moneybelt - neck wallet - hidden pocket

Hi! I use the same system as Steve. I use Rick's zipper front pocket wallet to carry one day's spending money and one credit card. The rest stays in my money belt. Never had a problem.

I concur with the money pocket idea. My husband uses one. It is more comfortable than a sweaty money belt or the neck wallet. He carries a small amount of cash in his front pants pocket for the day. When he needs to get into the money pocket he discreetly takes it out. We were glad he had the money pocket when we were in London as someone tried to pickpocket him on the London tube. It was a very crowded situation, people had just gotten out of the theaters and were trying to get home/back to their hotels and he felt someone's hand go into his pants pocket. As we took precatuions, this was a fun story for us and no harm done.

Mary

My wife and I just got back from a trip to London and Paris. I bought one of those hang-around-the-neck thingies, but never used it. I carried my wallet in my buttoned hip pocket, and my cash in a money clip in my front pants pocket. When riding the Metro or Tube, I either sat down or stood with my back against a wall or door. I tried to be aware of my surroundings, as well as being aware of those who were around me....at all times. We had no problems at all, and never felt threatened. We didn't carry a lot of cash, preferring to hit the ATM when we needed money.

The whole idea of a money belt/pocket is secrecy. You should never access it in public. Carry your daily money in a regular wallet or zippered pocket or however you are comfortable doing so, but leave the money belt alone unless you are in a secluded place such as a restroom.

I've used both the neck and belt types. I seem to go back and forth on which one I prefer.

If you go with the money belt, either get one that is lined or put your stuff in ziplock bags so you don't end up with sweaty money and passport.

I don't carry an extra wallet. I'll keep a small supply of cash folded in my front pocket - but it's always an amount that wouldn't be a major loss if it were stolen.

Other techniques I use to avoid theft:

Only have one item to keep track of. If you're shopping, continually reduce everything to one bag. If you're traveling, have only one bag to worry about. Thieves target people who are disoriented and disorganized, they're easy marks.

Dress appropriately but not flashy. If you wear expensive jewelry and designer clothes, a thief is more likely to follow you than someone wearing a pair of khaki pants, basic shirt and a timex watch.

Avoid throngs of tourists. Tourists have the valuables and are usually careless with them (see one item above). Where there are tourists there are thieves to prey on them. Use the most care when you are in crowded places.

Conversely, use common sense. Just like in the US, going alone down an alley at night in a questionable neighborhood to withdraw hundreds from an ATM is a bad idea. Mugging is much more common here than in Europe where car prowling, purse snatching and pickpocketing seem to be the theft of choice but you should still take normal precautions.

Great video clip.. and you had better beleive there are plenty of other folks out there whose fingers are just as nimble, but motives are not as good!

Jim,, you were just lucky that time..

Hi Rob

OK, just to give another differing viewpoint, I'm going to suggest that you shouldn't get spooked. I've traveled overseas quite a few times, and have never used any of the multitude of suggested security methods you've been reading about.

Over the years, I've always tried very hard to stay vigilant and aware of my surroundings. I've carried minimal cash and used credit cards mostly, an ATM card too. I have never felt uncomfortable and never felt in danger.

This past summer we went to Germany and Austria. Also, since last fall I've been a regular on this site and asked many questions to assist me in making decisions about my trip.

I admit that after reading many of the discussions about the numerous security issues people have had (and there are alot of horror stories), I was spooked. I purchased all you mentioned (moneybelt, neck sling, hidden pocket). I tried them all on before the trip to decide which I wanted to use, but in the end, I took none of them. They were all uncomfortable and full of hassle to use.

In the end, I again had no problems at all. I did do a few new things that I hadn't considered on previous trips (example: keeping copies of important documents in a seperate location in case something was lost or stolen), but I didn't want to be afraid.

Now I know alot of posters will tell me (and you) that I was very lucky (and maybe I was all these years), but in the end, this works for me. A few things I realized: I can't hide the fact I'm a tourist, the bad guys (and gals) will always be out there and if they want things bad enough, they'll eventually get something, so I just try to minimize the risk as best I can without affecting my ability to to what I want to do.

I'm not trying to tell you not to use any of these security measures you're considering, just to keep it in perspective and do what you think will work for you. Be aware, but don't let the fear consume all your thoughts.

Best of luck - Gary

I agree with the last poster - we (husband and self) have never worn a money belt of any type and would not contemplate doing so. If you are aware of you surroundings and take the normal precautions, you should be fine. Yes I concede that there is a risk, but to us it would detract so much from our enjoyment, we do not want to do it.

