Ask the Readers: What's In Your Wallet?
Photo credit:
Linsey B. Knerl *** Congrats to our winners! ***
- in my wallet: lip balm, atm card, driver's license, medical insurance card, work credit card, AAA card, library card, a little bit of cash, fortune from a fortune cookie, and a laminated quote from a Bauhaus song -- "your mornings will be brighter / break the line tear up rules / make the most of a million times no"
- luckyplatypus Driver's license and debit card (paper clipped together), car key, lip balm, phone. Anything else would be clutter. #WBAsk
And thanks to the following commenters for sharing their thoughts in a blog post!
http://www.moneybeagle.com/2010/03/whats-in-your-wallet.html
http://airwanderer.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/whats-in-your-bag/
What's in your wallet? I love the photos on Flickr of people sharing the contents of their purses and backpacks. In fact, it tells me a lot about what people place value on (if you're willing to cart it anywhere, it must be important, right?). My purse currently holds a Sharpie pen, an old Holiday Inn room key, some antacids, breath strips, gum, a few used gift cards, my wallet (with I.D. and a couple of credit cards), a business card holder, and my pocket video camera.
We want to know what you currently carry in your purse or wallet. You can give as much or as little detail as you like. We want to know if you carry checks, cards, diapers, gum, or prefer to hoof it around with a fanny pack strapped to your waist full of nothing but cash! By sharing the contents of your wallet or purse, you will be entered to win a $20 Amazon GC (you won't be able to put it in your wallet, however — we'll email it to you!)
Win a $20 Amazon gift card:
We're doing two giveaways — one for random comments, and another one for a random tweets.
How to Enter:
- Post your answer in the comments below, or
- Tweet your answer. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it.
If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.
Giveaway Rules:
- Contest ends Friday, April 16th at 11:59 am CST. Winners will be announced after April 16th on the original post and via Twitter. Winners will also be contacted via email and Twitter Direct Message.
- You can enter both drawings — once by leaving a comment and once by tweeting.
- Only tweets that contain both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" will be entered. (Otherwise, we won't see it.)
Good luck!
Tagged: Giveaways, Ask the Readers
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I'm in college, so I don't need to carry as much around with me as many other people do. In a Coach wristlet I have lip balm, keys (2 for dorm, 1 each car, my parents' house, and PO Box), phone, and a little wallet/coin purse with my drivers' license, AAA card, debit card, student ID, and about $20 cash.
two credit cards, drivers license, atm card, insurance cards, a few membership cards and punch cards, and cash
Drivers license, check card, library card and whatever cash I have (which is usually none). I run very lean. Just the essentials.
I carry my phone, wallet (with driver's license, library card, zoo membership card, and debit card), my keys, some chapstick, my coupon organizer, and whatever paperback I happen to be reading at the time.
The stuff that gets transferred from purse to other purses to backpack to messenger bag: wallet, containing cash, receipts, and a metal business card holder containing my ID and credit/debit/insurance cards; small pencil case containing pens, pencils, highlighter, eraser, lip balm; phone; keys (2 for my house, 1 for my car, 1 for my office, and my Kroger value card); small moleskine planner, and a collapsible hairbrush.
For a quick jaunt to the store or post office or something, I throw my metal card holder, phone and keys in my pockets.
The pencil case is a recent addition, but I've found it's much better than throwing pens/pencils in a bag - I'm always guaranteed to have one of each, and I lose far fewer writing implements. I first noticed the trend studying abroad in England - I'd pull a pen out of the depths of my backpack and the other students would unzip their cute little pencil cases and be all set.
My trusty Dooney and Burke carries
wallet:
2 credit cards
1 debit card
health insurance card
AAA card
drivers license
~$20
1 PocketMod to track cash spending
1 PocketMod for jotting music ideas
1 pen
lip balm
cell phone
chopsticks (you never know when they run out of utensils)
2 napkins
car keys
apartment keys
sunglasses
Drivers License, Library card, Indiana bar card, American bar card, 3 credit cards and my costco card. My money clip broke so there's a wadded up 10 behind the credit cards.
1/2 piece of gum (in the wrapper), Burts Bees chapstick, wrapper from a local bakery that used to contain a ginger snap cookie before I devoured it, three $20 bills, my library card, my house key on a University of Sydney key ring, and a bright red ball point pen.
In my wallet: debit cards, gift cards, store loyalty cards, insurance cards, checkbook, pictures of my kids, receipts, and $.78. In my purse (which is really a small diaper bag): wallet, keys, phone, diapers, wipes, water bottle, and lip balm.
My wallet currently has cash, driver's license, car insurance card, metro pass, health insurance card, credit cards (Discover, Amex/Costco, Mastercard), ATM/check card, 2 bandaids, and stamps.
