It would be a true nightmare for something to happen to your money when you are traveling. Without the right funds, you will have to cut your trip short, or – worse still – you might have trouble getting home at all. This is why it is so important to protect your money when you are traveling and take all the precautions possible to ensure that it (and you) are completely safe for the duration of your trip. It may sound like a difficult task, but with some planning and care, you can easily achieve it. Here are some of the ways to do it.
A Good Hotel
One of the best ways you can protect your money when you are traveling is to choose a good hotel. By choosing a reputable place to stay from AmericanOtels.com, you can ensure that the room you are given is secure, and you might also be able to hire a safe if there isn’t one already included.
In this way, you can leave the majority of your money in your room and know it’s entirely safe and only take with you what you need, thus protecting the majority of it at all times.
Use Small Bills
Another useful tip when traveling with money is to use small bills where possible. When you exchange your cash, ask for smaller bills, or get them changed up at your bank as soon as you can. Pulling out large notes to pay for items is a sure signal to those looking to steal money that you have a reasonable amount of it on your person. Smaller notes won’t give that impression, plus it is easier to tip people and buy smaller items when large notes don’t have to be broken up to do it.
The Dummy Wallet
Most people will never be in a situation where they are being mugged on the street, but it can happen, and if you are in a strange place and potentially vulnerable, it’s good to have a backup plan in case this should happen, and this could be the dummy wallet.
Pre-prepare a dummy wallet with a few small bills, tickets, old cards, and so on. If you are going to be mugged, this is the wallet that you can hand over to the mugger. They will grab it and run, and your real wallet will be kept safe. It’s not a pleasant thing to think about, but it does happen, so it’s best to be prepared.
Be Wary When Using ATMs
When you are at an ATM withdrawing money, you need to be extra vigilant of what is going on around you. If you are traveling with other people, they can stand guard and keep an eye out for anything suspicious when you are withdrawing your cash. If you’re alone, make sure that you only ever use ATMs that are in busy, well-lit areas or, even better, the machines that are found inside your bank – there is far less chance of being mugged this way.
Once you have withdrawn the money, hide it away as soon as you can, keeping your activities secret. You won’t want anything to see where you are keeping your cash.
