Any suggestions for money belt/neck wallet?

Our fellow forum members will offer you excellent observations and recommendations, Mike.

My experience... I used a neck wallet on my first trip to London. Hated it. Even though I wore it under shirts, the neck strap was so obvious, and I stuck out like a sore thumb. Have never used it since.

I've used a moneybelt and infinity scarf with hidden pocket for all trips to Italy. For the most recent trip, the infinity scarf worked best. I realize that might be more of a female accessory for protecting money, but wanted to ensure folks know it's a good option.

I've never heard of a neck wallet being removed from a person without their knowledge. The incident you describe sounds more like a mugging than the work of pickpockets. Pickpockets like to be well away before you realize they have nipped your valuables.

I've had pretty good luck so far with an item very much like the first one you've linked. The difference is that I don't carry it around my neck. Instead an use the heavier loop to fix the pouch to my belt then slid it down inside my trousers. With the stress my belt is under a thief will have to be nothing short of a master to slide it out without my knowledge. When I need to access it, I can loosen my belt and slide it out without having to undo my trousers. Additionally, I position this along my hip so that it doesn't bunch up uncomfortably when I sit down. When I need to get into it, all i have to do is loosen my belt and slide it out without having to undo my trousers or anything dramatic. I also carry a simple 'disposable' wallet with 20 of so euros in my front pocket so I don't have to breakout the main stash for every time I but coffee or gelato or gelato or gelato.....

A word of advise: if you are going in the summer months make sure you put any paper items in a small zip-lock style bag before you put them in your wallet. It will likely be very hot, you will sweat, and nothing is quite so embarrassing as handing someone moist cash or documents.

Wear a regular money belt like the one mentioned by Rick Steve’s. It’s very safe. What you don’t want to do is get into it to get money out in a public place. Contrary to The impression a lot of people seem to have, Europe is not packed with people intent on stealing your money. Pickpockets congregate in places where tourists are massed and in crowded subways, busses, etc. In those places, be aware and careful of your valuables. Otherwise, Europe is very safe and I wouldn’t concern myself about being mugged or pickpocketed, provided you take the precaution of wearing your money belt.

I mean, anything is possible. A violent mugger could remove a money belt or threaten you to hand it over. But I’ve never heard of that actually happening. What I have heard of is simple pickpocketing, which money belts prevent. The key is to not let them show. Don’t access them except in emergency - keep daily cash/card in a regular place like front pocket wallet or purse and don’t dig into the money belt in public.

I know nothing about the brand you linked to but the neck one looks big and hard to conceal under shirts. I’d pass on anything too bulky because those do call attention to themselves. If you were wearing a heavy coat and sweater at all times then maybe. In summer it would show under a lighter weight shirt

I will confess that I don’t use money belts anymore, except in rare circumstances. I feel comfortable with a zippered pocket in a zipped up purse worn in front of me. Combined with excess cash/cards/sometimes passport at the hotel safely buried in my suitcase or in the in-room safe. My husband uses a front pocket wallet for his cash and card, everything else in the hotel except I will carry his passport if needed because it won’t fit in a pocket and he’s not great about keeping an eye on his daybag (he’s not used to constantly being aware of a bag the way women naturally are after years of purse carrying!).

It’s a risk assessment - what is more likely? What measures are you comfortable taking to prevent theft and what is too unlikely to worry about? What consequences can you handle?

Mike,

I'd be curious to know how the thugs "spotted" that your partner's grandad was a good target? Hopefully he wasn't accessing the belt where others could see? I suspect that type of theft (mugging?) is somewhat infrequent. Most people that use a Money Belt have no problems at all.

I use either my venerable Eagle Creek or RS Moneybelts when travelling. I wear it such a way that it won't be detected by "leaning" on me. There are a variety of different types of Money Belts available.....