I'm a geek, so I also carry a multi-tool, cell phone, pen and flashlight in my pocket. It sounds like a lot of stuff, but it actually fits perfectly in my two front pockets.
I have a debit card, a credit card, pictures of my grandkids, about $10, and some gift cards.
Not much. Driver's license, debit card, credit card, medical insurance card, and AAA card.
I like to travel with just the essentials in my wallet and bought an ultra-thin stabo wallet to hold it all:
Main Pocket: Cheques. Notes totalling at least £20.
Left Pocket: Debit Card, Driving Liscence, Insurance Card, Student Card, Oyster (Train) Card. I also have some deal cards which I use regularly since I know I will forget them if I don't have them on me at all times.
Right Pocket: Train Tickets as I need to access these quickly
Perhaps notably, I don't carry any change in my wallet and instead try and use my Debit Card as much as possible. If I can't use my card, I'll put any change from my notes into my pocket and then either transfer this to a change pot at home (which eventually goes back into my bank account) or get rid of the change through self service machines.
As I get older, my purse gets smaller and lighter!. a smaller wallet= drivers license, $30 cash, debit card, insurance card and library card! and my phone of course...Simplicity!
I have those things below in my long wallet. Many things at one place is the reason I chose to use a functional long wallet.
* 3 credit cards
* 1 check (ATM) card
* AAA member card
* 2 library cards
* 3 insurance cards (health, vision, prescription drug plan)
* 1 hospital card
* 2 grocery store cards
* Drivers license
* A couple of business cards
* Environmental Working Group's "Shopper's guide to pesticides in produce" :)
* Environmental Defense Fund's "Pocket Seafood Selector"
* Small calculator (card type)
* Coupons!
* Some money (about $10-$50; I don't carry cash much)
A Storus Smart Money Clip holding cash, 2 debit cards, license, insurance card, temple recommend, list of phone numbers, and a Cafe Rio Free Meal card. A pencil and small notebook, handkerchief, keyring with car key and house key, and a Google Nexus.
My purse contains my keys, wallet, phone, a bag full of "remnant" gift cards and coupons, chapstick, a small notebook, and about a dozen current and old slips of paper covered in lists - grocery lists, to-do lists, reading lists, etc. I'm a list-maker. And I'm not very good at cleaning out the purse.
In my enormous, multi-pocketed purse: Grocery cards, blood and marrow donor cards, notebook, pen, lip balm, phone, keys, an extra pad, and wallet with ID, debit and credit cards, and checks. At one point, this was also carrying a Tide stain remover pen, hand cream, sunglasses, and a book. There's probably a receipt/prescription for my eyeglasses in there too, plus or minus a receipt from the auto shop...
My wristlet includes...
2 debit cards
1 credit card
driver's license
military ID
Sam's membership
Costco membership
REI membership
Walmart giftcard
Barne's and Noble giftcard
CVS coupon
$3.63
The Normal Stuff:
Driver's liscense, Student ID, Library card, One credit card (that never carries a balance!), Sam's Club card, debit card, one check
Other:
laminated card of important numbers, 5 dollar Starbucks giftcard, check from a friend paying me back for a favor.
I carry the usual stuff, a few bucks cash, drivers license/work ID, credit cards (3 of them but only really use 1), insurance cards, a note from my gf to cheer me up when I need one, and a few business cards.
Purse :: wallet, keys (home & car), coin purse (holds all of my rewards program cards, which I have about 15 of), sunglasses, Droid, Zune, 4 pens, 2 pencils, gum, Werther's, cosmetic bag (tissues, lip balm, medications, Tide 2 Go pen, band-aids, hand lotion, contact solution, floss picks, nail clippers, nail file, & bobby pins).
Wallet :: insurance cards, Smith's Fresh Values card, Sam's Club membership card, AAA card, zoo & planetarium membership cards, 2 debit cards, student ID, public transportation pass, driver's license, ICE card, note from my Dad, coupons galore (about 50 or so for stores, restaurants, & entertainment), gift certificates and cards, $20, change, some rewards program cards that are used often, parking validations, & a pen
I'm always afraid I'll be unprepared, which is why I also have a purse AND wallet that are waaaaay too big.
Costco card, Sams card, drivers license, library card, 4 credit cards, AARP card, road assistance card, 3 gift cards, photos of kids, insurance cards, RX card, voters registation card, body donation card, cash.
