What do you use when you can't wear a money belt?
 

Our previous two trips to Europe have been in March when I wore pants or jeans with a belt everyday. I use the Eagle Creek Hidden Pocket which loops onto your own belt for my money, credit card and photocopy of or original passport. I use my purse to carry water bottle, umbrella, guidebook, etc. Thanks for any help.

However, we will be in Italy this June and I will be wearing more dresses and skirts that will not have a belt. Does anyone have a suggestion for me? I am not really interested in having to wear something around my neck unless it is really light and small.

I carry a regular purse, with the strap across my chest and that's it - and that's only when I'm in heavily populated areas when I can't be sure of the people who are getting so close.

When I was in Rome last month - there were no problems, but I found I did have an arm over it when we were on the buses.

I live in the city and I'm careful with my handbag and am the same when I travel.

I use a small leather pouch type purse, worn close to my body.

I have a special travel purse that has wire embedded within the easily adjustable shoulder strap. When in a crowd, I put it over my head and shoulder, then shorten it until it is almost under my armpit. When I feel "safer" or am a nicer restaurant, I lengthen it again to a normal shoulder purse. The strap cannot be cut through by someone doing a "snatch and grab" by cutting the strap. It is a washable, micro-fiber that I purchased from Magellan or the Travel Store or some other company specializing in travel gear. It has many wonderful outside and inside hidden pouches and compartments. 2 years ago, it cost around $55. Happy travels!!

Though it may not be fashionable, I would use a strong backpack with multiple pockets.

I know that some dislike them and say the bottoms can be cut. But that is why I use the kind with different types of inside pockets that are closer and higher up towards my back---so the thief would have to cut open the front of my backpack, fumble around for a while, then find the second pocket. Or take the entire bag altogether.

I have heard of bags that can be worn around the thigh, but haven't used them personally.

be very careful of anything you wear on your back. My friend had a very small backpack on and I was behind her most of the time. When she went to reach for her change purse to pay admission to a museum, it was gone. There was 4 of us and we never saw a thing. She only had a small amount in it, but still.

jgg- take a look at www.fossil.com Top Zip Mini is the one I have used.

jgg,

I just carry a purse and keep my eye/hands on it. Have done so in Italy, including the big, bad Termini in Rome, and no problems. If you'll be with your luggage at/near train or bus stations where you'll feel stressed, why not use a money belt or neck pouch on those particular days?

Have a wonderful trip.

I never use anything for travel that I wouldn't use at home. I have a leather purse with a shoulder stap. KIt is zippered and I have never had a problem.

Thanks for all your suggestions. We are staying in a lot of smaller towns this time (Piedmont, Liguria and Tuscany) as well as Rome, so I think I will take Leely's suggestion and keep my eyes and hands on it, and try to wear something with a belt on days we travel by train or are in more crowded places. Thanks everyone!

I just use a shoulder purse the same that I use at home. I am never careless with it..and the only time I ever had a problem was at my local supermarket when I took out my credit card, went to sign the receipt and my credit card was gone. Careless on my part. My friends in Italy just use their purses as I do. I guess I could have a problem at some point but so far I never have.

I have a wristlet (visit coach.com to see a few) and it is really convenient. It fits phone, lipstick and cash, and you have it on your wrist and grasped in your hand. I love it!

I hope you're still reading because I love my Eagle Creek little purse so much that I have two of them!

It has a long strap so I can wear it across my body, but it is small and slim and still looks nice.

It has tons of inner pockets, and zippers within zippers within snaps. I keep the side with the main catch toward my body, and have my important things tucked deep within my zipper within zipper pockets.

I just did a search for it, and can't find it, but they do have others, a little larger than mine, which most people would prefer. Mine is tiny.

jgg,

I used the same Eagle Creek belt style in Sept - with no belts! I just safety pinned it to the waisband of whatever I wore. Worked just fine. I only used it on days when I was traveling by train between towns, or on museum days in Rome when I had to check my purse. The rest of the time, I just keep things in my purse.

Buon viaggio!

northface makes a great shoulder bag that can be shortened to very shot or made longer to cross your chest on your shoulder. It's a great bag with zippers and magnets. It's also cute!

I wear an around-the-waist hidden pouch that can be worn in front or back. Granted it would not work under a dress, if you needed to get into it, but I only carry passport and extra credit card and money so that I rarely have to fish anything out in public.
Funny story from my recent trip. We were waiting at a bus stop to go to Parthenon area from Termini, and an older Italian lady gave me a lecture in Italian about putting my purse over my head and keeping my hands on it. I was carrying it loosely because it held nothing valuable.

