Brutforce

Indy is exactly right. Keep a couple of bucks in your pocket & keep the money belt tucked safely away. Also, many of the travel goods companies have travel shirts w/inside pockets, etc. Try REI. I have one of those that doubles as a light rain resistant jacket as well.

Brutforce

Indy is exactly right. Keep a couple of bucks in your pocket & keep the money belt tucked safely away. Also, many of the travel goods companies have travel shirts w/inside pockets, etc. Try REI. I have one of those that doubles as a light rain resistant jacket as well.

ira

Hi Hiroshi,<BR> The consensus seems to be, &quot;carry only what you need for the day&quot;. <BR> It is useful to close off your trouser pockets with a safety pin. Makes it harder on pickpockets.

zootsi

I find that a money pouch that has a belt loop and slips down your pant leg, works the best. It's easy to get to, and is quite safe. A funny story, - when in Vienna a few years ago, I took the money pouch out to pay for something, and I forgot to tuck it back in. I walked around half of Vienna with an unzipped money pouch hanging out of my pants (I may have had too many good Austrian beers!), and didn't loose a thing!

nkh

An alternative to the safety pin (which also works) which is also used on some expensive travel clothing. <BR><BR>When my husband and I went to Italy I bought some velcro and sewed 2 inch tabs about 1/4-1/2 inch inside one pocket of our trousers and shorts in the middle of the pocket opening. We made sure a wallet would not come out of the pocket without opening the velcro.<BR><BR>We found this easier than safety pins, since you can open the pocket with one hand and it isnt obvious the pocket has extra security when you are opening it. Also, it makes a distinct tug and slight noise if you are actually listening for it, so chances of pickpocketing are lower!<BR><BR>This trick worked really well for us, and I will do it again for our next trip.

hanl

I recently came across a clever kind of belt on sale at Heathrow airport (in one of the 'travel accessories' stores). It was a normal, black canvas, man's belt with metal buckle (not a traditional money belt to be worn under clothing). On the inside, it had a long, zipped pocket - totally invisible - in which emergency cash can be stored. We purchased one and my boyfriend wore it on a recent trip to Africa. Although it's not suitable for things like passports, it provided an excellent hiding place for spare bank notes. We would take out cash from an ATM, and then back at the hotel (or in a bathroom), we'd stash half the cash in the belt. Totally T-shirt friendly!!

elina

Do you wear money belts at home? If not, why do you think you need them in Europe. I have never worn money belt anywhere, and that includes Asia and Africa.<BR><BR>I do just like Ursula. I leave passport, tickets, and money to the hotel safe, and carry the money for the day and one credit card in my purse. The purse is in my handbag. Just like it is at home. I have travelled well over 30 years by now, and have survived just fine taking the same precautions I do at home.<BR><BR>Hiroshi, do you think the style of the handbag has something to do with it? My husband hates to hold my handbag, but he does it, except in cases when he hates that particular bag. Then he refuses. He escpecially hated one that was made of thin rope. Perhaps he thought it was too &quot;beachy&quot;...

elina

Oh, I forgot to answer your question. Put the money to your purse. And the purse to your wife´s bag. And the be prepared to hold and carry her bag. Choose the style that fits your taste.

elberko

I think this thread covered the money belt question quite well.<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34398150

Hiroshi

To elina and others, some people carry money belts while travelling but not at home because they carry more money if a tourist. This is no secret to robbers.<BR>For example, one may carry the equivalent of ?10-50 when at home but carry anywhere from ?100-1,000 when travelling. The amount is higher in countries where ATM machines are not reliable or available.<BR><BR>I used to have a Danish bank account for getting money in Europe but not anymore since ATM machines are so common in the UK and many European countries.

Hiroshi

Strange, the euro sign gets changed to a question mark! How about pound sterling (&amp;#8356 or dollars ($)

Ursula

Hiroshi,<BR>The point is, that with a money belt you are definitely being identified as a tourist. And tourists remain the top target for pickpockets, in any city.

elberko

Do pick-pockets have x-ray vision?<BR><BR>Could somebody explain to me HOW pick-pockets know you're wearing a money-belt?

mr_go

The correct answer: Hide the passport in your luggage at the hotel, carry your cash &amp; 1 card in your front pocket, and go to an ATM when you run out. They're everywhere now.

JackOneill

<BR><BR>For whatever it's worth, I second, or third, or fourth, NOT using a moneybelt, or even one of those wallets you wear around your neck. Too much of a pain to access it, and it does draw too much attention. What better way to draw attention to the fact that you'rea tourist than to stand in the middle of a store, or street, trying to reach your moneybelt. <BR><BR>Do what I do: just stick your stuff iin your pocket and try to blend into your surroundings.

indytravel

I never use a money belt at home in the US, not in Chicago, New York City, Miami nowhere. But I use one in Europe. I’m more comfortable in the US. I’ve traveled it extensively and blend in better. Another reason is if my pocket is picked, it’s a couple of easy 800 phone calls to credit card companies. I haven’t lost my passport. It’s easy to explain to the police officer in English why I don’t have a driver’s license with me.<BR><BR>In Europe, like a previous poster mentioned, I have more cash on me. I use the ATM’s, but with a high transaction cost, I prefer to remove larger sums of money in fewer transactions. In Europe I’m on a much “bigger” vacation seeing things that I may only ever see once and much, much more likely to be distracted. It’s more difficult to deal with a stolen passport or to explain to the French-speaking police officer why I don’t have a driver’s license. <BR><BR>A picked pocket in the US for me would be an inconvenience, in Europe it would be way more than inconvenient. <BR>

indytravel

Guess you just can't say it enough. You should NEVER access a moneybelt in a public place. That is NOT the way they are to be used.

jor

Sew a pocket on the inside of your all the underwear you will be packing. I did it and it works great. Works better for guys but also works for girls.<BR><BR>Nobody will ever get inside your underwear to steal your stuff without you knowing it!

craisin

nkh, you beat me to it! I love those velcros...if you don't want to sew, they have the adhesive kinds as well (although I have yet to test whether or not it's as secure as sewing it on!). <BR><BR>I think money belts are good for people who are constantly on the go. For example, backpackers (who may/may not live in hostels or b&amp;b's which do/do not have hotel safes) or simply, if you want that extra sense of security, go for it! You can always get rid of it! <BR><BR>The point is, it's a personal preference. SO, try it out for yourself: walk around your hometown with your passport, couple of cc's, a stash of cash in your moneybelt--UNDER YOUR PANTS!!!--while shopping or sightseeing (do something that's distracting). Then, you can decide whether or not a moneybelt is ideal for you.

cruelbee

I have used the money belt at home in the USA too. On trips when I will be walking around and don't want to leave money and license in the car I stick them in my money belt and don't have to worry. I did this in Hawaii too, when hiking the coastal mountains, the rental cars in the parking lot are often targets of thieves.<BR>I don't always want to carry a purse and stuff can fall out of pockets, so I just put on my moneybelt.