How to Keep Your Money Safe While Traveling
Minimize your wallet before you leave
Before every vacation I go through my every day wallet and takeout only the essentials that I would need for the trip, and those go into my travel wallet. Don’t take a big, thick wallet with you, a slim version would do much better. You won’t need the majority of your cards or other items, so clean out your wallet and leave the excess at home. That way, if something does happen to your wallet, you have far fewer things to worry about replacing.
Take at least two credit/debit cards with you and never keep them both in the same place. The reason here is diversification. If one goes missing, you still have the one stashed elsewhere.
Same applies for other belongings. Spread them out across multiple pockets. If you get struck by a pickpocket while out wandering around, it’s a bad move to have all of your stuff in one place. Wear clothing with multiple pockets and spread your stuff out among the pockets.
Leave photocopies of your documents at home where someone you trust can retrieve them.
This way you can call home to retrieve your card number and other information so that you can then verify it with customer service or authorities and either restore or cancel your accounts.
SentrySafe Waterproof Fire Chest
Alert your credit card companies of your travel so they won’t decline charges and can properly identify instances of identity theft. This has happened to me in the past where I tried to use a credit card on vacation and it was declined due to suspicion of identity theft as it was flagged as an irregular charge in a new location. If you contact them in advance, they’ll change the settings on your account so that new charges don’t trigger an identity theft decline.
Protect your digital info
While traveling, try to avoid checking your bank balance and login into other sensitive sites. If you do have to connect and you are out and about, make sure the connection is safe. Free and/or public WiFi is often not secure. To make sure your information is safe use private virtual network, such as Private Internet Access, that will encrypt all of your internet traffic and protect your identity.
Use a money belt. A money belt is simply a pouch with a strap that goes around your waist. This pouch is kept under your clothing so that it’s unexposed and thus essentially impossible for pickpockets to access. You can easily access it by stepping into a bathroom and accessing it in a stall. It’s a great place to keep your credit cards and such; I usually keep my credit cards in there and just have a tiny amount of cash in an easy-to-access pocket. That cash is exposed to a bit more risk than the cash and cards in my money belt, but then it’s really convenient when I’m walking around a marketplace or strolling through a park. You get used to wearing it quickly and it's not uncomfortable.
Travel Document Organizer - Deluxe Money Belt with Rfid Blocking
Use an ATM locator to avoid bogus locations. Criminals will set up “fake” ATMs in order to scrape credit card and debit card numbers. They look just like real ATMs but simply won’t work once you’ve swiped your card and enter your PIN. That’s because the criminals already have your info, so there’s no reason to give you cash. How can you avoid that? Use the ATM locator program on your bank’s website to identify legitimate ATMs near you and stick with just those ATMs.
Only use ATMs inside of bank locations instead of sitting out in the open. Occasionally, criminals are able to modify ATMs and add “skimming” devices that allow the criminals to take your credit card or debit card number and PIN. This is much more likely to happen with standalone ATMs and much less likely inside of bank locations. So, if you’re in a new area, make the effort to use an ATM inside of a bank location if you need to withdraw cash.
Use a secure phone password and don’t store website passwords or credit card information on there. This is good advice anywhere, but it’s great advice when traveling. A smart criminal can figure out your password by studying the marks on the screen, so make your password as complex as reasonably possible while traveling. That way, they can’t get in quite as easily. More important than that, though, don’t keep important passwords or credit card information on your phone. If someone can buy stuff on your phone by just using the stored passwords, you’re begging for a problem if your phone is stolen.
Leave expensive gadgets at home unless absolutely necessary. You probably don’t need your laptop while traveling, so why take it? Will you really use that SLR camera, or will you likely just leave it in the hotel room each day? If you’re not going to use it, don’t take it. It just becomes another thing to keep track of and another thing that can potentially get stolen. Use minimal gadgets. I use just my smartphone when traveling for everything – no need to take a SLR for family vacation pictures!
Carry a dummy wallet. Pick up a cheap wallet, then put some of the “fake” credit cards that banks often mail you along with a few loose bills in there and keep it with you. It can prove to be a lifesaver when getting mugged, as you can pull out the fake wallet and hand it over to the mugger. It can also be a good pickpocket deterrent as they may just grab the fake wallet and leave you alone.
