Online shopping: Help!

[SharonDee]

Y'all, the most terrible of terrible things happened about a month ago. My favorite wallet-slash-clutch broke!

No biggie, I thought. I'll just buy another one. Never mind that I bought this one at an Alabama Target a few years back. I was sure a Tennessee Target would have a suitable replacement.

But no. Target didn't have one. Standalone accessory stores didn't have one.

All right, then. Time to turn to the Intra-tubes.

AND I STILL CAN'T FIND A WALLET/CLUTCH LIKE THE ONE I BROKE-DED!!!


I have been to Amazon (natch) and to eBag and Google Shopper to no avail.

I even tried an image search using Google Goggles and still no luck!

Here's the closest thing to what I need:



I like this one a lot. But it, like the other ones I have passed by, doesn't have that one teensy thing I need: an outer velcro pouch for smartphone/glasses/cigarettes. (Not sure what the manufacturer's intent was but I used the pouch for my phone.)

Like so:





Help?

[Janet]

I think I have that at home, unless I cleaned out the purses I don't use anymore. My velcro was weak, though, and I lost a cel phone by having it fall out in a movie theater where I didn't hear it hit the ground. I'll check at home and let you know if there's one there.

[livius drusus]

How about this one? I'm not crazy about the croc pattern, but it's leather, not actual crocodile, and seems like it'll fit a shitton of stuff in it as well as pretty much every phone.



They have a whole section of Cellphone Wallets that might fit the bill, see the menu on the left.

[Ymir's blood]

Frrethought Forum: You need stuff and we're full of it!

[lisarea]

I could make you one out of duct tape and/or plastic bags and stuff.

[wildernesse]

Vera Bradley

[Janet]

If you're going to go with VB, I like this one better. I work with several Vera Bradley addicts and one has one of these. I don't know what your preference is, but I prefer the cross body to wearing it on my wrist and this one has the straps for that. On the other hand, the phone pocket is zippered rather than velcro.

[SharonDee]

I bought a Vera Bradley one like the one in wildy's link but it was too small. I have it ready to return to Zappos but I ain't done it yet.

liv, I love the look of the one you linked to and they have it in purple! I may go with that.

Man, I should have posted this thread weeks ago. Is there anything you ers can't do?!

[SharonDee]

Originally Posted by Janet

I don't know what your preference is, but I prefer the cross body to wearing it on my wrist and this one has the straps for that.

The one I'm replacing was the same way but I soon found myself going without the strap. I could hold it in one hand while using the other hand free for working the car door and pushing a shopping cart.

[livius drusus]

I didn't even notice the other colors. The purple is glorious.

[SharonDee]

I went with the purple Walletbe. Here's hoping it's the one that I want. (Woo-hoo-hoo, honey!)

[livius drusus]

Sweetness! I hope it's not too yuge. It looks yuge in the picture with the lady, but since you use it as a clutch/wallet, I figured it could still work even if it's bigger than the one you're replacing.

[Janet]

It is as I suspected. I tossed the black purse in a closet purge. I still have the brown version, though, if you want that. PM me an address and I'll get it in the mail if you want it.

[SharonDee]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Sweetness! I hope it's not too yuge. It looks yuge in the picture with the lady, but since you use it as a clutch/wallet, I figured it could still work even if it's bigger than the one you're replacing.

I can work with yuge. The one I broke ain't that small, after all. And if it's too big I can always do the strappage.

A photo of my old, beloved, BROKEN dealio in perspective:






Also, Walletbe has my money but they haven't shipped yet. Naughty!




_

[SharonDee]

Originally Posted by Janet

It is as I suspected. I tossed the black purse in a closet purge. I still have the brown version, though, if you want that. PM me an address and I'll get it in the mail if you want it.

Based on the thanks-fu, I suspect LadyShea would also like your neato closet treasure.

If it turns out that the Walletbe experiment doesn't work out, Janet, I may take up on your offer. If LS hasn't, that is.

[SharonDee]

UPDATE: The purple wonder arrived in my mailbox last Saturday.

Ahhh! The lovely smell of fresh leather ...

Anyway, it's still not exactly what I wanted but it's the closest I believe I'm gonna get. I remind myself that I didn't care much for the broken one at first, either, and in the end it became difficult to live without.

Pros:

1. It's the right size.
2. It's PURPLE !
3. There are many card pockets; I can't imagine I'll ever run out.

Cons:

1. The cell phone pouch is a tight fit. I have to take off its protective sleeve in order for it to fit in the wallet.
2. Where's the change purse? I'm not so sure the zipper on the other side is supposed to be used for that, but I'm doing it.

Thanks for all the help and advice, ers. Y'all are the greatest!

[livius drusus]

Yay PURPLE! That's annoying about the cell phone pouch, though. You'd think on a wallet that size there would be more than enough room for a capacious phone compartment.

[Janet]

Thanks for the tip on the coin purse. I was considering one myself but couldn't do without the coin purse.

[SharonDee]

Well, there's been a lot of give on the phone pouch so maybe it just needs to be broken in by my Android. And the outer zipper is working out fine for my change. Still wish it had an inner purse for that, though.

But hey, any objections to my using this thread for advice on buying other things? Like ... Smart TVs? Anybody?

[Janet]

It's your thread, do what you like. That's what I think.

[SharonDee]

Hey, I'm trying to online shop again!

For the record, the purple WalletBe worked out so well that I have since bought two more. The last two are big enough to hold my cellphone with room to spare so I guess they're paying attention to growing smartphone sizes.

Anyway, now I'm shopping for something else.

I am and so am afflicted with presbyopia. Some people in my circle have had success with contact lenses, one eye for farsight and the other eye for nearsight. However, I've never worn contacts in my life and don't want to start now.

Do you know of any online sellers who sell such things in glasses? I have an old pair of reading glasses with one missing lense. When I wear those, suddenly I no longer have trouble reading my computer screen. (They LIE when they tell you progressives can help with that!) I thought about buying a monocle but sellers seem to think only men buy those. I might do it anyway for the sake of my eye makeup but I'd rather have bi-eye glasses.

Maybe I'm Googling wrong ..? Any help would be appreciated.

[lisarea]

I order my glasses online, and I have never had anyone demand to see my prescription, so I'm betting you could just type in your nearsighted prescription for one lens, and your farsighted in the other.

Is that what you mean?

Failing that, I could make you some out of wire and heat shrink tubing.

[curses]

Originally Posted by lisarea

Failing that, I could make you some out of wire and heat shrink tubing.

Yes please. Let Lisa make you glasses!

[Janet]

I'm actually born that way. My right eye, after being nearly perfect most of my life, is now a bit far-sighted while my left eye is extremely near-sighted. One optometrist's assistant came near to suggesting I just give up glasses now that I'm in bifocal range, but I haven't actually gone there. I used to want a monocle so badly, but I never managed it.