In a dozen or so holidays in Europe, of varying lengths, my husband lost his wallet once when it popped out of his pocket when on a small boat and went straight to the bottom of the sea. He shouldn´t have had it with him at all.

But I guess it is just what makes people more comfortable and others have given you advice on that.

Never ussually wear one...I have tried a neck pouch hated it......don't like the money belt thing as to me its not comfortable.
I did pick up the one that attaches to your belt loops. Will try that out and see how it works....I am thinking espeically for when in nightclubs this will be a good option.

Just returned from travelling around Slovenia and also went to Vienna for 4 days. Have never used a moneybelt on previous visits to Europe but after frequent visits to this site..bought the hidden pocket and used it in Vienna..pinned to the inside of my waistband with a diaper pin ( didn't know they were still available!)...found it comfortable and it certainly gave me peace of mind in large crowds.I would use it again if I felt it necessary. Didn't use it in Slovenia as we have never felt uncomfortable or felt there was a risk during our visits to that wonderful country.

Scottevest is the way to go!! See: www.scottevest.com And now they have come out with a lighter weight version for warmer weather.

Well, we've heard from some anti-money belt folks. (I didn't know they were allowed on this site:) Now, if you are in your hometown, and your wallet is lost or stolen, your day sucks. Say you had $300, that's gone, but you still have your car and can drive home. If all your money is stolen on a trip, how will you get back to the hotel. Or to the consulate to replace your passport? At home, you have to deal with replacing your license and calling your credit card companies. So now you get to take a few days of your hard earned trip to do that. Do you really want to spend thousands of dollars to get there and then take time to deal with theft?

It's a little bit of insurance to wear a money belt. It's not foolproof, and you may not need it. You just decide if the risk is for you.

Wise advice IMO from Karen (post immediately above). However, she's actually being overly deferential to the "I don't wear a money belt and haven't been pick-pocketed yet" folks when she said money belts are not foolproof--actually, money belts are about as foolproof as you get in this life.

We've not had reports, here, of anyone having had things pick-pocketed out of a money belt.

Not using a money belt is like playing Russian Roulette. Being "aware of one's surroundings" is useless against pickpocket. They blend into their surroundings, and are often dressed like businessmen. Also, let's not loose sight of the other function of money belts: they prevent you from simply misplacing and loosing your passport, credit cards, and cash. For me that's just as important.

I travel often and a lot by myself. I started wearing a money belt after I was robbed in Paris. I was coming out of a large and popular Paris department store when a nicely dressed man backed me into the wall and cut off my messenger bag with a knife. (I was wearing the bag across my body) He was gone into the crowd in an instant. It happens when you least expect it.

I use the money belt now and plan on using the Scottevest jacket on my next trip.

I agree it's more convenient and comfortable to go without a moneybelt. IMO, however, it's not worth the risk. The potential downside of losing your passport, credit card, debit card and cash isn't worth it.

To date I have only lost a camera when I was carrying too many items in a crowded tourist area. Now I keep my load to only one item so I can easily keep track of it.

People losing their valuables, bags, wallets, purses, credit cards, cash, etc. happens many times every day in the prime tourist areas of Europe. It seems to me taking precautions to ensure you aren't the easiest target is an easy choice.

Another nice thing about a moneybelt is that they can double as a hotel safe. If you are in a dicey hotel or hostel, you can sleep with it around your waist. This is much better than my husband's old system of putting his wallet in his pillowcase.

My dad had a velcro pants pocket below his knee that was picked. He'd thought he'd feel the velcro, and see someone at that level. Wrong.

My husband DID feel the velcro opening when he got pickpocketed in Prague, but these people worked in a group, he didn't know who had his wallet, and it was passed out of the train before the doors closed. I think there's enough options for moneybelts and the like for you to find something that works for you. It may be a pain at first, but I've found that I've gotten used to it and don't mind the moneybelt. You'll come up with your own system that works for you.

I see being pickpocket in Europe the same as falling off your motorcycle. There's those who have had it happen, and those who haven't yet. Just do your best to minimize your losses, these folks are professionals.

OK Rob, I told you this was going to happen. You spooked yet??? (Now try asking if you should drive or take public transportation. That's another fun topic for this site)

Maybe this is a naive question, but what about leaving my passport, emergency cash, extra credit card and ATM card (plus anything else of value) in the hotel safe, and only carrying a copy of my passport, enough cash for the day, one credit card, and one ATM card in my hidden front pocket in my Royal Robbins pants? Is that not a safe way to travel? I'll be staying in Paris at Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, 3 Jarente, and they have a safe in the room. Any thoughts? Thank you!