Sound-off: What steps do you take when traveling to safeguard your valuables? Let us know below
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Showing posts with label money belt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money belt. Show all posts
Nov 16, 2015
Apr 13, 2015
Cruise Travel: Gadgets and Accessories on our South America Trip
Cruise Travel: Gadgets and Accessories on our South America Trip
"Zip-it" The Sock with a Pocket - Secure Valuables When on the Go
Atitlan Leather Suede Leather Money Belt
When I first discovered a money belt, I thought it was genius idea. Though I was wondering what it would actually look and feel like. After some research online and amazon, I found this one. It looks great, quite stylish. The type of belt that I would wear on daily basis with a casual look. I ended up wearing it the entire trip. The zipper on the backside works well, though it is a very small compartment. You won't be able to fit ID or credit cards in there, but you would be able to fold and stuff some bills for quick access for tipping and such.
Eagle Creek Travel Gear Silk Undercover Money Belt
I was wearing this one most of our cruise on excursions. It is a great travel accessory to have with you. While it might not look like much, it is not a fashionable accessory, but very useful. It came in handy in countries where there are no coins given as change, just a whole lot of paper money. Instead of carrying a lot of the bills in my wallet, I placed some discreetly into my waist stash. Same for dollars, especially once we acquired some local currently, these were moved to the belt so that my wallet was not filled with them when paying for goods. This is especially helpful when looking to "negotiate" with local vendors for better prices.
Travalo Refillable Perfume Spray
Travalo Travel Sized Refillable Perfume Spray Dispenser
Yes, it is a perfume spray. However, it works just as well for cologne. I think it is a genius idea and travel accessory. Before I found out that this exists, I was wondering how I could transport my cologne without having to drag the entire bottle that also does not close very well and so usually leaks. Its not a huge problem when placed in a Ziploc bag and within my bag. My cloth just end up pre-perfumed. However, that is definitely not a desired effect. The Travalo dispenser is very easy to fill up. Just take off the cap off the perfume bottle and push the tip of it into the dispenser and the content will transfer over as much as needed. And then becomes a convenient travel sized spray
E-Scale Digital Luggage Scale
Orbsgo Precision Digital Luggage Scale w/ 110 Lb Capacity
We no longer take any trips without using and packing a luggage scale. This trip was no exception. We weighted our large suitcase many times to make sure it is up to airline's standards so we do not have to pay overage fees or have issues at the airport check-in. Well, on this trip, we still did. Since we did not realize before hand that this particular airline, LAN, was also very particular about the weight of carry-ons. At least the ticket agent we go was. The carry-ons were overweight, and we had to rearrange our belongings right there and then. Good thing my wife had a plan and was ready with a back up bag. Going forward we will be using our trusty luggage scales on carry-ons as well every time we fly.
Olympus TG-835 Tough Camera
We love this camera. We always have it with us no matter the adventure. With this camera we don't have to worry about it getting wet in the rain, so we can take pictures even if it is drizzling outside or we are on a boat. We also have with us at the pool for some great shots. And as it is also shock-proof from 5 feet, it can take some dings and keep on shooting. Panasonic Lumix is also freeze-proof to 14 degrees F, good thing for when we were sailing by Antarctica, and dust-proof.
Broken Sports Watch
We didn't start out taking along a broken watch. The sport watch we took was working OK in terms of showing time. However, when we were going through multiple time zones, we wanted to update the watch to those, and that is when we found the buttons on the watch stopped working. It was still a great gadget to have along since even if you don't want to, you have to keep track of time on a cruise. Either to get up for and catch a bus for the tour or meet up with your group or to make it to dinner, it good to have a time keeping piece. Will be looking for a replacement and will post what I found. If anyone have any recommendations, please let me know
Kindle Paperwhite 3G
My wife loaded up her new favorite series that she has been reading, which is 3 books, plus some others just in case. I also added on my book in case I get tired of watching movies and reading my magazine. All that on a small light easy to pack device. Kindles also have a very long battery life. So with full charge and average use it could last the full cruise without needing a recharge.
Earphones
There was no way I was going to be using the earphones provided on the airplane. Those are very cheaply made, nothing but plastic, with terrible sound, ear irritating devices. For the 12 hour flight that we had that won't do.
