This week, the police in my home town, have been stopping women on the street to warn them about three big mistakes that the women are making, which are leaving them open to criminal activity.

#1. When purchasing gas at self-service gas stations, many women leave their pocketbooks on the seat of their cars, leave their car doors unlocked and take the $20 or $30 into the convenience store section to pay. When they come back to their car, their purse or its contents are missing. Because the thieves take the contents, but leave the pocketbook, many women do not know their credit cards and driver's license are missing for hours or days.

#2. Many women walk between their cars and the stores in the mall (or strip mall) holding the pocketbook by the long strap. A purse-snatcher can easily grab the pocketbook and the strap will break right off.

#3. (And this is the worst) Many women, put their pocketbook into the top section of their shopping cart (and leave it open quite often) and then turn their back on their shopping cart while reaching for products on the shelves. Some women comparison shop with their back turned from their cart and wide open pocketbook. Some walk 5 or 10 feet away from their carts. Thieves will very seldom take the pocketbook, but will reach in and take the purse or wallet with the money, credit cards, driver's license and other personal data. It is not until checkout time, which in a Super-Wal-Mart could be an hour or more later, that the unsuspecting women finds out the awful truth; “I've been robbed”.

I'm guilty of some of these. I only carry a large wallet, though, so no purse to hide the fact that it was stolen. I have gotten into a habit of paying for gas at the pump with my debit card. I very rarely carry cash, in fact, and usually only have a couple of dollar bills for parking that I keep in a compartment in my car. I do generally try to stay with my wallet and cart in a store, though.

I'm really bad about the purse in the top of the cart thing, and about walking away with it still there. But not far, and I do remain aware of who's around. If I'm using a cart that has one of those child straps, I will hook it through the straps on the purse so it's "belted in". :girl_hug:

One of the best things about my weight loss, is that I am once again wearing jeans---real jeans, with button, zipper & pockets!!! For years it was elastic waists with no pockets for the most part. So most of the time now, I clip my phone on, grab my debit & ID, slip them in my pocket, and leave the purse in the trunk! I am amazed by all the things I have in that purse that I realize I can live without carrying everywhere!!!

When I fuel my car, I always use my debit card at the pump, and am trying to learn to lock my car even if I do not plan on leaving it. But that is because I have recently heard of people sneaking into the back seat while you are turned away----that thought sent chills down my spine, so I am doing my best to remember to lock it back up. I have auto locks, but the auto unlock too, when I open my door, all the doors unlock, so I have to remember to lock it---and my memory, is something I think someone already made off with!!!

Kat

I called the big bag a pocketbook and the small item with the money in it, "the purse", but I notice that some people call the bag a purse and the small item with the money in it, "their wallet".

Question: Which is the correct nomenclature, or is it another North/South issue?:girl_hug:

I carry my wallet in my purse.....

Yepyep, wallet in the purse.

I carry my wallet in my purse.....

Yepyep, wallet in the purse.

So both of you are saying that what I call a pockerbook, you call a purse. Right?

Handbag=Pocketbook=Purse?

Know what else thieves are doing? While you are paying via your debit card the thief is on the other side of your car quietly opening your door and taking the rest of the stuff out of your purse, or taking your entire purse. By the time you finish filling your tank, waiting for your receipt, getting in your car, starting the car, etc... the thief is long gone.

They'd have to be fast, working in about 10 seconds, because I always watch my car while I'm filling up. The only time I take my eyes off of it is when I am swiping my card.

So both of you are saying that what I call a pockerbook, you call a purse. Right?

Handbag=Pocketbook=Purse?

Yup. All those are the same. The wallet is what the credit cards and check book are in.

They'd have to be fast, working in about 10 seconds, because I always watch my car while I'm filling up. The only time I take my eyes off of it is when I am swiping my card.

You would be surprised how fast motivated people are. Maybe “motor-vated” might be a better term.:bandit

So both of you are saying that what I call a pockerbook, you call a purse. Right?

Handbag=Pocketbook=Purse?

Yup. All those are the same. The wallet is what the credit cards and check book are in.

In the early 1950's, my mother, grandmother and aunt used to say handbag or pocketbook interchangeably, but the purse was a small bag usually with coins and bills in it. Back in those days, no one had credit cards (at least not in our socio-economic bracket) and women didn't drive cars (nor did that many men), so the change purse or money purse was the zippered sometimes, but usually held together with interlocking clips, small bag inside of the big bag.

In the early 1950's, my mother, grandmother and aunt used to say handbag or pocketbook interchangeably, but the purse was a small bag usually with coins and bills in it. Back in those days, no one had credit cards (at least not in our socio-economic bracket) and women didn't drive cars (nor did that many men), so the change purse or money purse was the zippered sometimes, but usually held together with interlocking clips, small bag inside of the big bag.

Huh. I've always heard of or called that the money pouch or just pouch. I've heard of money purses (mainly in books), but I've never heard someone call it that.

My great Grandma had what she referred to as her "coin purse" which was a little satin quilted pouch type thing with a clasp closure on top, and she ALWAYS had a quarter in it for us to catch the snow cone truck!!!! And she kept in down in, what I would refer to as her "purse". I do not know what she called the overall bag---she simply would tell us to get her coin purse---and the race was on!!!

Kat

My great Grandma had what she referred to as her "coin purse" which was a little satin quilted pouch type thing with a clasp closure on top, and she ALWAYS had a quarter in it for us to catch the snow cone truck!!!! And she kept in down in, what I would refer to as her "purse". I do not know what she called the overall bag---she simply would tell us to get her coin purse---and the race was on!!!

Kat

Your great grandma and my grandmother would probably have been born about the same time.

My grandmother had the exact purse as you described and she kept it in her "handbag" or "pocketbook". We got pennies and sometimes a nickel or dime. That was a lot of money. It only cost 15 cents for the movies before 5pm for a child under 12 and a quarter for an adult back then. After 5pm it was 20 cents and 35 cents.

I remember going to see "African Queen" in 1951 and "The Robe" in 1953 with Grandma and Grampa. It cost less than a dollar for the three of us to get in (each time) and we saw 2 movies, a cartoon, "News of the week" and a short story.

I have my purse which weighs about 20 pounds and I keep my billfold in it. I never use the word wallet though my brother does. Apparently men use wallets and women use billfolds around here.

See I am glad that I am not such a freak. I religiously lock my doors when pumping gas, and never walk with my purse anywhere but on my shoulder, with the strap tucke under my arm. But for the most part it is because I have a purrse fetish and when you pay alot of money for a purse you never want it anywhere but with you! lol.....OCD paying off for me!

I relate to that! I bought a brand new LV and when it was about 2 weeks old I went to see my sis in Denver.

Her dog ate it.

BubbleButt please please tell me you are not serious! I would kill that dog....even though I love animals....omg...I am sooo sorry!