• conventional belts that fit around the waist
• pouches that are connected to your belt and sit on the inside of the waist band
• pouches that hang around your neck
• pouches that are mounted on the user's leg, in the vicinity of the knee - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Moneybelt-Safe-En-Route/dp/B00NY8FV22

To be really safe, you could use the waist model and the leg model together, splitting up credit cards and cash.

How would a thief see you using a money belt? The thing stays on your body and is never accessed except in private. You use a working wallet with a days worth of cash for daily purchases. If you run out of money you duck into a toilet and transfer more money from the money belt to the working wallet. The money belt is only seen by you.

Please don’t confuse casual theft (pickpocketing) with assault. They are not the same.

Another point. If you are not used to using any of these items at home, I recommend you practice with them a week or so before you go. It sounds silly but it's better to be sure of what you are doing ahead of time than trying to figure it out at a ticket window or when pickpockets might be watching.

Some good feedback here. I have heard over the years that "neck wallets" have been either cut or yanked off, but never a money belt that is secured around the waist and tucked under clothing. This described episode doesn't sound like the typical pickpocket event?

The advantage of a money belt is that you'll almost certainly notice an attempt to swipe it and in that way deter the try. Yes, a determined thief may be able to steal it regardless, but there's no reasonable defense against a determined burglar.

In Italy, I carried valuables in a traditional around-the-waist money belt under my clothes with the zipper facing my body. My travel pals, all fashionable ladies, said they didn't even notice it. It was comfortable and secure. My small crossbody bag held some daily cash, one credit card, hotel key, tissues, lipgloss, etc. This system works for me. Happy travels.

I've tried several traditional styles of money belt and all were too stiff to curve around my belly properly. I was religious about wearing them because they didn't show, but I hated the belt part because the waist was always too tight or too loose and the buckle was annoying.

I also tried a neck wallet and it was even worse. I'm too curvey for one to sit flat anywhere and not just the string showed.

And then a miracle occurred. I found the Eazymate runners belt. When I got mine it wasn't even listed as a travel money belt. It is unisex in spite of the pictures. Men's and women's sizes are shown in one of the pictures. And of course you wear it under your clothes, not outside like the pictures. You step into it and pull it up. It is soft and doesn't show at all. It's easily washable and dries quickly. I did replace the key lobster clip in the back with a more comfortable single split key ring through the loop. I need to buy a 2nd one as a backup for when somebody decides to "improve" on this design.

There are other brands now with the same basic design, as I'm sure you'll notice if you go to the link.

After my first RS tour where our guide wore his moneybelt in the back, I switched to wearing mine that way. It is much more comfortable than in the front.

Italy is the ONLY country where I have used a money belt and would do so again. I prefer the waist belt type under the clothes. I seriously doubt any thief knew I was wearing one. I don't believe your concerns are unfounded in Italy!

@Lo - I’ve been looking at that Eazymate for a while since you started mentioning it. Have you worn it through airport security, or do you put it in a bag until after? I’m curious if the zipper or key ring set off the machine.

I traveled for 40 years and never used a money belt. I have traveled with folks that have had things stolen from them after they made a display of them, new I phones at major train stations in China, forget about it..they gone...
I have also traveled or worked with folks that have been mugged..Germany... and one that who's drink was drugged in Amsterdam....once they had his room key he lost everything.
That said, in busy areas in Italy I do wear a money belt under my shirt. It's a bother for the pick pockets to get to easily. They need easy access to be successful...back pockets are prime targets.
I carry some cash in my front pockets. My phone is also in the front pockets. When in a squeezed area (like bus 64 in Rome at rush hour) I keep my hands over my pockets. So what if they know where my things are..they can't get them easily if I have them covered....
I would not consider a neck wallet...you might as well wear a sign...............

I used a money belt once and I did not like it. Now, I wear Bluffworks pants (with zippered security pockets) and a Scottevest jacket. I have more pockets than I have things to put in them, and most have zippers.

