25 Things to ALWAYS Carry With You (The Revised List)

Way back in 2008 I posted this list of stuff that I always carried with me. Since it's been a while, I figured I would update the list so here it is...

1. Smart phone with internet and GPS service.


2. $200 in cash.


3. $2 in quarters.


4. A concealable firearm/concealed carry permit (personal choice here, some may choose not to carry).


5. Pocket knife


6. ID of some sort (like a driver's license and/or passport; I often carry both)


7. Condom (for the usual purpose; can be used to carry water in an emergency if it is the unlubed kind)


8. OB tampon (for women, although it is reported to work well for bullet wounds too).


9. Thumb drive with all of my back-up files on it.


10. A debit card attached to a bank account with $2000 +/- in it (I don't use credit cards. Also, I don't want this card attached to my main bank account so I have this separate bank account and debit card for emergency purposes).


11. Laminated list of numbers for people I can count on in an emergency (kept in my wallet in case my cell phone dies).


12. Laminated list of medical info (kept in my wallet and includes allergies, medications, doctor's name, brief health history, etc).


13. Small, flat flashlight found at Walmart for around $2 (hangs on my key chain).


14. Lighter (I don't smoke but this has been useful on many occasions).


15. Pen (Pilot Precise v7 to be exact), paper (Moleskein), and business cards.


16. Aspirin (the kind that comes two to a foil pack which makes them easy to carry).


17. Digital camera (most people use their cell phones for picture taking these days but I often need to take highly detailed photos so I still carry a small digital camera).


18. Floss (Glide in the small flat dispenser; great for its usual purpose but can also be used for a multitude of other things as well).


19. Necessary medication (I don't take medication however this is an excellent reminder for those who do--you may be stranded overnight away from home so if you rely on certain medication, make sure you always carry extra).


20. Spare house key (cheaper than breaking a window if you forget your key and safer than leaving a key under a rock in your front yard).


21. Rubber band and safety pin (these take up very little space and have been useful many times over the years).


22. Bottle of water and food (it is often my habit to carry a bottle of water and Cliff bar in my briefcase/bag if I plan to be gone for the day...I'm not a fan of vending machines or fast food if I am hungry or thirsty).


23. Mirror (I found a tiny, round mirror that I stuck onto the side of my floss dispenser which can be used for signalling in an emergency).


24. Whistle (I have a small, tubular whistle hanging on my keychain along with the flashlight...great for use in an emergency for signalling).


25. Sunglasses (apart from its usual use on a sunny day, can be used to observe others unobtrusively).

For a look at what other people carry with them, click here.