free sweets tampon dextrose tablets mini mars bars eye drops. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/12 "2005-07-18T19:12:48Z")
Well, I sometimes carry a larger purse. So this is my general “medium purse” content: - bus pass - assorted hair implements (bobby pins, clips, headband) - travel curling iron/flat iron (butane powered) - current book-of-the-moment - glasses case (regular and sunglasses) - small makeup bag (coverup, mascara, eyelashes curler, lipgloss, two or three eyeshadows) - notepad - pen - cell phone (currently not activated, but can be used for 911, and has my address book in it) - folding travel hairbrush - small bottle of skin lotion - two keychains (work and home) attached to a carabine - wallet - small bottle of ibuprofen - comb - pocket-sized container of sanitary hand wipes - nail file If I have a bigger purse I might carry more than one book, and then there’s more room to put in my lunch (and sometimes supper) as have a day job, and a part-time job three or four evenings a week. ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/13 "2005-07-18T19:18:46Z")
For the record the smoked salmon I brought in as a treat for the people in my office - I got it up in Alaska last week while on vacation 🙂 My purse was selected to be of a size that I may carry at all times (if necessary) one bottle of water, my lunch, and at least one hardcover book. I don’t often actually carry a hardcover book, preferring paperback for their lesser expense and decreased weight, but a girl likes to have the option! Also my public library does not have many paperbacks for loan. I have no idea where the duct tape came from, but I’ve needed it at least a half dozen times. It’s amazing how often you need tape. Since my OP I’ve found my fiance’s headphones, my last paystub, a very lovely silver ring I thought I’d lost, a hairclip and a pocket watch. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/14 "2005-07-18T19:44:51Z")
I carry a backpack. Yes, I’m a geek, why do you ask? I only carry useful things… a dozen pens and pencils… chapstick… bits of paper… nail clippers… tweezers… eyeglass screwdriver… calculator… umbrella… half-remembered reminder notes… notes for writing… some spare change… a broken ruler… oh, and Emergency Dice. In case an emergency game of D&D breaks out, of course. I _said_ I was a geek. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/15 "2005-07-18T20:03:53Z")
From memory, since I’m not up to cleaning it out right now: Big “girlie” wallet that has a checkbook. (I carry a man’s wallet in my back pocket so I don’t have to dig out the other one, or carry around a big ass purse all the time. And my cellphone is in the front pocket.) Glucose testing kit. 2 glasses cases. Paperback book. (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.) clippers emery board loose change various papers, including printed directions and recipes Excedrin Prescription bottle Mints Gum Keys Baggie of wet wipes. Address book I think that’s it. I need a bigger purse. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/16 "2005-07-18T20:03:54Z")
I don’t let crap build up in my purse, but I do carry around some less-than-usual usefull stuff. Wallet (the usual contents) Checkbook Pen Pony bands Small hairbrush Almost used-up lipsticks that I’ve already bought replacements for, for refreshing if necessary Painkiller (Aleve, usually) Granola bar Small prayer book with Grace After Meals, and afternoon and evening prayers Tums Keys Cellphone Tissues School ID Cart key for supermarket shopping carts Swiss Army Knife Bus schedule Train schedule Pad Thermacare heatwrap (for bad cramps - I need it maybe once a year, but I _need_ it then) Not the usual stuff, but the junk of the moment - a bill I need to mail off, a dry cleaning receipt, and the card with my upcoming dental appointment on it. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/17 "2005-07-18T20:31:47Z")
Wallet Pikachu keychain with housekey and laundry key on the ring Full, unused bottle of percocet (prescribed) My aspirator Lip balm from Bath & Body Works: Frosted Waterberry, and a tube of lipgloss from B&B: Warm Vanilla Sugar Hand lotion from Bath & Body Works: Pearberry An Esthero CD A CD with songs from the Japanese Card Captor Sakura (_Groovy Love Song HARE HARERUYA!_) A Megumi Hayashibara CD A discreet orange case with three tampons inside Four star-shaped hair clips One large… er… \*steel \* hair clip, I think. It’s not pewter, but it’s big, dark silvery, and heavy. Has a nice leaf design on it. My dollar-store tortoiseshell sunglasses One of my cats’ toy mice (one of them snuck in there, I’m sure) A leftover pack of diodes, a DPDT slide switch, 2 packs of ceramic capacitators, 10 pF and 50 pF A gum wrapper A reciept from IKEA My watch A book of stamps ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/18 "2005-07-18T20:44:25Z")
> [@mr bus guy](#): > > Spare Tampon in case I’m asked. (well, not really, just wanted to see who was paying attention) From someone who has Warm Vanilla Sugar hand lotion, that’s to be expected. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/19 "2005-07-18T20:55:39Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > From someone who has Warm Vanilla Sugar hand lotion, that’s to be expected. 😉 Ow. ---
**Author:** ![jkusters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jkusters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jkusters)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/20 "2005-07-18T21:09:00Z")
Hm, I haven’t inventoried my “man purse” (which I simply call my pouch) in a while… several issues of Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine PDA iPod iPod remote/ear buds loose change personal checkbook several disposable fountain pens a ballpoint pen a gel pen (yeah, I have a pen obsession) a small notebook a tube of polyhedral dice (you never know when a role-playing game might break out) a reminder card for my next haircut my cellphone my asthma inhaler gum assorted receipts and a Togo’s frequent eater card JOhn. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991.md?page=2)