Here's what's in my bag:
I recently moved to a minimalist front-pocket wallet after many years of carrying a large wallet in my rear pocket , albeit one that probably pails in comparrison to many, but was still big. The new(ish) wallet a nylon eagle-creek wallet with a lifetime warranty - hooray. In the wallet I carry my work ID and security access card, driver's license, check card, and depending on my schedule it might contain either my pool/gym card or my library card. I carry a small amount of cash, and a single page of waterproof paper (via Rite in the Rain) for bleed/smudge-proof notes and to-do's. My newest addition is a tiny, tiny pen that fits in the creas without adding bulk and expands when open to be a full-length, thin pin. Everything I need and nothing I don't.
I have cash, which I always carry. Several rewards cards, movie rental cards and business cards. As well as the standard ID type stuff.
What's in my wallet depends on what country I'm in; I recently emigrated from the U.S. but I'm planning on returning to the States frequently.
For now:
-Wallet: Picture of my husband, some cash, US credit card and ATM, foreign ATM, list of the 5 most important values and goals in my life, University ID, US Driver's License, student bus pass, health insurance card, grocery store loyalty cards, intercity bus pass, dorm laundry card (even though I don't live on campus anymore), University photocopy card, and the equivalent of about $5 in coins at all times, to-do list
-Purse: Wallet,day planner, sunglasses, pashmina scarf in case of sudden cold weather, keys, foreign ID card and case, phone, phone charger, pantyliners, book for long bus rides. Sometimes I also carry a small notebook and pen with me for sudden insights.
RIP to my iPod, which used to be a purse staple :/
Funny, I almost never carry around this much. I guess that's what happens when you're commuting to your first year of University every day :P. In the States, I usually just carried a wristlet with my driver's license and cell, and maybe some cash.
A little as possible...
Driver's license, 2 credit cards, debit card, insurance card, PBA card, student ID, photo of my girlfriend, some cash, and a few of my own business cards for giving out.
First...its a Jimi wallet. LOVE IT! http://thejimi.com/ Inside: bank/credit/debit card. Food store card. (Wegmans! ftw!) Barber shop membership card (love Sam Spitali!) Drivers license. Outside, in the money clip piece: cash (varies), library card! and movie frequency card.
My purse has my cell phone, a couple pens, lip balm, eye drops, and my wallet with the normal credit cards/debit card/ID in it along with photos of my little one. I also have a new set of measuring cups and spoons in there. I keep forgeting to take them home from work where I had them delivered so I threw them in there so I won't forget finally!
I carry drivers license, 1 debit card, 2 credit cards, library card, insurance card, misc affinity cards and some gift cards, sustainable fish card, crayons, deck of cards, coupons, mints, pen, PDA, ear plugs, motrin, lotion, pictures of kids, misc notes and papers and chapstick. If I'm lucky I might also have some cash and change. I may also have keys and cell phone in my purse but they might as well be in a jacket pocket.
In my wallet, I have my license, my debit card, store tags, receipts, and my library card.
In my wallet, I have my license, my debit card, store tags, receipts, and my library card.
Drivers License, Insurance Card, ATM Card, Credit Card, Costco Card, one Gift Card and three business cards. Very minimal. No cash because I'm all out for the week.
In my wallet: usually very little cash, two credit cards, one debit card, driver's license, insurance card, and that's about it. In my purse: wallet, cell phone, chapstick, keys, change.
Already wrote a post on this last month! http://www.moneybeagle.com/2010/03/whats-in-your-wallet.html
Credit card, debit card, grocery store rewards card, gas discount card, driver's license, library card, health/dental/homeowners/car insurance cards, little note from fiance, $11 cash,
Wallet: ATM cards from two banks, my credit card, HSA debit card, library card, Gamestop card, restaurant stamp cards, a couple of checks, stamps, any random coupons I may have found interesting. I rarely have cash, but I keep all receipts in there until I file them.
Purse: wallet, brush/mirror contraption, lip balm, lipstick, glasses microfiber cloth, mini flashlight, phone, iPod, Advil (currently in a mini Altoids case...), Big Y coins, grocery store keytags on my car keychain, eyedrops.
Costco Card/Am. Express Card
Master Card with Spirit Air
Disney Visa
Sam's Club card
Driver's licence
AAA
Library Card
University Staff ID
Credit Union Card (2)
$8
I'm just doing wallet, purse would take too much time... 8)
spare car key
medical insurance card, lab card, dental card, vision card, prescription card
$10.86 cash
5 receipts from recent business trip
debit card, American Express card, credit union Visa card
book of stamps
AAA card
driver's license, proof of insurance, uniform donor card
checkbook
loyalty cards from grocery, hardware, pet supply & media stores
Readers (glasses), small bag of dog treats, digital camera, wallet, phone, lipstick, Advil, pen, and a small notebook.
