# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**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, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/21 "2005-07-18T21:16:51Z")
> [@mr bus guy](#): > > Ow. Sorry. I couldn’t resist. ---
**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, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/22 "2005-07-18T21:23:43Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Sorry. I couldn’t resist. That’s it, I’m greasing up… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/23 "2005-07-18T21:34:25Z")
My wallet, which contains: \*Cash \*Change \*Checks \*All needed ID, credit, and insurance cards My makeup bag, which contains: \*Cuticle salve \*Lipstick \*Chapstick \*Hand cream \*Blotting tissue \*Hand sanitizer \*Chewing gum \*A silver pill box \*An extra hair elastic and hairpins \*A folding brush Also, \*Cell phone \*Keys \*A Waterman ballpoint \*Sunglasses \*My JumpDrive ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/24 "2005-07-18T21:38:22Z")
I don’t believe in purses. They’re too small, and awkward. I have a small backpack for ‘going out’ if my pockets won’t carry my phone/wallet, or if I have a book to take. But in my every day, going to work backpack, let’s have a looksee. Front Pocket: Assorted pens, in various states of working (ranging from okay to out of ink to I destroyed it in a fit of rage) Empty Tampon box Free-floating tampons (still in plastic wrappers) Scraps of paper Approx 50c loose change Spoon Fork Access card for work Old printed roster Deceased batteries Main Pocket: Spoon Fork Mug Tea Socks Garbage bag (I ride to work, that’s to help waterproof my bag if it starts to rain) Half a dozen CDs (in cases) A few extra CD cases Magazines Book Plastic sleeve folder, crammed with five million pieces of paper including my latest roster, work guidelines, monitored call results and about 3.5 million forms I don’t really need More dead batteries Receipts Notepad Discman Phone Headset That sounds about right. And there’s a hairbrush in the side pocket. ---
**Author:** ![cruel\_butterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@cruel\_butterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cruel_butterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/25 "2005-07-18T21:43:13Z")
cell phone one AA battery lip gloss cigarettes & lighter various receipts and other trash credit and debit cards my driver license my eight-year-old son’s picture ID Skittles gum (my new favorite sugar treat) ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/26 "2005-07-18T21:50:00Z")
Wallet Checkbook Deposit slips and envelopes Roly Poly Sandwiches menu (I’ve not been there in months, but still have the menu) Post-it notes Three pens Bottle of Aleve with some 8-hour Tylenols mixed in Dentyne Ice gum Note pad Pectin throat drops Cell phone instruction book White Tea and Ginger hand lotion Pack of Handy Wipes tampons emergency pad tiny hairbrush zip-up change purse containing eye drops, oil-absorbing face sheets, lip balm, instructions for digital watch, and condoms When I carry my purse, I put my cell phone in the cell phone pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/27 "2005-07-18T22:33:14Z")
My purse is a big black pleather diaper bag. diapers small box of wipes two teether toys extra empty bottle small washcloth three small rose scented bags for diaper disposal 38 dollars…I’m not counting the change but it’s a lot. check card driver’s license library card pictures of my girls coupons for diapers and cat litter a few receipts from Kroger (tossing them now) ibuprofen bit of tissue bottle of afrin compact mirror a Walgreens ad :discards: a half a bar of dynasty chocolate with cashews. HEY I forgot about that! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/28 "2005-07-18T23:01:43Z")
I’ve recently eschewed the purse in favor of a more streamlined but large wallet. Inside the first compartment: My weekly shopping list (updated as needed) Invoice from the repair of my husband’s guitar amplifier, used as scratch paper for long division regarding a financial hypothesis a few packets of Splenda various credit card receipts my eyeglass/contact prescription (I’m putting that in my files as we speak) Coin purse contents: one dollar in quarters a couple bucks for incidentals at the corner store a compact, unbreakable mirror that came with the wallet chapstick _next compartment_ credit cards, Red Cross blood donation card, student ID, etc. Sorry, no driver’s license this week A pen – black Pilot gel pen calculator that came with the wallet – about as useful as tits on a boar, hence the long division scratch paper My checkbook _outer compartment_ Spare key to the Plymouth. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/29 "2005-07-19T02:03:21Z")
Keys Work Pocket PC Phone Ed that serves as my second brain Travel Republic of Tea tin with Ginger Peach flavor Checkbook Packet of soy sauce (How the heck did this get in here?) Frequent shopper ticket to my local yarn store Lotion blend in a recycled Clinique sample bottle the size of my thumb Counter-watch that needs new batteries Ticket stubs for Batman, Sky Captain, Assault on Pct 13 Vet bill with office phone number Empty fountain pen (levenger True Writer, blue) Floss Gas receipts $1.00 in change (when did they change the nickels?!) Metal business card case Wooden knock box with a lizard on it (my touchstone) Shout wipes for those clothes catastrophes Stamps Boarding pass from my last trip Wooden widetoothed comb Old hearing aid that I need to donate (should still work) Pilot G-2 gel pen Drug company multi-pen (stylus/pen/pencil) Michael Payne’s _The Blood Jaguar_ Copy of recall letter from Honda ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/30 "2005-07-19T02:15:47Z")
iPod Wizard & Glass (Book 4 of the Dark Tower) wallet keys travel pack of tissues paystub from last payday and the payday before that various and sundry receipts appointment cards for a couple of doctors cell phone blistex Sensa rollerball pen Cross ballpoint pen 1 Pilot Precise extra fine pen (black) 1 Pilot Precise extra fine pen (blue) ---
**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:** [July 19, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/31 "2005-07-19T02:38:02Z")
In the front flap pocket:[ul][li]My PDA (it fits _perfectly_, which is the reason I bought this purse)[/ul][/li] In the front cell phone pocket:[ul][li]My cell phone :D[/ul][/li] In the main section, loose:[ul][li]4 pens[/li][li]1 small screwdriver (the kind that fits computer screws)[/li][li]1 hair clip[/li][li]1 mini bottle of rewetting drops[/li][li]the key to my friends’ Jeep (I’m car sitting while they’re out of town)[/li][li]a pocket pack of tissues[/li][li]Tide To Go stain remover pen[/li][li]mini hairbrush[/li][li]checkbook[/li][li]wallet[/li][li]a piece of paper from tonight’s t’ai chi class that lists the “6 healing sounds” (being removed from the purse and added to my other t’ai chi stuff as I type)[/ul][/li] In the “hidden” inside zippered section:[ul][li]a bunch of miscellaneous membership cards, first aid certification cards, my FCC license, etc.[/li][li]condoms[/li][li]Summer’s Eve personal wipes (in case I get to use the condoms)[/li][li]Immodium[/ul][/li]In the zippered pocket on the back:[ul][li]a black, fake leather business card holder that I use to hold my license and stuff – and a couple of my business cards – when I go out[/li][li]Certs Powerful Mints (peppermint)[/li][li]pictures of the printer ink and camera battery that I use, for reference when they need to be replaced[/ul][/li] Wow, this makes my purse sound _huge_, but it’s really not. Honest! It is the biggest purse I’ve ever carried, though – I used to go around with something the size of a camera bag. I went bigger when I suddenly found myself with cell phone and PDA. > [@psycat90](#): > > 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. Same here . . . minus the husband. 🙂 I just put my license, cash, whatever credit card(s), and the key to my car (which pops off the rest of the ring) in one pocket, my cell phone in the other, and I’m good to go! ---
**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 19, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991/32 "2005-07-19T12:19:08Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > The real question is: how are all your backs holding up? :eek: The funny thing is, I hate to carry stuff, and the stuff in my purse is just what I consider the basic necessities! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-purse/312991.md?page=1)