Thank you everyone for your perspectives and experiences. Gary, quite right! Thank you for the breather in the middle of my mounting anxiety. As an overseas newbie, I will take a hidden pocket this time around for the passport and credit card and keep a small amount of cash in a more accessible pocket. Maybe with experience later on I'll have a go without training wheels.

Was trying to remember what I did when I was in Mexico years ago. Oh yeah! My traveling companion and I left our passports in the front pockets of our luggage. In the hotel room. (Deep breaths everyone!) I feel armed with information and experience now though, so again, thank you all.

When I was traveling around Denmark and Germany in 2007, I simply kept my passport and money/cards in the pocket inside my coat. I kept it zipped the majority of the time....I guess it helped that I was there during the winter and early spring. I felt really secure with my valuables right against my body, zipped up in a pocket. My husband and I are planning on keeping our "day cash" in the hidden pockets inside our coats when we go to Europe during Christmas, with everything else in a money belt.

Oh yeah, this discussion made me have an interesting thought: Perhaps the safest place EVER to travel to is Finland. I lived there for 5 months while studying abroad for a semester; they are the most honest people I've ever met. When my friend and I were on a night train going from Oulu to Tampere, there was this drunk guy across the aisle from me who somehow managed to pass out with hundreds of Euros worth of cash surrounding him. I mean it was on his lap, on his seat, on the floor, and even in the aisles. I could have easily grabbed 100 Euros from where I was sitting. Eventually these two Finnish women boarded the train, and they stopped to push the money in the aisle back towards the man with their feet before passing! I was dumbfounded. I'm sure that if that had happened in pretty much any other country, that money would have been gone in a flash!

The Finns are pretty notorious for being very honest, and this story just about proves that. Leave your money belts behind if you ever visit Finland, lol :)

Most of the time I wear a jean coat, lose with big inside pockets. The pockets have velcro on top. In one pocket I kep my passport and things/money I don't need for that day. In the other one, I keep some money and a copy of my passport and maybe the camera. this way I can easilty access money when I need it and don't have to take everything out.
last year I wore one of those neck pockets, but I always had my coat buttoned. I can't stand money belts. hard to bend when you have the passport in there. Plus when you need money we will expose it to the public.

I would like to add to Rob's question and ask all women out there : what does a woman do regarding moneybelts, hidden wallets? Do they use them when traveling in Europe or do they usually let their husband (if married) carry them and wear them? I would like to know since I am traveling next year to Italy and my husband and I will usually take seperate cc and monies to hold.

I would just say that the pickpocket in France, Spain or Italy is just as likely not to be French, Spanish or Italian.

Finnland is probably safe not only because the people are honest but because there aren't big enough crowds to attract thieves.

I do think travelling off-season makes a difference. I made my kids wear neck pouches with their own passport and money. They complained about them and didn't protect them well at all. Since we were traveling in October/November, however, we didn't have too much to worry about. If we visited the same sites in August, I would have insisted they be more cautious.

Although not wearing a moneybelt is more comfortable than wearing one, I find that after putting mine on it only takes a short time and I don't find it that uncomfortable. For me, having the mental comfort of secured documents and money trumps a little physical uncomfort of the moneybelt. I have had someone try to unzip my camera bag one time but never an attempt to pickpocket me (at least not that I know of) but that doesn't mean an attempt won't be made in the future. I have never had a wreck while driving in Europe either but it would be foolish for me to rent a car without obtaining insurance based on my prior history of driving wreck free.

That begs the question about what type of clothing are wearing. My wife wears a money belt under her shirt/blouse all the time just like any male. Sometimes in the evening, I might carry for both us but during day when wearing our standard travel clothes she wears it all the time.

I wear my own money belt. The only time my husband wore mine was while I was visiting the public baths in Turkey.

I actually carried my dad's passport in my neck wallet. He had a money belt with the rest of his valuables, but the passport was stiff and uncomfortable so he ended up giving it to me.

It really is a matter of personal taste. I don't like around the waist money belts, so I wear a neck wallet which many women don't care for. I keep the string long enough that the bulk lies against my stomach and since I travel in the off-season, tucking the cord under a sweater or heavy shirt is not a problem for me.

Laura, I carry my wife's documents in my moneybelt. She does not wear one and so far it has worked out fine for us.

I used a money belt for the first time on my recent trip to France. (I lost my wallet on my last trip, which was a big pain, even though I got it back a week later.) I thought it was great. It gave me piece of mind and I could not tell I had it on. All my pants are too big in the waist, so it fit easily under my pants and seriously, I could not tell I had it on. I kept both my husband's and my passports, all my credit cards but one, and excess cash. I would not travel again without it.

My daughter and I both wear Rick Steves' neck money belt. We like the peace of mind knowing all is safe.