Vera

Tuscanlifeedit-

Is this the Eagle Creek you use? http://www.eaglecreek.com/40327.html

I swear by this, and I also turn it so that the flap is facing my body. I also run the strap over my shoulder UNDER my top, so no one can cut the strap. I just have a pouch at hip level that I can put my hand over in crowds. It works great!

It isn't the most fashionable thing in the world, but I can fit so many small necessary items into a small space and feel fairly secure about it.

My money belt was sooo unfashionable with my dress, but it made me feel comfy and relaxed knowing that my passport and cards were safe and secure. :)

My wife uses a money pouch that goes over her head and down inside her dress, top, whatever. It works very well for her.

Never use a money belt, secret compartment in my cothes, fanny pack or any other silliness. Just use a travel purse (Sportsac) that's expandable to hold unbrella, guidebook, sweater, small camera etc as well as usual purse stuff. It weighs nothing, is waterproof and has numerous small pockets.

I wear it bandolier style across my shoulder (havey fabric strap) and make sure the pocket with the money, credit card, ATM and passport etc is inside facing my body. (Other credit cards and ATM card is locked inside the suitcase in my hotel.

Have never had any trouble with pickpockets, thieves or con artists in 60+ trips to europe. But - I'm a native New Yorker - and don;t wear tourist costume. Also I'm used to watching everyone/thing around me at all times, not stopping to look at maps or guidebooks in crowded areas, not looking confused or lost - and walking around as if I owned the world. (To tell you the truth I think it's the latter that is the most protection.)

We have been lucky and never had anything taken. Part of the reason I think is that I just carry a purse over my shoulder. The bandolier bag strapped across your body that you grip so tight is a dead giveaway that you are visiting and might have some valuables.
I'm not saying you should be careless but I think some of these just scream "American tourist with good stuff inside!!!!"

Wrong. It screams "I live in a big city!" I agree with the poster who doesn't do anything different abroad than she does in her own big city at home.

I agree. We live in NYC and are just used to being aware and cautious in crowds (Times Square, etc.). Have never used a money belt abroad, just common sense. Not that there's anything wrond with doing so at all - I have one and may bring it this time around since I'm staying in an apartment for the first time and may feel more comfortable carrying passports along with me rather than leaving them behind.

Same thing I use at home - a fairly large leather purse with lots of interior pockets that fits snugly under my arm when I loop it over my head.

I like to carry a small backpack. Also, I've used Travelon items from QVC. There are many sizes and types. Check them out! ;)

There <u>must</u> be a market for a backpack/purse with a Kevlar&reg; inner shield and Krell Metal&trade; cables in the straps that can <i>only be opened</i> by a Princess who knows the spells Gandalf put on it when it was manufactured (by the Niebelungen?)

I'm intrigued by the woman who wears a money belt down under her dress - she must have to pull her dress up to above waist level to get any money out!

Just get a small handbag(purse) with a little strap that goes over your shoulder and the bag is clamped sort of under your armpit.

I wasn't even going to respond to this since it's been done to death - and most of you are so sure of yourselves. I've never been pickpocked either and I go to Europe twice a year. My house has never burned down either but I still have fire insurance on it. If you want to take the chance that your passport and credit cards will be stolen and are willing to use up a day or two of your vacation to get them replaced then that's fine. But I would rather have the slight inconvenince of wearing a money belt than go through that hassel.

To jpg who specifically asked about summer travel and money belts - I use the kind that snaps around your waist - does not require you to be wearing a regular belt. You cannot see it even through very lightweight dresses. It may seem like it would be hot but I really don't even notice it after the first few minutes, my peace of mind takes presidence over a mildly uncomfortable waist. I can wear it under dresses because I don't access it during the day - it holds just the passport and the extra credit card and ATM card. In my purse I carry the day's cash, a copy of the passport (people occassionally need to see it when making purchases, etc) and one credit card. If that were to be stolen (or lost) it would require one phone call to cancel that one credit card - and my vacation would proceed five minutes later.

Nona - the point about a money belt worn under your clothes is that it's for stuff you don't need to access during the day but would hate to have to replace - passport, airline ticket, credit card, ATM card, any money not needed for that day. If you have a hotel safe, you lock it in the safe. If you need to access an ATM, or expect to make a credit card purchase, you take the card out before you leave &quot;home&quot;, and then find a toilet where you can put it, and the cash, back in your money belt. Works under a dress or pants. Clamping a bag under your arm is not safe - I had a wallet stolen in Rome using that principle (but only lost one day's money and an expired bus pass, the rest was in my money belt in the hotel safe).

Just curious, for those who have rented apartments, do you leave passports etc. in the apartment or take them with you each day in a money belt? Not sure what I'm going to do.

We rent apartments all of the time and we never leave our passports there.

I would rather be over cautious and less sorry.

We always wear moneybelts and they go with us.

This is just what makes us comfortable.