The only thing more confusing than changing to a new purse is to move things from an old billfold into a new one.

When we lived in Versailles, Mo., in 1984, I bought a new brown purse that had a matching billfold, check holder and memo book. That zippered brown billfold moved into a series of new black purses until in 2005 the zipper finally got stuck to the point that it was unusable. I continued using the billfold but didn't try to close it properly. Finally our great granddaughter got tired of seeing me take this relic from my purse at grocery stores. With her allowance (which had nestled comfortably in this billfold for several days) she bought me a new billfold for Christmas. The new one was also zippered, with two different sections to unzip. One is designed to hold cash and checks. The other has places for credit cards, driver's license, and other identification cards.

I had absolutely no trouble transferring the money to the new section. Two bills don't take long to move. But in that section I did dig out about six receipts from the grocery store, the Will Rogers Turnpike (we traveled on that last August), and several fast food restaurants across the state.

They found a new home in the wastebasket.

My biggest problem was changing the important cards and identifications into the second section. I found cards proclaiming my membership in organizations that have ceased to exist. I couldn't figure out why I still had a card from a group in Savannah, Mo., when the retiring billfold was less than twenty years old. We hadn't lived in Savannah since 1981. Then I remembered that I had transferred a plastic insert, untouched, from an older prehistoric billfold into the then new one.

I began the process of weeding out the contents. Even though I hated to throw away Wava Halcomb's signature, it didn't seem wise to keep four proofs of voter registration with me at all times. The pictures of our grandchildren were so old that I couldn't be sure which smiling face went with which young man we now cherish.

Medical insurance cards were a problem. I know what coverage I carry.

However I wasn't sure which of the six different cards for AARP was the one that is needed in medical situations. They all carried the same number but had some different designations in addition. I decided I better keep them all and let the medical offices decide which ones they need.

The car insurance cards were no problem. I knew I needed to carry the current one for both the car and the pickup, but I discovered that I had dutifully put in the current ones each time period, but had not taken out the expired ones. I realized that we get the new ones a few weeks before the old ones run out, so that explained my reasoning there. Better be safe than sorry.

My drivers license and social security card needed safe harbors where they can easily be shown if necessary. Using my license for a picture ID is a joke. I can't recognize that old woman they pictured as the authorized driver. I kept it of course, but put it where it doesn't show each time I unzip that section. By shopping in our old familiar stores where the clerks already know me eliminates the need to bring out such identification.

Unfortunately when I am fumbling to find what I need in the wallet I probably do look like that picture!