7 Items To Buy That Protect Your Travel Money (and 5 That Don’t)

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According to Quote Zone, an insurance company based in the U.K., there were 478 mentions of pickpocketing per million British visitors to Italy in 2023. Even though most incidents of pickpocketing are not reported, it’s not uncommon to hear of this crime.  

If you’re planning a trip soon and you feel like you’ll have to bring cash with you, it’s essential that you protect this money. As enjoyable as your travel can be as you explore new destinations, you don’t want your time spoiled by having a thief steal some of your money. Due to higher crime rates and security issues in some destinations, you’ll want to do your best to protect your cash and valuables. 

Here are seven items to buy that protect your travel money — and five that don’t.

Items That Will Protect Your Money 

What items can you buy that will protect your money when you travel?

Fake Wallet

You can purchase a “dummy” wallet that you leave a few dollars in and other less valuable items so you don’t have to stress about getting robbed of most of your cash. You can spend a few bucks on a lower-quality wallet that you’re not overly concerned about losing.

Secret Money Belt

The Broke Backpacker recommends investing in a secret security belt for your cash. This works better than a traditional money belt because it’s not as obvious, and you can feel more secure when walking around. You don’t want to make it obvious to thieves that you’re carrying cash around in a clearly visible money belt.

Hidden Pockets

You can pay a seamstress to sew hidden pockets into your pants to hide your money and other travel documents. Combining a secret money belt and hidden pockets will help you secure your cash on the road. 

Undercover Leg Wallet

On the topic of hiding money on your body, you can also spend some money on a hidden leg wallet that you strap to yourself. This can be tucked away so it’s not obvious that you’re carrying cash, and they can also be comfortable. It will be difficult for a thief to try to dig that deep to steal your cash.

Money Socks

You can purchase socks with hidden zipper security to hide your money when you’re out and about. They may not have enough space for everything, but you could leave some cash in there. The goal is to not make it obvious that you’re holding money in there. 

Stash Underwear

You can hide your money close to you with a pair of stash underwear. These have a hidden pocket where you can leave some valuables so you don’t have to worry about pickpocketers when you’re exploring. 

Money Bra

A travel bra comes with hidden pockets for your cash so that you can keep your items safe and close to you. Some are made with no underwire, wide shoulder straps and flat seams, making them comfortable to wear. 

While you may hope for the best, you never know what can happen when you’re on the road for extended periods of time. Another crucial piece of advice for protecting your money and documents is to consider leaving items in different places so that you don’t have everything together. 

Items That May Not Work 

As important as it is to mention items that will help protect your money when you travel, you should also be aware of options that may not work.

1. Portable safe. While a portable safe may make sense for a beach day, thieves will likely spot these devices and know that they contain valuables. 
2. Hiding money in your shoe. While a money sock could likely work, you don’t want to risk your cash floating around in a regular shoe. You also want to feel fairly comfortable as you’re walking around for extended periods of time.
3. Your backpack. It’s generally recommended that on-body storage works best for your cash, as a thief can grab your bag. 
4. Travel money belt. A thief will likely be able to spot your travel money belt, as they’re usually fairly obvious. 
5. Wrist wallets are ideal for runners, but they can be fairly obvious for a criminal to spot.

You want to do your best to ensure that your cash isn’t easily accessible to a clever criminal who has been trained to spot victims in the crowd.

Other Ways To Protect Your Travel Money

There are a few other ways that you can try to protect yourself and your money on a trip. 

1. Invest in travel insurance. Spending money on travel insurance will help you feel confident about holding cash and bringing valuables with you. 
2. Consider finding a travel credit card. If you don’t want to worry about losing cash, you may want to look into various travel credit cards that will simplify your spending on the road. 

You don’t want your trip ruined because you lost a decent amount of money while exploring. This is why it’s important that you take the steps upfront to protect your cash and other valuables. 

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