I wore a waist RS money belt with my credit and debit cards, passport, and cash and didn’t feel it most of the time. I wore Craghopper pants with nine pockets. The left zippered pocket was just the right size for my cell phone, and I kept my wallet with one credit card and a small amount of cash in the larger right thigh pocket that had a Velcro cover and deep, inner pocket. It worked well for me.

DH wears either a lightweight cotton moneybelt or RS silk neck pouch (which he wears crossbody, slung over 1 shoulder). Neither one is visible under his clothing, and he says they're both comfortable for him. I wear a neck pouch made from lightweight lingerie fabric. The strap is detachable at one end, allowing me to wrap it once around my bra strap. When worn cross body instead of around my neck, it doesn't show unless I'm wearing something with a plunging neckline (which, at my age, I rarely wear). Neither of us would EVER access these while in public. Daily cash and credit card are either in his zipped pocket or in my crossbody purse (zipped in an inside pocket which is also zipped).

So far this has thwarted pickpocket attempts (Yes, we caught them jn the act). But the risk of a full out assault and robbery is so much less likely, providing you aren't wandering around in areas prone to violent crime. And in such an event, I doubt that a properly worn and used belt or pouch would have been the prime reason you were targeted.

When I wear a money belt, it is actually a leg wallet that sits right under my knee. I'm a woman so I wear boot cut slacks. If my husband wore this type of wallet it would fit under any of his pants. That being said, I'm down to only wearing it during transport when solo. Otherwise, my items are just separated, usually the backups in my suitcase in the hotel. There are many different ways to be safe and they don't all include a money belt. I really use mine for organization more than anything. I've never felt exposed to pickpockets as I live in an urban environment and am used to keeping an eye on my things. That being said, your backup should never see the light of day when out and about.

Money belts are really uncomfortable for me when I sit but it may be due to my slender build. I had really good luck with a neck wallet but I haven't tried it in the summer with t shirts. I always travel in shoulder season where I'm happiest with collared polos or pullovers that hide the cord.

Money belts and neck wallets, and the way pickpockets work, are the most misunderstood things by just about everyone, including most of the posters in this thread.

Pickpockets work by stealth. They do not want you to know they are stealing you valuables. They are long gone by the time you realize they have stolen something. They often work in teams, with one providing a distraction so the other can lift the wallet. The distraction allows the theft to occur even with body contact. But they still need easy access and removal of the wallet to work. If it is attached to your body, they will be unlikely to remove it. There can be exceptions of course, but what you describe is a strong arm mugging, which is very rare in Western Europe.

It does not matter if a thief sees you access your money/cards if they cannot access them. That is the key to securing your valuables. A typical money belt is designed to hide under your clothes, sometimes in the small of your back. They are not easily accessed publicly for that reason. That is their downside since you'd still have to have some money/cards available for daily use, or have to find a private place to access. A neck wallet is more convenient since you can pull it out for access, but it stays safely under your shirt. For ladies, a secure travel purse is a good idea as long as you always keep it strapped cross body (and don't remove it when sitting or dining) and that it is secure from easy access (not a normal purse that unzips or unsnaps). I carry a belt wallet that loops through my belt so it cannot be removed.

So with this knowledge, you need to choose something that is most comfortable for you, and allows you the type of access you would desire. Some things work better than others for things like phones and passports.

Coming in late here but neither my husband nor I use a moneybelt or neck pouch. We simply can't tolerate either of them. As you've seen in this thread, there are other ways of keeping valuables safe, and we use alternate methods. Between leaving the bulk of our cash in the hotel safe, carrying a Pacsafe bag with some of our valuables, and pinning a small pouch underneath the waistband for a card and daily cash (mostly me) we've done just fine in Europe. We both have a few euro in a pocket all the time that we can afford to lose but so far, so good.

When we transfer cities/countries, our passports and bulk of cash go into the Pacsafe and we split everything else. There is no one method everyone is comfortable with but this has worked well for us.

