Lost my purse

Citygirl1

I lost my purse on Friday, just went into my bag for my bus fare and it was gone - all my cards, photos of my Mum and Dad,a credit note for M&S worth £30, two Boots £5 vouchers and £100 in cash. I've felt sick about it all weekend. I've cancelled all my cards, am waiting for new ones and now I am paranoid about the same thing happening again. I am changing my bag to one that goes across my body and has a separate part for credit cards, hence I won't carry them in my purse.

I want to try and not carry so much money around with me but the thing is that I draw out my money for the week as this stops me from overdrawing. When I used to pay by card for most things or draw out cash from the bank as when I needed it, I couldn't keep track of my money. My other idea is to lock it away in the house and take out each day what I need. Any other ideas please? I am in a quandry at the moment.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I keep my bus pass, my bank card and the bulk of my cash in the front pocket of my jeans.

That way, if anyone tries to get it, I'm going to notice their hands 2 inches away from my crotch.


If I'm carrying quite a lot of cash and going shopping, I will sometimes put £20 or so in my bag (which goes across my body) with my loose change in a purse, on the reckoning that if anyone decides to dip it, the most they are going to get is a score and about £3.78 in coins.


The rest of the time, the cash stays at home.

jenniewb

I'm the total opposite- if I carry cash around it will be spent on stupid things- if I want a coffee and i have the cash, I buy it, if I only have cards it stops me, though that probably doesn't help you...!

Do you need to take out so much with you each day? Just wondering if you know wht you need that day then just take out what you need for th day (unless £30 was meant for the one day). I would also suggest having two different purses- I used to do that for the same reason: if someone took everything they'd not get "everything" and I'd have enough for a phone call or bus fare etc.

I hope you managed to cancel everything OK and you get your replacements soon I hate it when something like this happens- I'd love if just for once they'd trace the theif if they tried to use the cards and make a big deal out of it, even just or some sort of closure- so you can say 'thats the .... who stole my cards/phone/last remaining picture/love note...etc unfortunetly it ends up being a case of criminals 'rights' above anyone elses IMO.

glowgirl_2

I dont really have any advice for you but just wanted to say that I'm so sorry you lost your purse:grouphug:

stephyt23

I totally sympathise with you, same thing has happened to me. Popped out on Saturday to Morrisons and then got stuck in snow so never actually got to my boyfriends which is where I was heading. Due to being fed up of being stuck in a cold car and skidding in the snow I was not in a great mood when I got home so never realised my purse was missing until last night when I needed it.

No one has handed it in to the police or Morrisons and I've literally gone through everywhere in my room and no sign of it.

I'd got £25 cash in it and bits of loose change plus some gift cards from Christmas Cancelling all my cards today although I have checked my bank and nothing has been used. It's still so upsetting as I now have to pay out for new a driving licence and NUS card which I can't do until I get replacement bank cards. Plus buying a new purse.

I know I either left it in Morrisons or the only other thing I can think of is if I dropped it walking to the car. I stupidly didn't have a handbag with me that day as I was only popping in for some sweets.

doodoot

So sorry that you lost your purse - it's happened to me and it's a horrible sickening feeling.

Here's a few tips that I now do, just in case it ever happens again.

• Have a change purse containing ONLY cash.
• Have a seperate wallet to store cards in.
• Keep vouchers, gift cards etc in an envelope with details of each written on the front.
• Never keep precious photos in a purse - unless you have copies at home.
• Never keep a driving licence in a purse - it costs £20 to replace!

Citygirl1

Hi and thanks for the replies. I've now got my debit cards through and am just waiting for my credit card now. I've ordered a purse off the internet which is just like the one I lost and in the meantime am using a small purse I bought cheap just for nights out and I'm getting quite used to it. I find though that I can't get used to the cross body bag and it pulls on my shoulder so I've gone back to my shoulder bag though I find my smaller cross body bag ok but that's more limited as to what I can put in it for day time. Do you find shoulder bags as safe, what is your solution for bags?

Hermia

I'm from London so have always been paranoid about my purse and bag. I have two purses. One contains loose change and a few notes. I keep this in my handbag. I have another small purse containing cards and more notes. I either keep this in an inside pocket or in my shopper bag that I use to take my lunch and book to work. I do this partly because I imagine a mugger would just grab my handbag and not bother with the shopper bag that doesn't appear to have any valuables in it. It also means if I want to buy some chocolate or a paper I'm not having to pull out a purse in public that contains lots of money and cards.

I also try and spend an vouchers/credit notes as soon as I get them. Partly because I worry about them getting lost and partly because so many shops seem to be closing now.

Vikki_74

I personally don't think shoulder bags are as safe...mainly because I either dropped or had my purse lifted out of one (never found out which) a couple of years ago so have stuck to cross-body bags ever since. As well as being right there where I can see / feel it, I find I actually close it properly (zip, clasp, whatever) unlike when I had a shoulder bag - really bad I know but I was always leaving the fastenings open as it was more of a faff to do them up and undo them all the time.

If you're finding a cross body bag is pulling on your shoulder, daft question but could you just carry less stuff?! Really not being sarcastic here - I am terrible for carting my whole life around with me but am trying to get better as I was sick of carrying a huge bag all the time! Do you actually need everything you're carrying in there?

Or use your handbag for just purse, keys, phone, makeup & whatever and carry a tote bag for anything bulky / heavy? This is my current solution - I use it for work to carry my lunch, book, umbrella etc (currently scarf, two pairs of gloves, earmuffs...!). Also useful if you're out shopping for odd bits instead of using plastic bags all the time.

There_Goes_Trouble

I don't often carry much cash etc but if I'm on a day out and have more than usual, I split it up. So, say I've got £100, I'll put £20 in my jeans pocket so when I want to spend some I don't have to pull my purse out in public, I'll have £20 in my purse in my bag so if my bag gets snatched that's all I lose, I'll put £20 in my coat pocket, maybe £20 in my mobile phone case, and being totally paranoid I have put £20 in my shoe before now so that I've always got some money to get me home in the worst case scenario. I split my cards up too so again, if my bag gets snatched I've still got something left.

I know that's probably not practical for every day though, it tends to be if I have a day out in London, or the time I went to Las Vegas.

I also have one of those passport pouches that attaches to your belt, so I put things like cash , passport and driving license in there when I'm abroad, attach it to my belt and then tuck it down the front of my jeans. Again, probably not practical on a daily basis.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Interesting how everybody that divides up their money is from or visiting London.


I wonder if we're naturally more suspicious, or whether we just have security drilled into us earlier?


With cross body bags, make sure the strap is longer than normal so it isn't pulling across your torso and making your shoulder hurt and pay attention to your posture - you've spent years getting used to holding a bag on the one shoulder just above the joint itself, you're not used to supporting the weight across your collarbone instead. You probably lift your handbag shoulder up slightly without realising it.