international currencies
MONEY TRAVEL TIPS:
How to Keep Money Safe While Traveling
I’ve been traveling solo since 1998 and, big knock on wood here, I have never been pick-pocketed, robbed, assaulted or otherwise been ‘relieved of’ my money, passport, ATM cards or other valuables.
How have I managed to never have anything stolen during 14 years of continuous international travels?
Simple: I never leave my valuables unattended.
Those items are always (I mean always) with me, and usually on my body. They are with me when I’m walking around, when I’m sleeping, when I take a shower or go to the toilet, and even when I’m swimming or snorkeling! I never leave them unattended. Ever.
I’d say the results speak for themselves.
More specifically, this is exactly what I mean by “those items are always with me, usually on my body.”
Don’t see my money belt? It’s under my shorts, clipped around my waist!
In public, my valuables are always strapped on my body
I keep my passport, cash and ATM cards in a simple money belt, which is always concealed and strapped on my body. If I’m in public, (i.e. outside my room) my valuables are strapped on my body.
I wear my money belt in one of two positions:
1. clipped around my waist, under my clothes, not showing at all. Not outside my clothes!
2. in a concealed pocket in my special hip bag, which is clipped around my hips/waist. (i.e. It’s tied on my body.)
Here I am at Schwedagon Pagoda – Yangon – Myanmar. Dont’ see my money belt? It’s under my dress, clipped around my waist.
I never display my valuables in public
* If I have to access anything that’s hidden inside my money belt: cash, ATM card, passport or other valuables when I’m out in public (to pay for something) I do not pull out my money belt and cash there at the cash register or counter. I go to a bathroom or other private place where there are no people. I take out the items I need and put my money belt back in place on my body before returning to pay.
* That includes checking in/out of hotels, guest houses, and hostels. In many countries hotels are required to check foreigners passports at check in. If I have to take out my passport, I don’t do so at the hotel counter. I go to a bathroom or my room, take it out there, return my money belt to its concealed place, and return to the counter. I do the same to put my passport back in its place.
* If I want to use my ATM card at a machine, I take my card out of my money belt and place it in my wallet before going to the ATM. After accessing my cash, I put the card and cash into my money belt as quickly as possible. If it’s a private, one person only, ATM booth, I might place everything in my money belt there. Otherwise, I do it in a private room or bathroom as soon as possible.
* Whenever I’m riding a bus, train, airplane or other type of transportation, my money belt is always strapped on my body and concealed. If I’m sleeping on a bus, train or plane? Yep, strapped on my body, under my clothes.
Koh Phangan Full Moon Dance Party – Thailand. Parties? bag strapped on my hips!
I never leave my valuables in a room alone
* I never, ever leave my money, passport or ATM / bank cards in any room when I’m not there. Whether I have a private room or stay in a dorm, I never ever leave my valuables in the room without me.
* When I go to the bathroom or shower, I take my money belt with me. In fact, I take my whole bag containing my wallet, camera, etc. That usually includes when I’m using my own private bathroom / shower inside my private hotel room. I most definitely take it with me to use a communal bathroom or a bathroom inside a dorm room.
* When I’m sleeping, I usually have my money belt on my bed beside me. In places which are very safe, and I know very well, I may leave it in a bag in my private room rather than on my bed. If I’m sleeping in a dorm, it’s on my bed beside me.. maybe even under my pillow.
* If I have an overnight guest, I sleep with my money belt under my pillow or else hide it very carefully before they arrive. Preferably the hotel has a safe where I can put my valuables. I never completely trust a new bed-mate!
my beach-side suite at Casa del Mar – In a place like this, I make use of my room’s private safe
Using hotel safes
* The only ‘exception’ to my rule of never leaving my valuables in a room ‘unattended’ is when I stay in upscale resorts that provide an in-room, heavy-duty personal safe. I usually put my valuables inside the room safe. Even then I feel a little nervous about the hotel’s cleaning staff.
* If my hotel, guest house, home stay, or hostel has a general safe or separate guest safety boxes in their office, and I trust the place, I keep my valuables in the hotel safe. I generally carry about one week of cash with me, and leave my passport, ATM cards and any more cash in the safe.
