I carry small purses nowadays, usually an across the chest shoulder strap type so I'm hands free. My most used is a little larger than a wallet with a zipper pocket for keys and my drugstore reading glasses (tiny and in a metal tube case), a pocket pack of Kleenex (always need those) and an outside phone pocket which I use for my smallest camera (I've never had or needed a cellphone.) I also have one of those flat plastic credit card-sized magnifying glasses which I bought and then forgot where I put it. I use glasses only for reading as I'm farsighted, but when I went to the optometrist for a checkup I thought about being fitted for computer glasses. Best idea I ever had as we could fine tune the correct distance at the optometrist's office by looking at his computer. Spending long hours gazing at my computer screen was tiring, so this was a good solution for reading the screen from about 27 inches away without eyestrain. Yes it is common here in Europe for men to carry a bag and it looks quite natural because so many of them are camera bags or backpack-type sling bags over one shoulder, often used by bikers and hikers. Most supermarkets and some stores here have a set of small lockers at the entrance where shoppers can leave their big backpacks or large carryalls. And some still have signs at the entrance asking people to leave their bags of all types in the lockers provided. Some years ago there were shops which asked people to leave their handbags with an employee at the front door. I would always walk out of such places, because as you said Lars, what guarantee do you have they're not snooping inside. Nowadays nobody bothers me even if I take a larger satchel-type handbag into a shop. SharonCb

Buehl, please do! I was just trying to save something of use. I'd been checking the GW all night, turned my back for 15 minutes to watch the Health Care vote, and whammo! all the posts were gone. I kept refreshing, thinking, "This can't be!"

Sheila, I have a Fossil watch that has 18 slots. I just tried to find my wallet on their website but it's not there, which is odd since I just bought it this past spring. I even looked on other websites to see if maybe it was an old style, but I still couldn't find it. Mine has two sections, one is a zippered section that has 6 slots, a zippered section in the middle for coins, and two spaces for dollar bills. then there is a portion that closes with a flap tab. When you open that, there are two sides with six slots each, as well as a long open section behind each that could hold either dollar bills, receipts or whatever. While I don't "need" all the things I keep in this slots, I do prefer to have everything in one wallet. I am out and about all time time, and will often make impromptu, unplanned stops, so having all my gift cards, library cards, credit/debit cards in one spot works best for me. If I'm going somewhere that I really don't want to carry all of that, say to dinner out with dh or if I'm traveling, I have a small change purse that I put in a small purse (if necessary) and just bring my license, a debit/card card and money. It could also hold my cell phone but I have a bulky, sturdy case on my phone so with that on, I can't put it in the wallet. It does fit though if I take the case off. I also bought a separate strap so that I can hold it by the strap (like a wristlet sort of) if I need use of my hands. Ms. Rose, my wallet was about $65. My last Fossil wallet which I absolutely loved but is discontinued, I found at TJ Maxx for $25. I've had cheaper wallets and they were fine, but I have to say that the Fossil is much better quality than the cheaper ones I had. I'm not a purse-aholic, and don't buy new purses often, so don't mind spending for a good quality leather wallet since I use it every day.

I carry three items in my purse (well three items containing other items! LOL): A make-up bag size zippered pouch, a smaller size matching zipper pouch and my wallet. The larger pouch holds a lipstick, a mirror, small hand sanitizer, etc. The smaller pouch has a vial of tylenol, a pen, notepad and my phone can go in there if needed. The wallet has the usual things. I do not want my drivers license, credit card, money, etc. loose in my purse, even in a zippered area. I like to change out purses, and taking my license or credit card in and out, too easy to lose it or leave it in one purse when I'm switching to another. I don't carry large bags.