Traveling can change your life. It’s awesome and fun. However, it does not mean that it cannot be dangerous. Accidents can happen while you travel.
Anything can happen, whether you misplace your debit card, leave your wallet in a taxi, or get robbed.
It does not matter where you’re traveling in the world, you need to always have some emergency money hidden on your body.
Carrying money when traveling is an act of balancing utility and safety. You need to make your money difficult to access to help deter thieves. However, you still need to get your money without hassle when it comes to paying for something.
Most travel professionals suggest storing some of your money, your passport, and a backup credit card in a bag inside the hotel safe. However, this tip isn’t 100% secure.
Don’t forget to primarily hide your passport well because if you lose it, you’ll have to spend extra money to retrieve it. Depending on where you’re traveling, the visa isn’t cheap either; that’s why iVisa mentioned that you should keep your documents safe.
So, how should you secure your cash when traveling? Here are some tips:
Bring an Anti-Theft Bag
If you’ve seen a lot of commercials about bags, you have probably learned that a couple of bags are more durable compared to others.
This idea can be applied to your bags, backpacks, and travel purses. A couple of them are specifically made for travel.
This means that these bags have features such as locking zippers, slash-proof fabric, steel-cable-reinforced shoulder straps, and cut-proof fabric.
Since these features slow down robbers, they can do an excellent job deterring potential pickpockets.
You can purchase a custom bank deposit bag online. You should try to invest in these types of bags if you love to travel around the world.
Utilize Secure-Looking ATMs
In the past several years, the use of skimming devices has become more common. For those who don’t know, skimming devices are devices that criminals utilize to illegally gather details from your credit and debit cards.
To ensure you aren’t using an ATM that is tampered with these devices, you should try to search for ATMs that are located in highly visible and secure locations.
Oftentimes, banks have ATMs located inside the establishment. Try to use these ATMs as much as possible.
Do Not Exchange Money at Unauthorized Money Changers
When you travel around the world, you will find a lot of unauthorized money changers. These people are skilled at stealing your money when you exchange them.
Most of the time, you will not notice this until it is too late. A lot of travelers fall victim to these scammers since they promise better exchange rates compared to legitimate money changers.
Because of this, you should only utilize authorized and trusted money changers to avoid this scam.
Always Prepare Small Bills
Oftentimes, people withdraw or exchange large sums of money to lower the fees of these services. However, doing so also means that you will be traveling with a lot of money at hand.
Professional travelers recommend that you make smaller denominations a lot easier to access. This means that you should not use your $100 bill to purchase a $1 souvenir.
You should make money preparation a part of your routine when traveling. Whenever you’re packing your bag, you’ve got to ensure you have a range of coins and small bills that you can use to buy entrance tickets, souvenirs, and snacks.
Make sure you place bigger bills somewhere safe, such as your under-clothing money pouch or inside your wallet.
Don’t forget to use a hand sanitizer each time you hold money.
Divide Money in Various Places
Even if you ignore all the other tips mentioned in this article, you should not ignore this one.
As much as possible, try to divide your travel money and credit cards into several safe places. If you put all your money in a single place, it only takes one time for a burglar to completely rob you.
For example, you should try to keep a bit of cash inside your pockets and some in the bag you carry. With this, even if someone snatches your bag, you will still have enough money in your pocket to return to your hotel.
Always Prepare a Contingency Plan
It is always a smart move to give some money to your friend or family member you can trust before you travel to a new country.
In case of emergency, your friend or family member will have cash ready to transfer to you right away.
Still, don’t forget to give something back to your friend or family member.
Take Note of Contact Details
You need to ensure you write down the contact information of your bank before you go to a new country. If issues arise, you can easily reach them.
You can write their contact details somewhere safe. Such as paper inside your wallet, a note inside your bag, or your mobile device.
There are a lot of DIY tips you can follow online on how to store important documents when you travel.
Keep Your Bank Updated
Before you travel to another country, be sure you let your bank know that you’ll be going on a vacation to another country.
Oftentimes, banks will freeze your account if they notice that you’re spending your money in a new country.
Furthermore, try to set up a daily withdrawal limit. If your card gets stolen, this will help avoid the thief from withdrawing large sums of cash.
Aside from that, it will also help you control your spending. This means that you can keep your spending within your daily budget and help you save money on your trip.
Conclusion
Though every single one of these tips is aimed at keeping your money safe, one of the most vital things you need to keep in mind is to relax and enjoy your vacation.
SourceThere are a lot of obvious things you need to avoid, such as flashing your money in front of a crowd. If you follow the tips above, you can ensure your money is safe when you travel.