Sound-off: What do you think? Let us know below
If you found this page useful in your gadget search, please recommend us:
Follow us via RSS
Sign up for free blog updates
"Zip-it" The Sock with a Pocket - Secure Valuables When on the Go
Atitlan Leather Suede Leather Money Belt
When I first discovered a money belt, I thought it was genius idea. Though I was wondering what it would actually look and feel like. After some research online and amazon, I found this one. It looks great, quite stylish. The type of belt that I would wear on daily basis with a casual look. I ended up wearing it the entire trip. The zipper on the backside works well, though it is a very small compartment. You won't be able to fit ID or credit cards in there, but you would be able to fold and stuff some bills for quick access for tipping and such.
Eagle Creek Travel Gear Silk Undercover Money Belt
I was wearing this one most of our cruise on excursions. It is a great travel accessory to have with you. While it might not look like much, it is not a fashionable accessory, but very useful. It came in handy in countries where there are no coins given as change, just a whole lot of paper money. Instead of carrying a lot of the bills in my wallet, I placed some discreetly into my waist stash. Same for dollars, especially once we acquired some local currently, these were moved to the belt so that my wallet was not filled with them when paying for goods. This is especially helpful when looking to "negotiate" with local vendors for better prices.
Travalo Refillable Perfume Spray
Travalo Travel Sized Refillable Perfume Spray Dispenser
Yes, it is a perfume spray. However, it works just as well for cologne. I think it is a genius idea and travel accessory. Before I found out that this exists, I was wondering how I could transport my cologne without having to drag the entire bottle that also does not close very well and so usually leaks. Its not a huge problem when placed in a Ziploc bag and within my bag. My cloth just end up pre-perfumed. However, that is definitely not a desired effect. The Travalo dispenser is very easy to fill up. Just take off the cap off the perfume bottle and push the tip of it into the dispenser and the content will transfer over as much as needed. And then becomes a convenient travel sized spray
E-Scale Digital Luggage Scale
Orbsgo Precision Digital Luggage Scale w/ 110 Lb Capacity
We no longer take any trips without using and packing a luggage scale. This trip was no exception. We weighted our large suitcase many times to make sure it is up to airline's standards so we do not have to pay overage fees or have issues at the airport check-in. Well, on this trip, we still did. Since we did not realize before hand that this particular airline, LAN, was also very particular about the weight of carry-ons. At least the ticket agent we go was. The carry-ons were overweight, and we had to rearrange our belongings right there and then. Good thing my wife had a plan and was ready with a back up bag. Going forward we will be using our trusty luggage scales on carry-ons as well every time we fly.
Olympus TG-835 Tough Camera
We love this camera. We always have it with us no matter the adventure. With this camera we don't have to worry about it getting wet in the rain, so we can take pictures even if it is drizzling outside or we are on a boat. We also have with us at the pool for some great shots. And as it is also shock-proof from 5 feet, it can take some dings and keep on shooting. Panasonic Lumix is also freeze-proof to 14 degrees F, good thing for when we were sailing by Antarctica, and dust-proof.
Broken Sports Watch
We didn't start out taking along a broken watch. The sport watch we took was working OK in terms of showing time. However, when we were going through multiple time zones, we wanted to update the watch to those, and that is when we found the buttons on the watch stopped working. It was still a great gadget to have along since even if you don't want to, you have to keep track of time on a cruise. Either to get up for and catch a bus for the tour or meet up with your group or to make it to dinner, it good to have a time keeping piece. Will be looking for a replacement and will post what I found. If anyone have any recommendations, please let me know
Kindle Paperwhite 3G
My wife loaded up her new favorite series that she has been reading, which is 3 books, plus some others just in case. I also added on my book in case I get tired of watching movies and reading my magazine. All that on a small light easy to pack device. Kindles also have a very long battery life. So with full charge and average use it could last the full cruise without needing a recharge.
Earphones
There was no way I was going to be using the earphones provided on the airplane. Those are very cheaply made, nothing but plastic, with terrible sound, ear irritating devices. For the 12 hour flight that we had that won't do.
Sound-off: What do you think? Let us know below
If you found this page useful in your gadget search, please recommend us:
Follow us via RSS
Sign up for free blog updates