Women have been carrying handbags since time immemorial but the status they have achieved in recent years has become almost difficult to describe. Handbags today cost more than jewelry and apparel and are the accessory to have. From names like Coach, Dooney and Bourke and Prada to relatively less expensive names like Guess, Gucci and Nine West, bags are now a necessity. They are no longer that one black or brown handbag you had to keep your wallet and umbrella in.

If women have the money to splurge on such fancy items, then it really is not a problem; however young people today are being influenced by this name brand craze and are going deep in to debt by trying to keep up with the Joneses. As shown in the famous Sex and the City episode, Carrie (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) had no money for a down payment on her home because she always splurged on designer shoes from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo costing around $400 a pair. She admits to owning around one hundred pairs which she is shocked to learn means she could have been $40,000 richer.

Handbags are a much safer alternative to wowing your friends and sincerely smiling at the same time instead of waiting to get out of the party so that you can walk barefoot to the car!

Outlet stores are brimming with people from all walks of life trying to get a hold of a new bag each season. The bag may be of far better quality than you can get at a department store, but the price premium is also because of the name. Unfortunately people are judged by what they wear, what kind of house they live in, the cars they drive and now the handbag on their shoulder.

This way you can tote around a cool looking purses without having to be burdened with heavy credit card debt because of it. Two sisters could each buy a different color or style of much coveted handbag and then take turns using it and no one will be the wiser. It is also much easier to sell a used designer handbag than it is to sell shoes as shoes get worn out much faster. Scuff marks, heel damage and other width issues can render even the most expensive shoes pretty useless after a few months.

There is nothing really that wonderful about the design or the quality of the handbags in question. They might be as well made as a $50 handbag you can get at a better department store. It is the oohs and aahs associated with the big C or the Louis Vitton print that is worth every penny spent on it.

Auction Sites - If you do not want a knock off from the mall kiosk or swap market, you can score a deal by getting a gently used designer handbag online or at auction sites. People who have lots of handbags and want to dispose off them in order to buy more often are willing to sell purses and bags in great condition. Check the seller's reputation and bid carefully.

Another option is to get a gently used designer handbag from an auction site. Always looks at the sellers reputation and see if he or she he any negative feedback and if so on what account. Make sure the bag is listed in good condition and then set your mind to a maximum bid you are willing to place. Do not get caught in the bidding war so that you end up paying as much or close to what a new one would cost!