I carry a medium-size purse with straps on top. I generally carry Coach bags - they do cost a bit upfront, but they're timeless and durable. I have a Coach bag that's more than 20 years old with almost no wear. Plus, I love the soft, thick leather. One of my indulgences.

Everything is in one big compartment, except keys, lipstick and pens and a few business cards. I only carry my wallet (with one credit card), cell phone and sunglasses. My Palm goes in my briefcase.

I can't stand shoulder bags - my shoulders are narrow for my body and they always fall off. When I travel, I do make sure, as Tally Sue says, to keep my keys in a different place from my wallet.

I'm always amazed when I see the virtual suitcases that many women carry. I can't imagine what all they need to carry on a regular basis!

I have a purse that works as a back-pack, but I don't like it, because I'm always afraid somebody will gently steal my stuff behind my back, because of the way it's set up. One section only snaps, so I don't put anything in it, the other section zips, but the "hole" is too small so it bugs me. Plus my motto: the more pockets, the more places to spend looking for things.

I only need a phone, wallet, checkbook, and a few items, one being that I carry DD's health record, and tiny stuff, clippers/aspirin, knife...big knife Heehee. I don't like to carry a purse and I hate it when my hands aren't free and I have a purse that is constantly falling off my shoulder. I also hate leaving it in a cart grocery shopping, so in my book, it has to be a backpack type or a butt-bag. At least w/the backpack, I figure I can pee and not have to put it down in a crummy bathroom or take it off to "go".

But...still haven't found the perfect one yet. It's either too big, too small or too young.

Hi, I too had my purse stolen, but it was in a locked car while I was watching a soccer game! It was on the floor with a towel covering it. All was taken. From then on, I am determined to "travel lightly" and only take a fanny pack or an across the chest bag. If someone wants my purse, they will have to get it off of me! It's a royal pain to replace everything.
I am truly amazed at the number of women who leave their purse in a shopping cart while they wander off. I have often wanted to say something to make them realize how easy a theft could occur. What would you say to them?

I absolutely adore my backpack type purse. I have been using it since February and that is a record for me. I bought it at Goody's on clearance. I am hoping to find me a good quality leather black one in the near future.

I recently read that you should make a photo-copy of everything in your wallet, front & back, and keep in a file. If it's stolen you won't have to try to remember what's in there.

Now that I'm sewing more I've been making my own purses and have all the pockets and room I need.. I like the backpack but am always afraid when I bend over everything will come spilling out. LOL

Mine is a simple black shoulder purse...a leather rectangle about 6in. long and 4in. high. There are 5 compartments - a pocket on the front, two main compartments with a zippered compartment in the middle, and a pocket that zips on the back. The back pocket is the only one "exposed" - a large flap covers the main compartments and the front pocket, and has a magnetic clasp. I think I got it a couple of years ago at a department store for $10 or so. It's my "winter" purse.

In the front pocket, I keep my pens and work ID, a few business cards, and the occasional shopping list. I try to keep that pocket clear of anything else, so I can easily find a pen when I need one. The first inner compartment holds my checkbook(s) and receipts, the zippered pocket holds change/cash, and the compartment behind that holds a small kleenex holder w/tissues, drugs (painkillers), a teeny bottle of lotion, and any "female" stuff that I need. My planner will fit in there, but I don't carry it, really. The back zippered pocket I rarely use for much - my insurance cards are in there, and not much else. Credit and store cards are in my checkbook.

I've always carried a shoulder bag - even in college I just stuck my purse in a big leather shoulder bag I carried books and paper in. I never really cared much for backpacks, and I hate straps across my body, so I guess it's a good thing I don't live in a place where stealing purses is a common crime (two ladies snatched a couple of purses from people shopping at our local walmart last year - they were caught almost immediately and sent to jail for it - and it was big news here). ;-)

I do put my purse in the front of carts, but I *never* leave it...if I have to walk away from the cart, my purse goes back on my shoulder, even if DH is with the cart. And the strap of my purse stays securely looped over my knee (tightly, so I can feel it) with my purse on the floor at my feet while I'm in a restarant, so I always know where it is. When I'm watching DH play pool in a bar or something, I leave my purse on the floor of the truck tucked mostly under the dash - when it's dark out, you can't see the black purse...it blends right in with the floor. ;-)

I carry an over the shoulder purse, too. When I was younger, I swore I would never carry one, but now I really like having everything right there, easy to find, and having somewhere to put things, instead of loading up my pockets.

Mine just has one big inner space where I keep wallet, checkbook, notepad, tape measure, and a few other little things. It has a small zipper section on the side of this space where I keep a pen, some chapstick and some bandaids. And it has a zippered section on the side with a few credit card pockets - I keep my library card, some punch cards, and a card with family clothes sizes in case I need them. This section also has an elastic pocket where I keep a few coupons to stores and for things I will use (I leave the rest at home).

When I travel, I usually just bring my wallet and a fanny pack. It looks kind of silly (the kids hate it), but It makes me feel more secure.

I can never figure out why they don't make a locked compartment in cars for purses. One of the things I love about my van is the locked drawer under the passenger's seat. I can lock my wallet, etc. there, but to put my whole purse in, I really have to squish it, so I don't. But I think a lot of people would probably appreciate a larger compartment for locking purses, laptops, etc.

This is an ongoing dilemma for me. I carry a lot of stuff, and I try to pare it down but I really need this stuff. So I tried across-the-body strap bags, tote bags, shoulder bags of all shapes, and backpacks. I'm still not happy. Still looking.

There are some neat gems in this thread.

*******a card with family clothes sizes in case I need them

This is a neat idea! I also have a card w/ social security numbers for when I need them filling out insurance forms. I worry sometimes that this isn't very secure, but my kids names aren't the same as mine, so I figure it won't be much good to a crook. Once I kept that kind of stuff in my address book.

*****Now that I'm sewing more I've been making my own purses

I wanna hear more about this! What do you make them out of? How do you sew the pockets? Any tricks to making them?

*****the strap of my purse stays securely looped over my knee (tightly, so I can feel it) with my purse on the floor at my feet while I'm in a restarant,

this is what I was doing when my purse was stolen--the strap fell off my knee, and someone slid the purse out from by my foot--having a cross-body strap means I can lay it in my lap, or beside my hip, and not worry that it could possibly become dislodged.

So far this purse I'm trying is OK--I was worried it would be too big. It's only almost too big--a teeny bit small would be nice, but not necessary.

I did see some tall skinny bags, and thought about them, but then decided they would be annoying when I sat down.

I've liked the idea of carrying my address book w/ me (I sometimes do want it when I don't want my backpack), and a pen. But I'm thinking that's about all.

And while I like the front pocket for my sunglasses, I don't like it for the ID's/MetroCard--fumbling w/ the flap is too annoying.

Hey there, just lurking.

Someone posted this a looong time ago on the Cooking Forum. Sent me off howling.

I like to think of it as 'Netflix' for purses.

Here is a link that might be useful: check it out here

that's funny, Jessy--and if it works, it's actually sensible!