I carry the same stuff no matter how many times i change my pocketbook, I carry the stardard large wallet to hold pictures, credit cards, ids, coupon cards, insurance cards, receipts, andsometimes there is even cash in there. post it notes, 3 checkbooks, 2 calendars, perfume, pens pencils, tide to go, 2 change purses, Splender, sewing kit, eyeglass repair kit, nail clipper, chapstick,business cards, work id pass, hand sanitizer, eyeglass wipes, keys, calculator, tissues, cold medicine, gum, eraser, envelope with more receipts in it, aspirin, bandaids, mirror, highliter and a comb.
Southwest Credit Card
Bank of America Debit Card
License
Corporate Credit Card
Emergency $50
Health insurance card
Flying Saucer Rewards Card (Draft beer mega-bar)
In my purse I carry 2 credit cards, debit card,cash(appx $10), a coin purse, checks, 2 pilot pens, a planner, candies, lipstick, a comb, drivers license, keys with lots of loyalty cards in the key ring, health insurance card, AAA Card, Student ID Card(going to college) cell phone, a book or magazine(whatever I happen to be reading at the time), kleenex, diapers, wipes, a t-shirt ( I have a baby!), handcream, extra pair of spectacles, coupons, granola bars, a bottle of water/juice, a small notepad, several receipts from various stores, 2 scrunchies, pictures of my babies
Whoa. What have we here? I just dumped out my fanny pack. My regular wallet contains business cards, a bunch of gift cards with various amounts remaining, credit card, driver's license, library cards, health insurance card, AAA card, bank card, a couple older pics of the kids, no paper money. Also have a Swiss army knife, tape measure (for yard sale measuring), paperclip, pen, reciepts, yard sale wish list for friends and family, a ton of change, clip on sunglasses, car keys, house keys, grocery wallet has customer cards and no cash. No wonder my back hurts....
My bag is HUGE and brimming with stuff!
Checkbook, 2 pairs of sunglasses (black & brown, you never know when you need to change up the color!), 2 reusable nylon grocery sacks in case I run to the grocery on impulse, address book, 2 hand lotions, tissues, handheld mirror, hairties, 2 lip balm, cough drops, aspirin, 2 flash drives, iPhone, business phone, work keys, car/house keys, and my wallet which contains $2, 3 credit cards, 1 debit card, 3 fortune cookie fortunes, a dozen or so store loyalty cards, driver license, health/dental insurance card, AAA card, bus card, Gamestop card, library card, rental car frequent renter card, car insurance card, and more business cards than I can shake a stick at!
What's in my wallet? Not a Capital One card. But, I have pictures of my family, a credit card, library card, driver's license, and all those fun cards like health insurance, car insurance, etc. I don't usually carry cash, but my kids have me carry theirs, so there is usually some change in there too. Extra 3x5 cards--great for jotting down ideas!--and business cards round out the wallet. Now if you're talking my purse...that's another story!
I carry my drivers license, bank card, 2 credit cards, a couple of business cards, couple of DD and Starbucks gift cards, library card, insurance, couple of receipts (use the back of them for random lists). I hate carrying a purse (I'm abnormal for a girl) so I clip my keys to my wallet and put my phone in my pocket and I'm good to go.
In my Kate Spade mini-courier bag (13"x8"x3"?) I carry a digital camera with video; wallet with gift cards, library card, a couple of membership cards, AAA card, insurance card, dollars and coins; an iPhone in a holder that holds my credit cards, license, atm, and biz cards; a 3x5 notebook; 3 pens, a coupon wallet; a coin purse that holds iPhone/pod earphones and a mystery key; a small makeup see-thru mesh zip bag with lipstick, eye shadow, blush, burts bees lip balm AND chapstick, mascara, 3 eyeliners (!), eyeliner sharpener, face blotting strips, moist towelette packet, a rubber band, bandaids, moisturizer, a plastic thingy that helps a child use chopsticks, a Raw Sugar packet,white sugar packet, a nail file, hair elastic, pillbox with allergy meds, inhaler, lip balm, fem product; Matchbox car, Trader Joes Mixed Berry Fiberful dried fruit bar, a packet of Tazo Earl Grey tea; calculator, blue sharpie, lip gloss, portable bandage holder "Mini First Aid"; portable tissue pack; and a dried-out package of wet wipes. Key chain with 12 keys and store cards hangs off the side via carabiner clip. I'm the working mom of a 6 year old boy.
In my purse I carry my wallet, checkbook, chapstick, tiny hair brush, business cards, a couple of pens/pencils, small bottle of ibuprofen, phone, keys, small hand sanitizer, and a flash drive.
I have a Butler bag, and in it is a wallet with my credit cards, debit cards, grocery discount cards, a hairbrush, my keys, a compact umbrella, a checkbook, nail file, iPod, iPhone, Tide stick, Chapstick, makeup compact, dental floss, mini deodorant, mini hand lotion, and a little stuffed animal monkey I have kept in whatever purse I currently use since I was in high school.
