Visiting different countries surely is fun for most of us, but not all aspects of traveling are enjoyable, as there will be moments where we need to be serious, alert, and aware. Like in many countries around the world, there would still be people that will take advantage of others, specifically tourists that don’t know a lot about the places they are visiting. So, it is important to always stay safe and keep an eye on your belongings whenever you travel.
Money and jewelry are two things that thieves and other criminals would always look for in tourists. So, if you are a tourist, you will need to learn how to protect and hide those items. Here are tips on how to protect money and jewelry while traveling.
Use a Money Belt
The best accessory to have in order to hide some of your money properly is the money belt, which works like a regular belt for your pants, but it actually has a secret compartment where you can store money. There are different types of money belts you can buy, so purchase the ones that suit your style and get the size that has a larger hidden compartment so that you can store more cash.
Throughout this guide, you will notice that most of the tips we give are about accessories, as we believe that on-body storage of money and jewelry is the most effective way to hide those precious items. Instead of keeping it in your luggage or inside the hotel room, you should keep money and jewelry with you wherever you go since you can keep a closer eye on those items. But, to make them more hidden while you are carrying them with you, you should purchase accessories that can both store and hide them, like the money belt.
Install Hidden Pockets on Pieces of Clothing
Besides the money belt, a hidden pocket is also an effective way to store money without anyone seeing it. This hidden pocket can be installed or sewn in the interior part of your pants so that nobody can get its contents besides you.
In addition to pants, you can also install these hidden pockets in other pieces of clothing like jackets, shirts, and even hats. However, remember to bring out the money you stored in those hidden pockets, or you might accidentally forget about it because they are so cleverly hidden from view.
Hide Money in Your Shoes
The old trick of hiding money in shoes is still effective today, although it does have some drawbacks that are not present in other tricks mentioned in this article. One of those drawbacks is that the money may get tears or wrinkles while inside your shoes, which would make it lose its value if it is too damaged. But, if you are careful enough, the money would just get a few wrinkles and folds, but it would still retain its use.
Another downside to storing money inside your shoes is that the money would eventually smell if you hide it for longer periods of time. However, no matter what they smell, money is still money, so it still has its value wherever you use it, but just don’t forget to spray it with alcohol or disinfectant before you give it to someone else.
Buy a Scarf with a Hidden Pocket
An unusual but effective accessory to have with you during your travels is a scarf with a hidden pocket where you can store money and pieces of jewelry. Because a scarf is fairly long, you can store many items inside it, as long as its hidden compartment is also big. The only downside to owning a scarf with a hidden pocket is that this type of accessory can be fairly easy to lose, so make sure that you hang on to it whenever you go for a walk on different tourist spots.
Always Have a Dummy Wallet
During your trips, there will be situations where you might get held up or mugged. In these instances, it is crucial for you to have a dummy wallet that contains a little bit of money so that you can fool thieves into thinking that this is the only wallet you have.
To make the dummy wallet more believable, you can print out fake IDs and credit cards and insert them in different compartments of the wallet. By having a dummy wallet, you can remove the attention away from your hidden accessories that store most of your money.
Protecting your money and jewelry is important, as losing these very precious items may bring out more problems during the trip. Always remain alert and aware, and try to avoid dangerous places in the country you are visiting so that you will always be safe in your travels.