I have finally been liberated from carrying a purse. Free at last, free at last, God almighty, I'm free at last!

My daughter got me a Popsocket for my phone. This is a device that sticks onto the back of your phone case. It has a slot for credit cards, and it has a convenient pop-out handle that you can use for grip when taking a selfie or as a stand to watch content on your phone.

It has changed my life. Now instead of a huge, heavy wallet that has every card I might possibly use, I usually just carry my phone with my main credit card and my driver's license. If I'm driving, I will toss my backpack in the car (just in case I need my Costco or AAA card or readers or keys).

What's that, you say? Backpack? That's right. I now have a small Osprey commuter backpack. It is so much easier than having all that weight on one shoulder.

I am done with purses.

Sounds great. I gave up over-the-shoulder purses probably 20 years ago for the one-shoulder problem you mention. At the same time, I drastically pared down what I carry in my purse.

I've had a couple of crossbody purses and I love them, especially the Baggalini brand that AdagioM recommended years ago. The purse is lightweight nylon and thought I don't carry much in it, it has just enough pockets to help organize the stuff I do have. And because it's crossbody, I don't have the Quasimodo problem with a heavy leather purse weighing down one shoulder.

I have a stretchy fanny pack thing I wear around my waist when I go out for a walk and am just taking my phone.

Now mind you I never carried a purse, but MFR got me a phne case like that last Christmas, Now I just grab my phone and go One card and my license. Love it. No longer having my hips misaligned by a wallet.

I've joined the no purse brigade as well. I have a "nice" (professional, leather) backpack that is large enough to hold my laptop, notebook, phone, etc. Inside of that I have a small zippered pouch thingy that holds my driver's license, credit card, work ID, and occasionally some cash.

If I'm headed out, I just grab the pouch, stick my house key in it, and go. The only downside is the car key, which is one of those huge fobs. We also have our car fobs on lanyards because they were constantly being left in someone's pocket and going missing. So we solved one problem (no one leaves a lanyard and fob in their pocket) but created another one (the fob/lanyard combo is big). Hmmmm.

I have not figured out how to escape from bags...

If I'm just going to the store or out for non-work reasons, I have a crossbody bag that has wallet, phone, Japanese folding fan (in case hot flash), migraine meds, tissues, nailclippers.... office keys, house keys, car keyfob... what else... anti-fog glasses wipes, extra mask... I'm pretty sure there's some other stuff in there... chapstick...

Then if I'm working on campus and/or teaching, I have a laptop bag with a laptop, course folders, random notebooks, clicker, hdmi cable, pen case, cough drops, reusable water bottle, laptop glasses, batteries, uchiwa (flat hand fan, in case hot flash), extra masks, extra anti-fog glasses wipes... I'm pretty sure there's more stuff in there.

Ugh.

At the previous company that I worked at, there was a tradition that the Board of Director would buy all of the Chief Executives a Christmas gift, usually the same gift for everybody.

The last Christmas I was there, I had a lengthy conversation with our chief information officer after we opened our presents, while we discussed back-and-forth what the hell we thought the present was. We could not figure it out. He called me the next day, after some research, and let me know that it was a Murse. As in, a man purse.

On an unrelated note, if anyone is at the market for a Murse for that special someone this Christmas, I could sell you one at a discount…

That reminds me, crossbody bags that are sort of a cross between a backpack and a messenger bag are commonly carried by men in Japan. Mr. SK has one but rarely uses it in the US.

That might actually be a bit useful. This was an Italian designer bag, with no handle or straps of any kind. Just another thing to carry around.

i have always hated purses. almost as much as i hate bras. or high heels. just a lot of crap invented to bind and gag women and make it hard for them to run.

when i lived in nyc carrying a purse was an invitation to have it snatched. so i stuck my id, cash, and a cc in the front pocket of my jeans.

now i do have a purse, but it lives in the rear of my truck cab. if i go into a store my cc goes in one pocket and my phone in another.

but the phone case with the cc pocket sounds pretty cool. only... i thought you weren't supposed to keep phones and ccs in close proximity??

I love having a purse. So handy for carrying whatever extra I need on a particular day (currently some salve for stitched wounds on both the cat and the horse) and when Steve has too much for his pockets the leftovers often go in my purse (like yesterday, the paperwork from new Costco glasses etc.

I’ve been looking for a new one - they have to be just right - rectangular and flat with just the right easy to access pocket for the cell phone, and a long strap so I can throw it over my shoulder. I have loads of purses, all types - many vintage (you used to be able to find really cool vintage purses at the Goodwill, but no more).

I don’t really feel hindered by a purse, but view the fact that society thinks it is the norm for me to carry one a good thing. (I hate walking around with bulky keys in my pocket). I did buy a nice leather “just big enough for a cellphone, ID, and a few cards” with a long crossbody strap to wear when I need just a little stuff with me. That’s handy sometimes, when I want my phone, ID and money with me, and don’t want to stuff them in my pockets (I pretty much always want my phone with me, since I use it as a camera, and I paint from mhy photographic references). Supposedly fanny packs are coming back into style, I really like those and have a couple of them for short hikes or pigment collecting (when I don’t feel safe leaving anything in the car at a trailhead) But mostly I like the ability to easily carry whatever around with me every day.

I can’t add much except to say that since I installed touchpad locks I no longer carry a house key.

If anyone makes a car key fob that isn’t so big and doesn't have buttons, I’d be a customer.

I begged my wife for a murse for a Xmas present and I picked it out. I keep house keys and cash in pants pockets, but everything else in the bag. I guess I am one of those guys who doesn't like to have pockets full of stuff.

I find the bag very convenient. Everything is always there, in one place, except for the phone.

Used to have a fanny pack but I always thought they looked dorky.

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
but the phone case with the cc pocket sounds pretty cool. only... i thought you weren't supposed to keep phones and ccs in close proximity??

I'm not sure if the one I have has some special divider. But my credit card still works perfectly despite now living next to my phone.

I'll see if I can find the one I have. It's pretty great, but it was a gift.

This is the one I have. You push up on the cloth, which pushes the credit cards out so you can remove them. Then you slide them back in.


Popsocket

Re purse/ no purse —- I like having a crossbody bag, I can keep stuff in it that I need, it’s right in front of me, and my hands are always free. So I don’t feel like it gets in the way or would prevent me from running.

Speaking of running, I hate heels, do not own any and will never buy shoes I can’t run in. Or, more important on a daily basis, walk around all day in.