* If I’m not sure the hotel ‘safe’ is actually safe, I don’t use it. Guidebooks often give recommendations about specific countries, cities and hotels in regards to safety of valuables.
notice my hip bag strapped on my hips while I’m cycling…
Outdoor activities
* When enjoying any outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain climbing, cycling, swimming, snorkeling, or other, I have my valuables in my money belt, clipped on my body, and concealed under my clothes or strapped on my hipbag. (unless I have them in a hotel safe)
* When I go swimming or snorkeling I put my money belt inside 1 or 2 plastic ziploc bags and then inside a waterproof bag, which I clip around my waist and wear in the sea.
* One exception is scuba diving. I do not carry my money belt with me diving! Instead, I leave it at the dive center, in my hotel safe, or in another location that I know from experience is secure. I do not leave it in my room.
* I never, ever leave my valuables unattended on a beach. I put them either in my hotel’s safe or carry them on my body in a waterproof bag in the sea. If I sleep on the beach, I place my valuables in a bag under my head or in a money belt strapped on my body, under my clothes if I’m wearing more than a bikini.
* If I nap outside, as I enjoy doing at parks, forests, gardens and beaches on occasion, my money belt is either strapped on my body as usual or in my bag under my head.
* Parties? As usual, my money belt is strapped on my body either under my clothes or in my concealed inner pocket in my hip bag. I do not leave it in a bag sitting around somewhere at the party or club! Otherwise, I put it in a hotel safe beforehand.
Lash with sadhu in Nepal – see my hip bag snapped on my waist?
I never leave my valuables with other people
* I never leave my valuables alone with any new friends or someone I’ve recently met. Even if they seem trustworthy, I never take a chance. If something is missing later, I’ll have suspicions and accusations. Better to just avoid all that and carry my valuables with me, even to the bathroom. Even to pay a bill. Even to make a phone call.
* I do trust my valuables with very close friends and family who I’ve known for a long time. But even that can cause problems. Sometimes friends wander away from bags, even if I’ve warned them not to. Before I decide to leave my valuables with them, I make it clear that my valuables are inside and they cannot be left unattended.
Safe places in the world where I relax my rules slightly
Over the years I’ve found many places that are very safe, where theft is not a problem. Usually they are places I’ve visited many times, such as particular locations in Bali, Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore. I know the people, the culture and the area. In those places I do relax my stringent rules somewhat.
I may keep my money belt concealed in my bag without it being strapped to my body. It might be in my bag on the table or chair beside me. I still rarely leave my valuables alone in my room.
When I’m staying in peoples’ homes, like when visiting friends, doing House Sitting assignments or staying with hosts for work exchange, I usually do leave my valuables in my backpack in the house. I treat these situations quite differently than hotels, hostels and guest houses. Of course houses can get robbed, but it’s a lot less likely than at hotels & dorms where many people you don’t know, like travelers and staff, are coming and going all the time.
Lash in Laos with elephant – as usual, money belt around my waist and under my clothes
Big mistakes I’ve seen travelers make
* Quite astoundingly to me, I’ve seen many young travelers wear money belts outside their clothes! WTF?! That’s like a huge advertisement “Here’s my money and credit cards right here. Right Here! Here we are!” Money belts are usually white, so they usually are glaringly obvious when sitting outside clothes. The entire point of a money belt is to be clipped on your body under your clothes to conceal your valuables. Hello?!
* I’ve also seen travelers pull out their money belt / cash / cards in public to pay for something. Everyone around can see exactly where they keep their valuables.
* Travelers often keep valuables in a pants pocket. That’s easily accessed by skilled pick-pockets
* Travelers also often keep valuables in the outside pocket of a bag or backpack. Easily accessed by skilled pick-pockets
* Travelers also often keep valuables in their room while they’re out. Really?!
* They put valuables in a bag or backpack while riding public transportation. They often place the bag in a location where they can’t see it at all the times (behind them, on their back, beside them, under the seat, above the seat) Personally, I never put my valuables in a bag or backpack anyhow, let alone on public transportation. Why not strap them on your body, concealed under your clothes?
If your valuables are not clipped on your body, they can be separated from you!
You might also like my other safety travel tips:
How to Travel Safely pt 1- Attitude
How to Travel Safely pt 2- Education
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QUESTIONS:
What do you think about my safe-money practices?
Over the top? Or smart?
Do you have any other tips to add? How do you keep your valuables safe?
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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