I have my yeara calendar, a black pen, a blue pen, my ipod, sunglasses, gum, keys, lipstick, paperback book "boat of a million years," note pad, mail to be mailed, and my leather man wallet I bought at walmart 12 years ago that holds my cards and $10 in cash. Sounds like a lot when I write it all out...
I prefer a backpack to a purse, so...netbook, napkins, iPod and headphones, checkbook, wallet, lip balm, various pocket tools, analgesics and antacids, carabiner loops, bags for groceries, bus schedules, water bottle, pen, and my lunch.
I just carry around my keys, cell phone, cash and a cc holder with ID and CCs.
Not interesting, but I almost always have what I need.
Wallet ($8 cash, DL, debit card, checkbook and register, blockbuster/CVS/AMC movie reward cards), keys, cell phone and case, lip gloss, folding brush, gum, mint, pocket mirror, ibuprofen, sunglasses/case, mini planner, 2 pens, poker chips, eyedrops, business card holder/cards, hand sanitizer, kleenex, ID badge for work,
Purse: wallet, Swiss Army knife, portable wine bottle opener, sunglasses, pocket calendar, small note pad, WW point tracker booklet, lip balm, hand lotion sample bottle, 4 pens, one pencil, a pair of kids scissors, and a candy cane (leftover from holidays & when I need mint I break off a piece).
Wallet: license, medical ID card, debit card, picture of kids, $21.00, DD gift card, Barnes & Noble gift card, Big Y reward coins
I don't go anywhere without my Kindle and an Ipod. My wallet is pretty slim, i only have my essential ID's/1Credit/1Debit and a Shaws Card
In my bag always:
Notebook, access card for my building, business cards (work and personal), pens, chapstick, my camera, keys (w/ Swiss army knife, carabeener), cell phone, receipts yet to be entered, couple of coupons, glasses
In my wallet, always:
Two credit cards (regular cashback & airline miles for work expenses), Metro card, driver's license, bank card, AAA card, insurance card, AAA bail bond (haven't used one yet!), couple of rewards cards, gift cards, 8gig jump drive (this comes in handy all the time)
My walllet is always heavy. I have a bottle of water (half a liter), a snack, my small coin purse, pencils and sharperners, pens, small notebook, a multitool, a flashlight, a chemical emergency light, my glasses, my keys, my first aid kit and some papers and business cards
It may be more approriate to answer this with "what's not in my purse" At this very moment I have:
1. Wallet w/ credit cards, driver's license, used gift cards, receipts, some change, business cards, appointment reminders
2. Crab Rattle
3. Small photo album w/ pictures of my baby
4. Keys
5. Small tube of hand lotion
6. Burt's Bee's Lip Balm
7. Small pad of paper and 3 pens
8. Netflix movie and a RSVP to a wedding (to be mailed)
9. Apple
10. Nutrigrain bar
11. A small bible
12. Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss (just recently went to the dentist)
13. Sunglasses
14. Reimbursement check
15. My own business cards.
16. Checks
17. More receipts
After writing this, I may think about getting a smaller purse.
I'm a girl, but I don't carry a purse.
In my wallet is some cash, credit cards, debit card, store discount/loyalty cards, Sams Club card, insurance (medical, dental, optical, auto) cards, A gift card or two and a couple of pieces of paper with pictures special drawn on them by young friends. Also in my pockets are my keys, Blistex, pocket knife and Leatherman micro.
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WALLET-WHICH CONTAINS DEBIT CARD,CASH, DRIVERS LISCENSE,COUPONS TO PAYLESS SHOE STORE,BUSINESS CARDS.
PERSONAL PAD(WITH MY FINANCIAL LIFE STORY WRITTEN IN IT) I KEEP TRACK OF MY DAILY SPENDING ALONG WITH MASTER SHOPPING LIST OF EVERYTHING I NEED FOR OUR FAMILY FIRST TRIP TO DISNEY.ALSO HAS WEEK TO WEEK BUDGET & MONTHLY BUDGET ALONG WITH ANY OTHER INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS OR IDEAS I GET AS I COMMUTE.
FOLDABLE COMB/BRUSH.
RE-USABLE SHOPPING BAG WRAPPED TIGHTLY WITH RUBBER BANDS.
LOTION/ANTI BACTERIAL CREAM
BOOK,NEWSPAPER,IPOD ALTERNATIVELY(NEVER ALL THREE)
SUNGLASSES ( I LIVE IN A BASEMENT WITH LIMITED WINDOWS & NORMALLY FEEL LIKE DRACULA WHEN I LEAVE MY APARATMENT EVERY MORNING).
ALEVE (FOR THE HEADACHE I GET IF THE SUNGLASSES DONT WORK).
