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How to be safe from pickpocketing while on holiday

How to be safe from pickpocketing while on holiday

12 Dec 2012 08:21:00

When you are on holiday to a small island or isolated area it will be difficult to find an ATM machine there forcing you to bring much money. As tourists are a popular target for thiefs you need to be careful; bringing much money will give you something to worry about and that is what you don't want on your holiday. Best advice of course is not bring money and pay everything with plastic, but sometimes you do not have another choice then bring lots of cash. To be more safe, follow these tips below.

Keep your wallet in a safe place

Obvious of course, but you need to remeber this at all times: keep your wallet in a safe place not easily reached by pickpockets. You can put it inside a pocket of your bag for example. Also, try not to open your wallet in public which will draw attention to its location. Best to have some small money to buy food and drinks in a seperate pocket.

Use a money belt or hanger

Money belts are made of light fabric and put underneath your clothes, at your waste or around your neck. It is a very safe way of carrying lots of cash comfortably. Be aware here too that you do not want to open your hidden stash in public, have enough cash ready for daily purchases.

Bring small notes

If you need to bring lots of money best not to have it all in large denomination but in smaller notes. Although you will have more to carry it has several advantages as for example paying with large notes attracts attention and it allows you to put some small money in some other pockets so you don't need to get your wallet all the time.

Put your money in several places

Do not put all your money only in one place but spread them. You can take some with you and leave some in the hotel room. Put some of the money you bring in your wallet, some in your money belt and some in your pockets. Money kept in your room should be stashed at different places too. Some good places are inside your dirty laundry (don't forget to get is out when you have it washed!), socks or inside books. The old trick to cut parts of the pages out creating a storage place inside the book still works really well.

Don't take more than you need

Plan and calculate how much you would need before you are near an ATM again. Good planning reduces the amount you bring and with less money to worry about it will make you feel calmer. A positive side effect is that it will help you from overspending.

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