Is securing $, & passport , in a pack worn around your waist less likely to be tampered with these days even though visible?

Hi andie,

Probably not. My wife and I use travel wallets that hang from a string inside your clothes.

Oops. They hang from strings inside *our* clothes.

we always wear a money belt around our waists INSIDE our clothing-

You can buy them at any luggage store or even AAA.....

NEVER put valuable in a belly bag OUTSIDE your clothes-- it can be pickpockets or even cut off...I just carry my guide papers ( ie copies from my guide book) in the belly bag and some loose change....

All other IMPORTANT and things I do NOT want to lose, I wear UNDER my clothes!!

to offer an alternate viewpoint, I don't use security wallets or special devices, and I've not been a crime victim and have visited many large and small cities.
I just use a lightweight (when it's empty) shoulder tote, with secure closure and inside zippered pockets, keep it close to my body, and go about my business. I don't need to "get undressed" in order to get to my wallet.
However, do what YOU feel comfortable with.

Money belt under my pants - always!!! I keep my passport and all my cash in there (sometimes it's as much as $2000 in $100 bills). Call me paranoid, but I've never been ripped off!

I HAVE been scammed before with people pushing up a piece of cardboard to my stomach and another person reaching in my pockets - I yelled NO loud and they ran! Or once in Florence I was standing on a bus and someone tried to pick my pocket and when I say HEY!!!, they turn and look at me and say they thought they were in their own pocket! DOH!

Steve R
Silver Spring MD

Don't ever put anything valuable in a fanny pack or belly bag. Better yet, don't wear one at all. Nothing screams "pickpockets - I'm over here, come get me" like a fanny pack.

If you use a money belt as they are meant to be used you do not need to "get undressed in order to get to my wallet".

carry one credit card and a reasonable amount of money in your pocket book or wallet. Put your passport, excess cash, and other credit/ATM card(s), and travelers checks (if any) in the money belt. (Of course you can also use the hotel safe for some of this)

Before you leave the hotel in the AM estimate how much cash you will need that day. Put that much or a little more in your wallet. If you don't have enough, then put your ATM card in your wallet too.

Then during the day after you have used your ATM card - the first time you use a restroom simply place the card in the money belt.

If you do even minor planning you should never (or almost never anyway - there are always emergencies) have to get into your money belt in public.

Perhaps I'm living in a fool's paradise, but I must agree with Elaine. I too carry a large tote/purse with shoulder straps, zipper top and keep it close to my body. Can easily move it to the front if necessary.

We have traveled extensively over the years in the US (major cities), Mexico, Caribbean and Europe, and neither my husband nor myself have been victims. Maybe we have just been lucky, but I see no reason to change at this point.

As Elaine suggested, everyone must do what makes them comfortable.

I'm always amazed when this topic comes up (which is quite often).

My first question is always "Why are you carrying a wallet?". Unless you are driving, you don't need your driver's license. You don't need your AAA roadside assistance card or your health insurance card, pictures of your kids/Mom and Dad/dog, etc.

All you need is a Xerox of your passport, your ATM card if you need cash, one credit card and your cash for the day. Everything else goes in the room/hotel safe along with your airplane tickets, original passport and other cash. With today's clothes, the pockets are very deep making it extrememly difficult for anybody to reach in and remove anything of value.

Much safer than a bulging wallet in your back pocket waiting to be lifted.

Curious

I'm not sure I understand andie's question, as the context is something about is this less likely these days for some reason? Not that I know of, I have heard or read nothing about theft of waistpacks going down in recent years. I wouldn't ever wear such a thing myself, but it is true that it is like holding a sign "hi, I'm a tourist and right in here are all my valuables"

Some people like them and find them convenient, I know, so if you really want to wear one I'd put a small lock on it to avoid easy pickpockets and then get one with a metal strap, I suppose (to prevent cutting), if you have valuables in it. This is all way too much trouble to me, I just carry a purse.

I think the idea to use an interior money belt for valuables and your waistpack for other stuff you want to carry sounds okay.

Does anyone have a practical way to deal with this scenario? While we're in Rome (and only Rome) we shall be staying in an apartment. Therefore, no safe in which to lock up the documents. Ought we carry our passports around in the money belt, which we have, or just leave them at the apartment in the best hiding place we can come up with? Other than perhaps renting the audio tour at the Vatican, where I know they'll take our passports as collateral, I don't think we'll really have a use for them.

Do NOT EVER leave your passports in any place EXCEPT a SAFE or in a money belt UNDER your clothes....

Anyone can get access to your apt...and usually they know all the hiding places...also luggage is so easy to have it's lock picked....

Carry valuables in a pack around your waist, which is visible may not attract pickpockets.

But my guess is that it *will* attract pickpackets.

Thanks, I thought so to, but was only trying to worm a way out of wearing the money belt--it seems like it will be so hot to wear one... I guess I can talk my husband into it, and I'll keep to my sturdy purse, held close to me.

Capo! Your grammar and spelling are even worse than mine! But I do laugh about the damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario you paint.

I just bought a wear under your clothes waist money belt. I used travelers checks before but now the ATM gives the best rates so I am going that direction. I think everyone should get a money belt.

I don't use any of that "stuff" anymore. I found out long ago that it was more trouble than it was worth. But that's just me.
[Yes, yes, I know -- anyone can be pickpocketed. I just never have been.]

With the exception of the person who's renting an apartment, it seems to me that it's much easier to leave your passport, extra cash, and other valuables in a safe and just carry one or two credit/bank cards and your spending money for the day with you.

How do you gracefully access a money belt that is under your clothes. It looks bit odd to be rooting around in your own clothes. I have seen tourists do it and it is just too funny for words. It seems like something Inspector Clousseau would do.

My solution: a tote tucked close to me. It looks nice and it is safe

Just a note -

Regarding the comment about not needing your drivers license.

A friend of mine recently traveled to Scotland with her hubby & Mother-in-law. Well - somehow (!) the M-I-L lost her passport 2 days before they were to fly home. One of her helpful friends told her b-4 the trip to NOT take her DL along. After calling the airlines and the US embassy, she found out she could get on the plane with the photocopy of her Passport , as long as she had a picture id. BUT - remember - no DL. Luckily, burried in her purse happened to be her SAMS card - which was the only photo id she had with her. Happy ending - they accepted that as a photo id.

Moral of the story - be sure to take a photo ID along , even with your passport. If you lose your passport, having a photoID can make life so much easier.