How to Keep Money Safe While Travelling

Going on a trip is fun, but it can also be dangerous. Traveling around is just as safe as being in your home city but being in a foreign city can make you an easy target. Plenty of things can distract you while wandering, making it easier for sneaky locals to get around your purse. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that can help lower the risk of getting you getting mugged.

How to keep your money safe while travelingYou can do this by making access to your cash harder for thieves. At the same time, you want easy access to it when you need to pay something. It sounds complicated, but you can make that happen with the little tips we are about to tell you. 

It is the traveler’s nightmare to be stuck in an unknown place without access to money. That’s why it is good that you always have a plan B before you leave home. So that you don’t end up in the worst-case scenario while abroad, learning the tricks of securing your money is a must and that’s what we’re here to do.

How Can You Keep Your Money Safe While Traveling?

Vacationing is plenty stressful. First, you need to pick where you will go. You also need to figure out where you will stay and most importantly, how you are going to pay for it all. That’s why you don’t want to have to worry about money when you are already traveling. Being a victim of theft abroad is the last thing you want to happen to you.

In terms of theft, you must be wary of not only being mugged while walking down the street. Other people can also target you, such as maids that go through your belongings. It goes to say that leaving your money at the hotel isn’t always a good idea. Throughout the years, many travelers developed methods to hide their money.

Here are some of those methods that can prevent or help if you are ever in a pinch while traveling:

Let Your Bank Know You Are Going on a Trip

Before you jet off to wherever you want to go, make sure to let your bank know first. Keep them in-the-know that you will be traveling and where you will be going. With this, you won’t unexpectedly find your account frozen when you arrive at your destination. It’s also a good idea to set a limit to how much you can withdraw every day as both a preventive measure against too much spending and fraudulent activity.

Keep a Copy of Your Bank’s Contact Details

Besides letting your bank know about your trip, make sure you also have a copy of their contact details. This way, you can easily reach them in case a problem arises. Write it down on a paper, not on your phone or other gadgets as technology in an unfamiliar place is usually
unreliable. Make sure you keep it somewhere safe where it won’t be lost.

Leave a Contingency Fund

When you go on a trip, it’s a good idea to leave some money to a family member or a friend to keep for you. It will be your contingency fund that you can ask to wire over if something happens and you need emergency cash. Even better, it means you have some bonus funds
waiting when you get home.

Get Some Money in Local Currency

Before you leave for your travel adventure, get some money in the local currency of your destination. It will be a huge help so you can avoid issues when you ride a bus, taxi, or train. When traveling, you may experience a lot of money issues that you can avoid if you prepared
some money beforehand.

Divide Your Money

Of all the different tips in this article, one of the most important is this – dividing your money. You must stow your cash and credit cards in several safe places as much as possible. Use 2 to 3 sites to keep your money – one with a small amount of money and an expired
credit card, someone more visible.

The other one is where you can keep more money and your real credit card, in a second secret place. If you don’t keep all your money in a single location, you can avoid getting wiped out entirely in case a thief got you. When you are out, keep some cash on your person, and
in the bag you carry. Even if your purse is snatched, you still have enough to get to your hotel.

Keep Small Bills and Coins Handy 

If you exchanged your money for local currency, you likely have more cash or larger bills with you. Following the tip – divide your money – it’s also a good idea to keep your smaller bills and
coins handy. By keeping them accessible, you won’t have to pull larger denominations that can attract thieves. On that, do prepare a variety of smaller bills for food, entry fees, souvenirs, and the like before you head out.

Use Cash Alternatives

In some settings, you might be able not to use cash or credit card when transacting. High-traffic or close-quarter places such as bus lines and metro stations often may use multi-use ticket instead of cash. If you are in a city that uses this kind of cash alternatives, take advantage. It will help reduce the risk of losing your wallet whenever you take it out and stow it in. At the same time, it’s less chance of thieves targeting you.

Leave Only the Necessities on Your Wallet

Your wallet is always the first thing a thief will target. Therefore, it should also be the first thing you need to fix before going on your trip. You should take out the things you won’t need. Just leave the necessities such as an ID, insurance card, universal credit card, and a backup. It will help you pack lighter, but also make sure you won’t lose a lot if your wallet is ever stolen.

Put Your Belongings Safely 

In some situations, the way to keep your money safe is by not carrying it at all. If your hotel has in-room safes, make use of it. Also, they usually have a safe-deposit box often behind the desk where you can hide a cash or item you are afraid to lose. When it comes to this, though, make sure that you remember to retrieve the items. Since they are out of sight, it is easy to rush and forget about them until you’re well at the airport.

What Accessories to Use to Keep Your Money Safe?

So that you can make the most of the methods mentioned above, use one or all the travel accessories mentioned below:

Get an On-Body Storage

Money belts and neck pouches are excellent storage accessories to keep your money on your person. But they aren’t the only options available since now there are underwear, undershirts, ad long johns with built-in pockets, as well as bra stashes, that you can use. If you must sleep somewhere you don’t feel your money is safe, use these items to keep your money with you. They are great for storing cash but don’t use them as an alternative to your wallet. Otherwise, you will be more vulnerable to thieves when they see you fishing inside your clothes for money.

Carry a Travel Wallet

Instead of an ordinary wallet, you should probably consider getting a travel wallet instead. Or you can use it when you travel while your original wallet is safely stored somewhere. It’s a helpful tip if your wallet is usually packed with all kinds of cards. It will be a pain to have to pack and unpack those cards when you go out. It will also eliminate the risk of your cards slipping out accidentally because you removed most of them out of your wallet. Instead, you can transfer what you need into the travel wallet while the other one is safe.

Bring a Dummy Wallet

Another tip to keep your money safe while traveling is the use of a dummy wallet. You can get a cheap one to keep in your bag or pocket. Put your smaller bills in there with one or two of sample or expired credit cards you have. You can use this as decoy for your real wallet, so it’s the first one that pickpockets target first. It also means you have something to throw, giving you a few minutes to run for safety when in an actual mugging.

Use an Anti-Theft Bag

On-body storages have improved a lot, and so does the ordinary bags. Today, you will find sturdier bags perfect for traveling such as anti-theft backpacks, bags, and travel purses. As they are designed specifically for traveling, they come with features to deter thieves. Such features include:

  • Slash-proof fabric
  • Steel-cable-reinforced and cut-proof shoulder straps
  • Locking zippers
  • Hidden pockets and zippers
  • Night security, and more.

Final Thoughts

Besides the tips mentioned above, consider whether to use cash or credit in every situation. Also, don’t forget to carry not only the local currency but ideally different currencies, especially US dollar. When it comes to important documents, keep both digital and physical copy just in case you lose them.

You have so many methods to try in keeping your money safe when traveling. It seems a little too much, but it isn’t. You can never be too careful when strolling foreign cities given many pickpockets target unknowing tourists. Perhaps another vital tip on how to keep money safe while traveling is not to make it too obvious that you are on vacation.

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How to Keep Money Safe While Travelling
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