CHAPSTICK
PEN
I NORMALLY TRY TO CRAM ALL OF THIS INTO THE SMALLEST BAG I CAN FIND. I HAT BIG PURSES, SINCE I COMMUTE ON A CROWDED TRAIN AND I AM NORMALLY THE VICTIM OF A WOMAN CARRYING A GIANT PURSE WHO ALWAYS SEEMS TO HIT ME OF BUMP ME WITH IT.
in my purse is my big wallet, a pencil case, a small pouch wristlet, digital camera, i-pod, cell phone, a commuter reading book and my key ring wallet (and a random packet of ketchup?!?):
in my big wallet is cash, check book, credit cards and debit cards, health insurance card, blockbuster card, sephora card, driver's license, receipts and stamps.
in my small pouch wristlet is gum, tissues, lip balm, bandaids, tampons, small mirror, hair clips, eye drops and hand lotion
in my pencil case are pens, pencils and my USB flash drive
in my key ring wallet is my subway monthly pass and my company ID slash card and attached to my keys are mini cvs extra care and shaws rewards cards.
I wrote a post on it!
http://airwanderer.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/whats-in-your-bag/
But for those who don't read the post- the more unusual things in my bag are tire pressure gauge, tei shin probe, earseeds, Body Zing Body Gel, piezo stimulator, and a medicine bag.
I carry a lot of stuff with me at all times because I figure I never know when I am going to be somewhere I didn't plan and need something that would otherwise be at home and of no use to me. I think this mostly has to do with my coupon/deal-getting habits; it makes me uneasy to think I could have gotten a better deal/discount if only I had had "x" coupon or discount card on me.
Having said that, I carry: personal cell phone, work cell phone, spiral-bound paper planner, coupon pouch (filled with my most commonly used coupons/other deals), sunglasses, wallet (with about $100 in cash, credit cards, insurance card, receipts of recent transactions, business cards, personal business cards, business cards of businesses I need (like a favorite cab driver to get rides to the airport), lucky Asian wallet token, tickets to upcoming concerts/events), check book, pen, digital camera, pouch with various club cards and gift cards, lip balm, spare feminine products, hair ties, bandaids, wet wipes, facial tissue/napkins, common medications (antacid, pepto, aleve, ibuprofen, alka seltzer), individually wrapped toothpicks, spare AA and AAA batteries, 1GB USB stick/flash drive, car keys, house keys (2 sets), change/coin purse, keychain with small-sized club cards and bottle opener, digital watch, and extra hair clip.
I know this sounds like a ton of stuff but I have used every single one of these items in the past more than a few times, hence the habit of carrying them with me. I cannot count the number of times having these items on me has saved me in any particular situation. Also, in an case anyone was wondering - I don't carry redundant copies of anything except frequently used coupons. For example, I only have one club card per grocery store I visit, not several (which might be confusing because I have club cards in various places/forms, such as the keychain small-sized club cards vs. the regular credit card-sized cards).
I would also like to add that I keep my purse extremely well-organized. There is almost never a time when I cannot find something I am looking for in my purse, no matter that my purse is medium-sized. Each item has its certain place, and so it is easily findable each time. Call me OCD, but at least I can find everything everytime and I have what I need on me at all times. :)
In my jacket and/or pockets: Keys, Burts Bees Lip Balm (good stuff), Bluetooth headset, Blackberry
Wallet: includes photo ID, Metrocard, Amex Credit Card, 2 Debit Cards, emergency $20 bill
Currently, all I'm carrying is a coupon "wallet" full of coupons, in which I've also put 2 credit cards, 3 driver's licenses (current and 2 previous - so I can compare how my hair has changed), one check from each of two ckg accts, an ATM card, health insurance card, and various other store membership/rewards cards.
This is so "Mom" of me, but this is what is in my "purse":
Wallet, cash, credit/debit cards, health cards (for me and daughters), doctor business cards (for me and daughters), old receipts, club cards, membership cards, driver's license, one kid photo, AAA card, notecard to track my fun money (stay on budget, right?), pen, handful of napkins (from everywhere), travel sized tissue paper, 3 size3 diapers, pack of wipes, changing pad, coupon envelope thingy, hand sanitizer, lotion, 3 water bottles (yes, you guessed it, for me and my daughters), bag of hard candy (hmm, left over from a pregnancy), mini-first aid kit (bandaids, qtips, cotton balls, neosporin, alcohol wipes), small mirror, caribinger, keys to car and house, usually some kind of snack, advil, feminine products, digital camera, extra battery and cards for digital camera, cell phone, nursing cover.
This all fits in a small (but heavy) messenger bag - 12x6x10. Not bad, eh?
