Ten Things Not To Carry in Your Wallet or Purse

**Spirit Deer** · 01-30-2012, 02:35 PM

Advice from a retired cop:

10 Things You Should Never Carry in Your Purse or Wallet

I would also add setting your purse in a shopping cart and then leaving it there while you turn your back is a very bad idea. I can't count the number of purses I see with the tops open and money and/or wallets and/or credit cards hanging out, ripe for the picking, and their owners not paying a bit of attention. And it always amazes me that anyone would do that. It only takes a moment's distraction plus one dishonest person to ruin your whole day and then some.

IMO, it makes more sense not to carry valuables in a purse, but to put them in a small wallet that fits in a secure pocket, or a small purse that hangs around your neck or across your body. Use a larger purse only for your make-up, hairbrush, Kleenex, and other non-valuables, so if it's taken it's an annoyance, not a crisis.

**oheoh's momma** · 01-30-2012, 03:53 PM

thanks for the article i ws doing good until the reciepts bad to keep those in my purse. also jewerly.... bad me

**oheoh's momma** · 01-30-2012, 03:55 PM

thank u was doing good until reciepts keep those alos always have piece of jewerly in my purse and all mine is real.. so must quit that. bad me

**frugalfranny** · 01-30-2012, 04:11 PM

Thanks SD..........always good to have a reminder.

I don't carry gift cards but do carry the cards that some stores will punch and after X number you get Y..........no major life change if I lost them.........just wouldn't be too happy.

I do carry the cash amt. according to what I am doing for that day............since I pay cash.

The receipts seldom have your full acct. number on them anymore...........or your sig. for that matter......the store keeps that one but I keep them all..........just not in my purse. Once home I remove them all.

The other thing lots of people do...........and with multiple drivers on a car don't know what else you would do,........:

they keep their registration in the glove comp. which gives your address..............THEN the garage door opener is also in the car.........so if they get the car.........they also have your address, and the garage opener.

I keep my ins. papers, and reg. in my wallet......(not so good either--but you gotta have it).......but I am the only driver so that makes it easier.

**jas** · 01-30-2012, 04:18 PM

Busted on a few of them. I don't carry my ssn or even have a passport. Don't carry much cash, but that means I have a debit card and at least one credit card. The receipts I do have those and they don't have full acct number that I know of, the last four digits for sure they do have. I also have my check book which I guess I could take out as it is for an account that is not my primary one.

Thanks for the article.

**Rhayne** · 01-30-2012, 04:19 PM

I have been known to have my SS card on me but I'm very cautious about where I put my purse. IF I ever have it in the cart, I do not leave the cart or turn my back. I have actually turned my back and left my hand on the handle of the cart AND my purse strap around my hand. Or if i leave the cart with my boyfriend i take my purse with or I look him in the eye and say "Watch my purse!!!!" and I hurry back from whereever i went.

**Spirit Deer** · 01-30-2012, 04:31 PM

I might be guilty of having my passport card in my wallet. Also a CC I rarely use in a town I rarely go to anymore.

I memorized my SSN when I was fourteen and haven't had to carry it since. It's in the safety deposit box at the bank.

We write as few checks as possible. The account numbers and routing numbers printed on the checks are why. We didn't used to carry any cash but we do now, when we know we'll be buying things at places that don't accept CCs.

I keep valuables in my wallet in my pocket, not in a purse.

I also split up my cash into various hidden compartments so I don't have a wad of cash showing every time I open my wallet.

I would never leave cash in an envelope in public. It implies it's a lot of money and therefore a bigger temptation for shady characters.

We aren't required to carry car registrations here.

We "accidentally" put a campsite registration slip over the VIN in our van when we were camping in Missouri. It had to be displayed in the windshield, dontcha know. That was about five years ago. Isn't it too bad we're such poor housekeepers? Reminds me we need to have the same accident in the truck window, to discourage vehicle title cloning.

