Before you leave for your next trip you have to decide how you are going to carry your money. While it is convenient to carry cash so that you don’t have to worry about making ATM withdrawals in a foreign country or incurring hefty credit card fees, taking cash can have some drawbacks as it can get lost or stolen. To avoid this from happening, utilize the following tips to keep your money safe and available when you need it.
Keep Your Money Close to your Body: Men if you are going to an area known for pickpockets or large crowds, keep your wallet in your front pocket vs. the back. Women rather than a purse that you carry in hand, get one with long straps that you can cross over your body and keep your purse in front of you. There are of course also lots of different things you can buy like money belts, neck wallets and even bra stashers.
Keep Your Money In Different Spots
It’s generally not a good idea to keep all of your money in one place. If you want to carry it in your purse, put some in your wallet and some in a side pocket. If you have it all it one place it’s very easy for someone to take it all in one swipe. Make sure you leave some money in your hotel room so if someone does steal your bag you will still have some money left that they didn’t have access too. Many hotel rooms do have safes that you can securely leave your money and other valuables in while on vacation.
Have Small Bills On Hand
Nothing advertises to others that you have a lot of money with you like pulling out a $100 bill to pay for a $1 item. Make sure you have plenty of small bills with you for those times that you need to pay for small purchases. Every morning when you plan on going out for the day to visit attractions count your money and place it in your wallet with the smaller bills first.
Consider Using An Anti-Theft Bag Or Extra Wallet
There are some bags that are designed with the safety conscious traveler in mind. Not only do these bags have tougher handles and straps so that pickpockets can’t just snatch them off of your arm, they also have zippers that lock and material that can’t be easily slashed. Travelers can also carry an extra wallet with them to use as a decoy. If they find themselves in the unfortunate circumstance of someone trying to take their wallet, they can give them the extra wallet instead of the one filled with their money. Just make sure to throw a few dollars into the decoy wallet so that it looks like it’s really yours.
While it is scary to think about losing your money or having it stolen from you while on vacation, it does happen every now and then. However, by carrying money in a responsible way you lessen the likelihood that all your cash will be stolen and your trip will be completely ruined.
Carrying money strategically abroad is part of smart travel budgeting. Combine this with our advisors’ guide to saving money on travel for comprehensive travel financial planning.
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