*Slips hand into pocket*
*Turns invisibe*
I'm a graduate student, so I carry a TimBuk2 messenger bag and a wallet instead of a purse. Here's what's generally in both:
Wallet: Discover Card, Visa Card, Amex Card, debit card, driver's license, student ID, CVS rewards card, loyalty punch card for my local coffee shop, some cash (currently $8).
TimBuk2 bag: small note pad and pen, iPod touch, iPod charger, earbuds, Whole Foods coupons, cell phone, phone charger, workout clothes, 2 2-gigabyte USB drives (I transfer a lot of data), checkbook, deodorant, Emergen-C packet, lip balm, keyring with building and apartment keys, garage door clicker, and scooter keys.
I've got my wallet with IDs, credit and bank card, business cards and frequent buyer cards for sandwiches and coffee. Also my phone, keys, makeup bag, allergy pills & tissues, iphone charger, sunglasses, gum, pens, a couple of bandaids, scarf, and camera. It gets heavy.
In my wallet: Driver's license, library card, two credit cards, three debit cards, AAA card, car insurance card, medical insurance card, Flexible Spending account debit card, grocery store card, Starbucks card, another coffeehouse card, a book of stamps, public radio membership card, four business cards from others (but none of mine!), and $6.40.
I'm afraid to look in my purse...
Clutch wallet, makeup bag, iPod Touch, extra pacifier (in case we drop or lose the other while we're out), two pens, Execdrin Migraine, lotion, and birth control pills!
I always carry in my purse my "I ♥ Nerds" Hello Kitty wallet, Sansa Clip, Samsung Omnia, small pack of tissues, and always a good book!
Strathmore 5.5"x8.5" sketchbook, small pencil case (with colored pencil lead, mechanical pencils, pens, fine point sharpies, eraser), tote umbrella, cell phone, cell phone headset, Canon digital camera, coin purse, J.Crew magic wallet (CC, check card, medical insurance cards, rewards cards, driver's license), Threadless Field Notes notebook
I'll play. :-)
Side Pocket #1: bus schedule, lawyer's business card, flyer for free jazz concert
Side Pocket #2: coupons for SunChips & KooKooRoos, postcard from friend announcing move, 2 pens, calorie counter
Main purse: wallet, checkbook, pocket calendar, index card file (where I keep coupons and club cards), wristwatch, mirror, lip balm, coupon from Aveda for freebie, 1 pen, 1 pencil, budgeting envelopes and a minor assortment of empty envelopes I use for scratch paper.
Clearly I need to clean it out a bit. [sigh]
I hate purses so I have a pocket wallet. Has drivers license, AAA card, insurance, debit card, one check for emergencies, freebirds card and health insurance card. In case of fancy pants dinners, it fits into an a clutch i borrow and then increases to include chap stick
What's in my purse? Way too much. 2 keyrings, sunglasses, reading glasses, pocketknife, cell phone, sunscreen, packet of store rewards and library cards, wallet (change, bills, credit card, debit card), makeup bag (lipstick, lip balm, hand cream, nail file, mirror, compact), pen, paper pad, coupons, work badge, watch.
Debit card, driver's license, membership cards, AAA card, medical card, punch cards, and money!
I tend to carry a lot of stuff in my purse. I'm a student, so I always carry my student planner, along with a notebook and various pens for jotting notes and doodling. Other contents include my wallet, keys, bus pass, cellphone, makeup, toothbrush/paste, sunglasses, glasses case, various lipbalms, kleenex, a bottle of hand sanitizer, and bottles of Advil and Aleve.
Depending on the season, my purse may also contain an umbrella, hat or mittens, and often I also carry my stainless steel water bottle in it as well (along with packs of Crystal Light).
I carry around gum, my wallet, my keys, and my phone! Nice and light.
My wallet has two credit cards, two debit cards, my library card, my driver license, and dental and medical cards. However, I keep the wallet at home and take with me only what I think I might need, which is usually my driver license and a credit card so it's easy to grab any purse I feel like using that day.
Each of my purses has a compact mirror and a nail file.
I try to stay pretty simple in my purse. I carry my cell phone (which has my calculator, pictures and contacts in it), keys (with a medicine vile on it, and my small beaded Quaker S.P.I.C.E./cross keychain), chapstick and wallet--in my wallet is my DL, debit card, AAA card, one bandaid, 2 folded checks, one-card calendar (b/c I have a weird schedule), a mini post-it "want" list, metal fingernail file, and the inside ink part of a pen--in a plastic sleeve that I made for it, and coupons and money if I'm lucky enough to have them. I'll start carrying my health insurance card, too, when we get that again! I keep things like my library card and car insurance card in my car.