**Contrary Housewife** · 01-30-2012, 04:46 PM

Good tips, but I don't agree with all of them. I seldom carry the checkbook these days, but when I have to, yup, it goes in my purse. And gift cards are no good if you leave them safely at home.

I don't carry large amounts of cash in my purse, or leave it open with stuff hanging out of it.

I have been known to walk away from my purse in the store, but just because I am checking the price of tomatoes doesn't mean I don't have an eye on it. I'm more careful if the store is crowded or busy, but generally I try to shop earlier in the day when I have the aisles to myself.

**frugalfranny** · 01-30-2012, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

I might be guilty of having my passport card in my wallet.

I also split up my cash into various hidden compartments so I don't have a wad of cash showing every time I open my wallet.

We aren't required to carry car registrations here.

I was reading about the 'passport card'..........do you like them? Have been thinking about getting one...........(didn't mean to
"hijack" but had to ask!!)

I started carrying a deeper (though not thicker, or larger in other ways) wallet when I was traveling.........and just kept it up. No one can see how many bills I have in it when I open it and I like it.

That last line amazed me........no car registrations??? That and your insurance card is the FIRST THING they ask for if you are pulled over.............then your DL.

Don't travel in Washington w/o them!!!!!!!! (or don't get pulled over

)

**shoiji** · 01-30-2012, 05:43 PM

Great advice. Last month I upgraded myself to a really nice small thin leather wallet that can be slipped into a coat pocket. When I am in the city I always keep it separate from my bag.

**MissouriAngel** · 01-30-2012, 05:58 PM

I thought for sure if fail this, but actually did pretty good. The only thing is my cell phone, but mine is always on anyhow so a password wouldn't help me any. Would be nice to have the large amount of cash problem.

**MissouriAngel** · 01-30-2012, 06:05 PM

Also, anytime my purse is in the cart I clip the baby seatbelt around the handles after wrapping it around them a few times. I actually had someone try to grab my purse from the cart when we were staying out of town and shopping for some groceries. They pulled hard enough that it pulled the entire cart over with it. That was scary so ever since my hand is always on it somehow.

**mhope** · 01-30-2012, 07:19 PM

I have man wallet. It's in my front pants pocket when shopping or a work. I always carry two blank checks in wallet.

**Spirit Deer** · 01-30-2012, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

I was reading about the 'passport card'..........do you like them? Have been thinking about getting one...........(didn't mean to
"hijack" but had to ask!!)

We haven't used it yet. I do like that it's the size of a credit card so easier to carry than a passport. We're not likely to travel anywhere but to Canada and then by car, so didn't need a passport and the card is cheaper. There are restrictions so be sure you understand them if you plan to arrive somewhere by plane and not by car.

That last line amazed me........no car registrations??? That and your insurance card is the FIRST THING they ask for if you are pulled over.............then your DL.

Don't travel in Washington w/o them!!!!!!!! (or don't get pulled over

)

I don't see how we'd have a problem traveling in another state that requires you to carry car registration when our state doesn't. We have a car title, but I don't know if that's the same thing. We keep those in the safety deposit box at the bank. It wouldn't make sense to keep them in the car. We're required to carry proof of insurance and there's a $500 fine if you can't prove it on the spot, so we have to have the cards along at all times.

**MissouriAngel** · 01-30-2012, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

We haven't used it yet. I do like that it's the size of a credit card so easier to carry than a passport. We're not likely to travel anywhere but to Canada and then by car, so didn't need a passport and the card is cheaper. There are restrictions so be sure you understand them if you plan to arrive somewhere by plane and not by car.

I don't see how we'd have a problem traveling in another state that requires you to carry car registration when our state doesn't. We have a car title, but I don't know if that's the same thing. We keep those in the safety deposit box at the bank. It wouldn't make sense to keep them in the car. We're required to carry proof of insurance and there's a $500 fine if you can't prove it on the spot, so we have to have the cards along at all times.

I'm not sure about their state but in Missouri its the paperwork you get when you renew your license plate tags. We're required to carry ours but its kept in my car glovebox along with the proof of insurance.