BootsnAll's Travel Community

Can someone tell me how they carry all their money, passport, tickets etc is a money belt the best way?
Thanks

In my opinion it is the safest way. But only if you actually wear the money belt.

I tend to get a little lazy on longer trips and start keeping my passport and tickets locked up in my backpack, but I always carry my credit cards & cash (and a copy of my passport) on my person, usually in a money belt.

i bury them deep in an inside pocket of my daypack and carry it carefully, or i put the items in the front pockets of my pants/jeans - i've never had anything lost or stolen, but i'm pretty wary and hold onto my stuff pretty close.

I like a neck pouch myself. Easy access. Comfortable. Invisible.
BUT...I do get lazy and bury stuff in my pack or leave it locked up somewhere.

sometimes, just to be tough, i carry my passport and a wad of cash in my hand, just to dare folks to mess with me.

I find a moneybelt best, although it does get hot. I don't understand how neckpouches can be invisible, especially on women they just don't seem to match the way (most) of us are shaped. Heck, even most guys aren't as flat as a passport. Or maybe other people just wear way thicker clothing than I do.

Thanks all. I am going with a money belt and ellis agree about the neckpouch but obviously works for some.

I like my money belt. I tend to wear it lower on my hips though. I then safty pin it to my clothes. I figure that would make it harder to steal. When it comes down to it, they don't work 100% of the time, the theives know where they are.

When I was in Italy, I had pants that had small pockets sewn on the inside of the waistband. This was a convenient place to put credit cards.

I like the LegSafe. And if someone makes you drop your pants looking for a money belt you can slide the LegSafe down with your hands along with your pants.

I have a money belt and two belt pouches that slide over your belt and into the inside of your pants. I gave up on my money belt after the first two weeks because of the discomfort from the heat and subsequent sweat (I'm travelling through Asia/SE Asia) However, the belt pouches are awesome. I usually just use one for my passport, but sometimes I use the other one for my cash and cards. I personally keep my cash on me, but I have two North Face pants that have really great zippered pockets just inside the main pocket that no one will get at. However, if I didn't have these pockets, I would use the belt pouch. I also keep a fair amount of cash in my day pack (in my money belt that sits inside my pack) The key to keeping cash in a pack is to just always remain vigilant. I highly recommend the belt pouches.

Money Belts are BLOWN!!!! I beg you all to heed. Anyone who targets a traveller has seen dozens of them making change out of their money belts. This is not your mistake, but the chuckleheaded traveller who went down to the drug store and bought this thing without thinking it through....Ditto Neck Pouch.

Of all the advice...Zopa with the stuff in her hand. She's with you know who....And that Voldemort ain't someone to trifle with.

Someone stops you with a gun or a machete. They are going to look around. I guess sewing a pocket inside your pants is good. I've always just shoved the good stuff up in that weird space in my pockets above the hole. If I turn the pocket out, that stuff stays.

Your choice is yours. But the Money Belt is blown.

D

quote:

Originally posted by Piecar:
Money Belts are BLOWN!!!!

It depends on why you wear them. They won't help if you're mugged, but it makes it much harder for someone to pick your pocket.

- Mike

I have to agree with piecar, though I may not be as evocative. Money belts are really more trouble than they are worth, which is why I stopped wearing mine in a short period of time. I thought the leg pouch concept was interesting, but wearing anything against your body, especially in a hot climate is not comfortable. Thieves do look for things like money belts and if accosted in the right way, you may not notice it coming off, or you may not have a choice. I've been on the road for a long time and find the best place for cash is in a secure pocket or something that sits inside your pants (whether it's a pouch or sewn-in pocket). Even then, I put my cash and documents in plastic because of the sweat. Anything sitting against your body in a hot climate is going to get soaked. Keep your important documents, cards and cash on you, either in a small hip pouch, secure pocket or day pack. If money and important stuff is in your day pack, just remember to keep it in front of you when you aren't moving. But this is really only a concern in big towns, cities and tourist destinations. If you're not familar with the belt hip pouches, they are a small pouch about 5 inches by 4 inches in size, which have two belt loops just like on your pants. The pouch swings over your belt and into the inside of your pants. I have found these to be quite comfortable, quite secure and convienient. I keep a nominal amount of cash in a pocket that's easy to get to for things like buses, fruit stands, the local variety store, etc., so that I'm not always fishing in my secure areas for cash. I get a laugh seeing people digging through tons of cash in a money belt to pay for some fruit that's worth about $0.10 USD, or 0.05 pound, or whatever the small change of your currency is. Most people in most places are honest, especially in small towns, so your chances of losing a few dollars worth of money in your own currency to a pick pocket is really slim. Yes it happens, but for the ease of having some cash in my pocket to pay for basic things, I think it's worth it. Besides, if I get my pocket picked, the worse case scenerio is that I lose at most about $5 Canadian dollars...it's going to get redistributed in some way to those that need it (and deserve it) anyway.

special case:
what do you do if you have to carry an amount in local currency that is literally enough to fill a duffle bag?