Purse: 1. Small LeSportsac case with Sansa clip, Sansa Fuze and an Ipod Nano 2nd Gen, keyring with luggage lock key and old gym swipe pass 2. Small makeup bag with toothbruse, paste, floss, mirror, hairbrush, eyeglass cloth 3. Small makeup bag with insulin pump stuff ie insulin, batteries, test strips, infusion sets, alcohol wipes, etc. 5. Glucometer 4. Loose stuff in bag: Calorie King pocket guide, User Manual for Nikon Rebel, red notebook, small notebook. Purse, front pocket: 5 pens, 1 mechanical pencil, PDA, cell phone, keyring with 1 house key & 3 points fobs, spare car key, 1 yellow paper clip, 2 chapsticks.
Wallet: 6 gift cards, all balances under $1, 2 debit cards, health insurance card, library card, approx 37 pennies, 1 fortune cookie fortune, 1 flattened Lone Star bottle cap from first date with future husband, 1 card from first bunch of flowers future husband sent
My debit card, ID, couple of shops' frequent buyer cards, my Amtrak Guest Rewards, mini Constitution
in my wallet: lip balm, atm card, driver's license, medical insurance card, work credit card, AAA card, library card, a little bit of cash, fortune from a fortune cookie, and a laminated quote from a Bauhaus song -- "your mornings will be brighter / break the line tear up rules / make the most of a million times no"
Because I remember my Mom carrying a small suitcase with her life in it, I've chosen to carry a much smaller version of my 'stuff'. I have my cell, sunglasses, pocket calendar, two sets of keys (house related and car), gum, lip gloss, pen-sized hand sanitizer, kleenex, various and sundry cards (id, gift, bank), a pen, and on occasion, actual cash. Oh, and today, there's a CD of a friend's original tunes, so I can listen when I go out to run errands.
Three wallets: one for money and often-used cards, one for the seldom-used cards and store cards, and one for business cards; ipod and earbuds; hand sanitizer; a couple of pens; several lip balm options, and some change.
Depends on where I'm going. If I am going to work, I carry my iPhone, keys, wallet (ID and three cards), moleskin, and a library book.
If I'm going somewhere for fun its my iPhone, credit card, ID and keys.
My wallet has:
Old United baggage claim ticket (going in the trash!)
Receipt for a mani/pedi in Charleston (also going inthe trash!)
A "Keep this coupon" ticket for a contest I entered
Movie cash for a free movie from Prilosec
Spare key to my truck
Coupon for a free drink @ Starbucks
6 Store Rewards cards (Starbucks, Sephora, Petsmart, King Soopers, Staples, Kerasotes Theatres)
2 credit cards
4 Insurance cards (health, health savings, dental and auto)
Lowes discount card
Home Depot gift card
Subway Gift card
And the most important thing is the Burt's Bee's lip balm in my pocket!
Nothing exciting or unusual in my purse. Except perhaps the pin to prevent accidental activation of the ejection seat from an F4 Phantom jet that's been on my key chain for over 30 years....
I have a thin walletlike thing that attaches to my car keys which holds my license, insurance card, two credit cards and my CVS card.
My purse has lip balm, mirror, a small girlie pouch (band aid, safety pin, tampon, nail clippers, mini deodorant, painkillers, allergy tab, panty liner, hair pin), two pens, a granola bar, 2 sticks of big red gum.
Like Meg I'm in college as well and I can't remember the last time that I carried cash around with me. It's so much easier to use a debit card! If you have any gift cards floating around in there that you'd like to sell for cash check out our website gift card rescue
At this moment I have a cell phone,coupons(in an envelope need a better system that is portable), gum, check books(2), a business card holder which I use to house my ID, rewards cards, insurance cards for me and our 4 children, as well as card gift certificates. Receipts(I really really need to clean out my purse), tissue, keys, a small change purse used to house a second form of ID , change, and dollar bills as well as my debit card(and a bunch of business cards I need to go through).
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
Since my mobility has recently been altered, I try to be prepared yet lightweight in my carrier "stuffings":
in a reusable bag or my pockets, I usually have my simple Nokia candybar cell phone, my off-set D carabiner with keys, Burt's Bees clove lip balm, medicine, a pen, a We'Moon planner, and my Altoids-esque sliding metal DIY "wallet" full of discount& membership cards (health, local video, library, local store, health food place), IDs, cash, and quarters.
Specifically today this minute I have all that plus aloe gel (for my skin so I'm not too ashy as we turn to warmer weather and I show more skin) & an orange plastic bag for my dog's poop!
Money (not as much as i would like!), 2 credit cards, insurance card, auto club card, debit card, and pics of my kids.
Wallet, 2nd checkbook wallet, Kindle, papers, check stub, receipts, cell phone + case, extra eyeglasses + case, pen, address book, kleenex