After carefully reviewing your cheap traveloptions, including cheapairplane tickets, cheap auto rentals, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, thelast thing you want to face while traveling is to have your cash stolen.
Ideally you should deter thieves by making your moneydifficult for them to access, but you still want to be able to get to itwithout having to strip off clothes or hunt through a bags hidden pockets.
The following are tips for carrying money safely andelegantly while traveling, according to Christine Sarkis:
Placeyour travel cash and credit cards in multiple safe spots. Otherwise it only takes one theft to totallywipe you out.
Considerbuying under clothing storage accessories such as bra stashes, long johns,underwear and undershirts that come with built-in pockets for safestorage. On body storage accessories areespecially helpful if you are sleeping somewhere that does not offer a secureplace for cash and other valuables. Youwill still want to carry a wallet since fishing around under your clothes formoney lets others see where you are hiding your cash. Be aware that fanny packs make people morevulnerable to thievery since it marks the person as a tourist.
Makesmaller denomination of cash easily accessible. Each morning place a variety of small bills and coins in a handy spotfor purchases such as food, souvenirs, and attraction entry fees. Leave larger bills in your under-clothingmoney pouch, or place them in a secure part of your wallet or bag.
Travelwith an anti-theft bag that comes with features such as cut proof, steel cablereinforced shoulder straps, slash proof fabric, and locking zippers.
Beforedeparting on your trip go through your wallet and take out everything exceptthe necessities such as a universal credit card and a backup, an identificationcard, and an insurance card. Ultimatelynot only will this allow you to travel lighter, but if your wallet ends up lostor stolen, you will have less to replace.
If youwill be traveling someplace known for pickpockets or muggings, look into buyinga cheap wallet that you pad with some small bills and sample credit cards thatyou get with offers in the mail. Carrying a dummy wallet gives you something to throw and run, providingyou time to safely escape with your real wallet.
Buy atravel only wallet so that your credit cards will have snug pockets and willnot accidentally slip out. Regularlyused wallets have pockets that tend to be stretched out over time with cardssuch as gym memberships, pre-paid coffee cards, frequent buyer punch cards,etc. Instead of having to unpack andrepack your day to day wallet you can simply transfer what you need for yourtrip to your travel version.
Adaptto the local money culture. If you arein a cash economy, you will need to carry a variety of bills and coins at alltimes, without needing to carry credit cards. In much of Europe and parts of Asia having a compatible credit card(with chip and pin technology) will prove very useful, particularly if you findyourself at an unattended gas station or train station after hours.
Takeadvantage of money alternatives such as at metro stations and bus lines wheretravelers often forgo cash and credit card transactions totally and relyinstead on a multi-use ticket or other cash alternatives.
Oftenthe best way to protect your cash is not to carry it at all. Hotels in room safes are usuallysecure. If you have something (includinga large wad of cash) that you are concerned about, ask if the hotel has a safedeposit box behind the check-in desk.
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