Sex And The City Influences Handbag Costs - Is Your Bag Safe?
By Alison Steed and Liz King
A woman in her 30s will spend an average of £113 on her favourite must-have handbag, with decisions often influenced by the impact of Sex And The City, and the total value of the bag reaches £1,800 when you take into account its contents.
Lip gloss, hand cream, a diary, mobile phone, house keys, cash and credit cards would bump the price up considerably, according to research from Churchill Home Insurance.
A third of women have bought their favourite bag at first sight as an impulse buy. At the other end of the scale, unlike Sex And The City’s Carrie Bradshaw, women in their 30s are more likely to save up until they can afford their designer object of desire, with one in ten saving up for between three months and a year before buying their ‘It’ bag.
Claire Foster of Churchill Home Insurance, said: "Many women save up for months to be able to buy the latest Mulberry or Marc Jacobs bag, but it’s all too easy to take our eye off our bag when we’re out in a bar or on the dance floor. Remembering to keep an eye out for thieves is crucial, as it could end up costing a small fortune to replace your stolen handbag and possessions, not to mention the stress factor.”
However, us girls need to be vigilant to make sure we keep hold of our designer bags – one in five of us have been the victim of a bag-snatcher.
The most common locations that handbags are stolen from include:
1. The pub (14 per cent)
2. At work (12 per cent)
3. Out shopping (12 per cent)
4. In a club (12 per cent)
5. From the car (8 per cent)
Top tips for handbag security:
· Keep your bag close to your person and ensure that it is fastened securely
· Use handbag clips in public places such as bars and restaurants
· Use secure lockers at the gym or pool
· Only carry necessities for that day
· Don’t leave your handbag unattended in a parked car
· Don’t carry personal documents around alongside your credit cards and house keys as it makes it easier for a thief to steal your identity or break into your home without having to force entry
Source: Churchill Home Insurance
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