A purse is a bag used by women to carry keys, a wallet, and personal items. Men carried purses during biblical times but there is a variation now and women mostly use them. Women of different ages and personalities select purses of different types. The British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was famous as a handbag carrier.

Purses are made out of many materials. Leather purses have been popular for a long time. Pure leather purses are much more costly than the purses made from artificial leather. Artificial leather is made from thick fabric treated with synthetic material such as vinyl polymers. These purses are beautifully decorated and they look like the real leather purses. Many contemporary designs can be found in designer stores.

Handmade purses are also available and the costs of these purses depend on the material used in making them. Material used for decorating can range from embroidery to using sequins and beads. Hand embroidered purses take a longer time for completion as there is a lot of precision required to make each piece.

Cheap purses are also available at discount stores. These stores are usually replacing old stocks and sell off the purses at reduced rates to finish the old stock. Local malls that have sections for purses have sales during the non-peak sale times. It is possible to get a good bargain at these times.

It is also possible to obtain cheap purses from direct factory outlets. Purse making factories generally have stores attached to them and they sell purses at a wholesale rate. Small-scale industries that manufacture purses are also places where purses can be obtained at a cheaper rate.

It is however advisable to buy purses from reliable stores. Discounted purses should be bought from renowned shops that are known for quality sales. Cheap purses bought from roadside vendors can turn out to be defective or low quality items. The finish of the purse should be checked before buying from roadside stalls.