After a few months on the road I thought I'd check in here... and mention that I have yet to use a money belt or anything like that. Instead when not keeping everything secure at the hostel or guesthouse I have a small purse that everything goes in. Purse has a discreet side pocket the passport fits into perfectly so you'd never guess it's there.

Of course, the trick about the purse is a. it can't be opened easily and b. I wear the strap across my body rather than just on a shoulder so it can't be grabbed. I guess I could still get mugged but I'm not terribly worried- I actually hate my passport picture so losing it wouldn't be a complete tragedy.

Ah, that does make seem more sensible. In retrospect perhaps I have been reading too many traveller horror stories. Thankyou

I have a small purse that everything goes in.

My fiance stopped doing that after the first day of our big middle east trip. Kids kept coming up and pointing at it and saying something to the effect of "give me money." Without it, the hassle was slightly reduced.

I stick my cash and passport in my underwear, it sits snuggly in a waterproof wallet against the pubic bone.

b. I wear the strap across my body rather than just on a shoulder so it can't be grabbed.

My mom was walking down the street in Malaysia with her purse over her shoulder, when a motorbike came flying down the street and grabbed it right off her shoulder. The police said she was very lucky she wasn't wearing it across her chest, because they have seen people where they still grabbed the purse and pretty much pulled them off the sidewalk and almost broke their necks in the process.

Also, the bottoms of purses and backpacks, and purse straps are very easily cut. I've met quite a few people this has happened to.

See emeraldeyes, I've heard that too but frankly never got over how much safer SE Asia was compared to back home in the US. When I was in bustling areas of Bangkok I'd keep my hand over my purse so it couldn't just be grabbed, but other than that I never even felt remotely uncomfortable. (I never put my bags into the front basket while on a bike either- seemed too convenient!)

Plus I think the trick is to find something that looks discreet- mine is small and mainly black. From what I understand the motorbikers tend to target people with huge glaring ones. Seems like a better bet to them that there's more to be stolen, and frankly smaller ones are harder to spot on a speeding bike.

Having lost everything including freshly withdrawn wads of cash I now swear by a hidden pocket (money belts are too hot). It's hot sometimes, a hassle when sitting down oftentimes, but I know where my essential items are.

In it are my passport, cash/travelers checks, credit/atm cards, airline tix, etc.

I don't recommend a neck pouch as they are visible both from the strap and the bulge in your shirt and, worse still, pickpocketable. Really. A woman I met caught a pickpocket with his hand up her shirt on a city bus in Bankgok. The way she found out about him was from the rustle that the cheap plastic back she had saved in her money pouch.

Don't put anything essential in a backpack, daypack, fannypack, purse, etc. as snatchers and razor theives can easily get these.

Finally, keep photocopies of your passport and drivers license, tickets, Eurail passes, and numbers from your credit/atm cards/ traveler's checks, etc. in your backpack along with essential phone numbers and health info. Maybe keep a small amount of money in there too (well hidden) just for emergencies. Leave a copy with someone back home or follow a recent suggestion I saw online and email a copy of this info to yourself (note: if you do this do not include information that could be used for identity theft such as birth date, social security number, credit card expiration dates, bank account numbers, and so on).

Be cautious where you pull out your money belt and be very aware of your surroundings when leaving banks / atms or anywhere that large amounts of cash are exchanged. You should be fine while offices conducting transactions.

Remember, your monthly budget is a year or more worth of income for the average developing country's family. You are a target.

On the plus side, in a year and a half of travel I never felt physically threatened when travelling in S and SE Asia, most of Europe, Russia (Soviet era). It wasn't until I got to London that I felt I was at physical risk.

Travel smart, watch your stuff, relax and enjoy the trip.

I always take a money belt. In it is my credit cards passport and majority on money.
It is small, flat and made of comfortable sweat absorbing material but also doesnt let your stuff get wet inside. I usually wear it inside my trousers but spin it round so it snugly fits in the small of my back. My top covers it so you cant see the very slight bulge it makes.
Then in my backpack I have my purse with the amount of money I need for the day in so I dont need to access the belt at all.
It is also useful to be able to put the whole money belt in a hotel safe and still have a separate purse to use.

I have travelled alot and hear so many tales of people having their bag/backpack/purse/handbag grabbed or stolen. Indeed I have had my bag taken from under my chair. But I have never lost everything, soley due to having a money belt. I never travel anywhere with out it.