Women and purses

[cinema guy]

This isn't a generalisation, I'm not saying all women do it, but it is something I've only seen women do.

Me: That'll be £x.xx
Woman gets purse* out of hand bag.
She opens change side of purse.
She counts change, sees that there is not enough change to pay.
She closes and fastens change side of purse.
She turns purse over.
She opens notes side of purse, gets note out.
She fastens note side of purse.
She turns purse over.
She opens change side.
She gets change out.
She closes purse.
She hands me £Y.xx
I ring her cash through the till and hand her the change.
She opens change side of purse and puts change in.
She closes purse.
She puts purse in handbag.
She closes hand bag.
She leaves.

It annoys me no end.

To be fair, men can do something similar when they keep money in several different pockets, but it never seems anywhere near as long winded.

*I know Americans call handbags, purses. But I don't know what they call smaller items that women use for holding money, cards, pictures of loved ones etc.

[smileyeagle1021]

*I know Americans call handbags, purses. But I don't know what they call smaller items that women use for holding money, cards, pictures of loved ones etc.

I've always heard those referred to simply as a "lady's wallet"
my grandma did though occasionally call it a "coin purse"

[tamezin]

*I know Americans call handbags, purses. But I don't know what they call smaller items that women use for holding money, cards, pictures of loved ones etc.

That would be a wallet or a small clutch. BTW, guilty as charged. I am horrible about throwing my change almost anywhere convenient and having to search for it later.

[tollbaby]

they can also be called pocketbooks, etc... very confusing Anyway, I got the gist of the OP. I agree, very annoying, which is why all my money, notes and coins, are stored in my pants pocket.

[Chromatix]

I actually do have a large purse myself. It's extremely useful when I need to use cash frequently, which isn't really necessary in Finland, but more so in Britain.

The trick is that it isn't really practical to poke at the note/card section while the coin section is open, because the coins would fall out. However it's a fast-acting clip on the coin side, which is very quick to open once you're used to it.

But then I also make some effort to be aware of which notes and how much change I have on hand, so I can usually get out the right sequence of currency in minimum time. If I can estimate how much I'll be paying, I'll even get out the notes in advance.

ETA: when I say "large purse", I mean it in the British sense that it only just fits into the average pocket. I *don't* mean a handbag!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

When I shop, I carry a small wallet like a man. Wallet, lip balm, phone. That's it. All in my pockets. I don't mess with a purse.

I do carry a huge, heavy organizer at work, but it's got all sorts of "survival stuff" in it. (daytimer, sunglassses, phone, pens, asprin, iPod, phone charger, etc. ) I mean, I can put a small notebook in that sucker. But I sure as heck don't drag it around when I'm shopping.

[Bramblerose]

my money is in my wallet, and my wallet is in my purse Save for the years I taught in a rough area, when my money was in my wallet, and my wallet was in either my pocket or my valise.

I suspect no matter how teh lady packed herself up, she's going to be fiddly. Beyond that, I don't see the problem. A guy could dig change out of his pocket, not have it, then go to the wallet.. If I opened my wallet without closing teh change pocket, then you would have me cleaning up spilled change (usually a herd of penny mating pairs), which would annoy you more and you would be here complaining about teh clumsy cow.

[AnaKhouri]

My purse is medium-sized (Hello Kitty!) but I keep all relevant money and documentation in my wallet so it is easy to find. I too can't believe it when women have purses the size of duffel bags filled with all kinds of crap- some I think might have the Holy Grail in there but they would never know it because it's buried under so many gum wrappers and tissues! It really tries my patience when they have to hunt every single tiny pocket in their enormous purse to find a particular credit card, or their driver's license (when they take 10 minutes to look for their license I always feel like saying, "Good thing I'm not a cop, huh? Cops aren't nearly as patient."

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I am an organization freak, so over the years I've taught myself a habit, as I too, hate people who spend forever digging through their bags, and wouldn't want to inflict that on anyone. So what I do is have change in my hand while my stuff is being rung up. Then when I have the total, I look to see if I have enough change, and if I don't, I hand over bills from my wallet which is already open and waiting. Anything I get back gets tossed randomly into my purse, along with the receipt.

The habit I have is keeping my purse on a doorhandle near my bed. Every night just before I go to sleep, I sit on my bed and spend 3-5 minutes organizing my purse. I put any change at the bottom in its place, put any loose bills away organized by amount, and fold the receipts and put them in the receipt folder on my desk, then hang the purse back on its doorknob. That way next morning my purse is organized and ready to go, and I don't have to worry about it.

[Chazzie]

The smaller coin bags were always called change purses for me. You have a purse, then you have a change purse.

I don't see the point in keeping your money in all different pockets. Are you waiting for the day where you get a pleasant surprise in the form of money you've forgotten about, or something? Either way, I too just keep a wallet with me and put everything else in my pockets. It's just easier to me that way.

[Jester]

For a guy, I carry a lot of shit. And I'm not even talking about the backpack I haul to work every day. THAT is a whole 'nother story.

But just on my person, when I am out and about, I'll have:

right front pocket: cell phone and that handy little cloth my eye doctor's office gave me for cleaning my glasses (when I am wearing them instead of contacts).
left front pocket: coins and keys. I have a bunch of keys, but of course they are all connected through keyrings and keychains, etc.
left rear pocket: wallet, with way too much shit in it, but the important stuff (license, credit card, cash) all within quick reach.
right rear pocket: deck of cards. No, I don't go anywhere without cards. I'm a magician, damn it!

That is just the bare minimum. On the average day, I may also have a case for my clip-on shades (if I'm wearing glasses, not contacts), a beer coozie or two, various pieces of paper or receipts, or whatever.

Some of my friends think *I* need a purse!

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

I always keep my cash and cards in a very simple wallet with compartments for each form of payment. That way it's easy to see if I have correct change or what. The wallet I keep in my purse along with lotion, a bottle of water, and a cell phone in the side area. Nothing worse than a crowded purse.

Annoys me to no end when a guy digs through all 26 pockets looking for that dollar bill.

[crazylegs]

left rear pocket: wallet,

Are you left handed Jester? Most guys I know put their wallet in the pocket that relates to thier handedness (if that's such a word).

Just curious...

[Jester]

Are you left handed Jester? Most guys I know put their wallet in the pocket that relates to thier handedness (if that's such a word).

Actually, you are correct in the idea that most guys do that. But I'm right handed. And I used to keep my wallet in my right rear pocket. But because of one magic trick I do that I really can only do on my right side, I switched wallet pockets. No, don't ask....as a magician, I am not going to give you more details. It's really a minor part of the trick anyway. But yep....I inconvenienced myself for my art! Because all things being equal, I'd rather have my wallet on my right side. It's more natural.

Amusingly, I also switched my keys from my right side to my left side, ever since I started keeping my cell phone in my right front pocket, as it is easier for me to keep it there than on the left, and since I don't want all my keys screwing up or scratching my phone, I switched them to the left side.

Yeah, I'm strange. Sue me.

[wagegoth]

I carry a larger bag, but not one of the currently chic duffel bag size handbags. It has multiple pockets inside and out, and they are organized consistently the same way; it has to be this way, or I'd spend half my day locating my keys, badge for work, MP3 player, pen, makeup, BART and bus tickets, etc. Also, I pull out my wallet before I get to the register.