Italy is not a den of thieves. Don't walk around with a wallet in your pocket or an unsecured purse and you'll more than likely be fine. Aside from the fact that we can't personally deal with moneybelts, I can't believe anyone told you that they were a "very bad idea". They are NEVER supposed to be accessed in public - you'd have to get half undressed to do that - so....

Thanks everybody for chiming in with your thoughts! You have definitely given me a lot of information and ideas to think about to safeguard my valuables. All your replies have been very useful to me, especially those who have provided links to the products they use. Much appreciated!

Just to clarify, that incident where the moneybelt was torn from under the shirt was not something that happened to me or anyone I know personally. It was mentioned in another forum, where the issue of pickpockets and the usefulness of a "dummy" wallet (which is a whole other topic) was being discussed and someone spoke of this incident. Given all your replies to that, I now also think it was not just a usual pickpocketing situation.

What I have gathered from the posts in this thread is that most people prefer a money belt over a neck wallet? The post by jlschandler that neck wallets have been either cut or yanked off, is what was the main concern for me regarding them. I would rather reveal as little as possible as to where I'm storing my stuff to anybody watching.

I actually have some experience wearing a moneybelt in my trip to Spain two years ago. It was a simple no-frills Slazenger moneybelt with a stretchable strap with a buckle. I wore it around my stomach under my shirt and never accessed it in public, and although it was a bit new and uncomfortable for me, I got used to it. Also, the fact that I was in Barcelona, which is deemed to be the pickpocket capital of the world, made sure I stuck to it. We were very aware of our surroundings at all times, and even witnessed an attempted lifting of a phone at the next table at an outdoor cafe ; someone in the group was vigilant and immediately warned her friend. Fortunately, we were always careful and personally never experienced any of that.

In the Spain trip, I had my money belt with extra cash and credit card, and had a wallet which I kept in the front pocket of my jeans, with essential cash and another credit card, and also my handphone. For this trip, I have been thinking I would like to keep my jeans/pants pockets empty, meaning not even a wallet and a handphone, which is why I'm exploring alternatives to have them safely stored.

I thought that neck wallets might be good for that, but now it seems another option is to get pants with zipped pockets or velcro pockets? So a money belt, with my phone and wallet stored in those zipped pant pockets, or a jacket with internal pockets would be great? Question is, wouldn't a zipped pocket also be easy for the pickpockets? Granted they have one extra step of unzipping, but they seem to be such experts at it that it makes me wonder, which is why I don't want to have anything at all in my external pockets. A vest or jacket with secure internal pockets would be the best option for me I guess? Plus a moneybelt around my waist, or even the hidden pocket type where it goes under your waistband? By the way, do you all wear your moneybelt halfway down your waistband, or higher up your stomach ?

I use RS silk neck wallet, thinking that silk is more comfortable than nylon or polyester. But I found the plastic slide adjuster (or whatever you call it) painful. So I took it off and tied a looped knot near the wallet to shorten it. I wore it crossbody and slide it into my waistband. The thin strap didn't show since it's under my clothes, maybe it would if I wore a tank top but I usually wear zip-front sun shirts or big-shirt tunics. I wear leggings a lot and thought a money belt would show as bulk beneath the leggings or ride up to my waist. I added a Velcro closure to the wallet's pocket; I don't know why they didn't put a zipper on both sides instead of only one since the hidden zipper lays flat. I must say that I only wore the neck wallet one day in Hawaii while touring Pearl Harbor where they don't allow purses and not for days on end.

For my first trip overseas (years ago) I got a neck wallet, chopped off the strings and used diaper pins to pin it to the inside of my pants. Nothing annoying around my neck and no adding bulk to my waistline that is bulky enough already. I wore it once or twice and never again. But it still holds the passport, extra cc, dollars while I'm in foreign money land, and does so locked inside the suitcase at the hotel. If the passport gets stolen and I'm forced to stay on vacation longer while it gets replaced, then sorry boss, but what can I do? :)

I wear a soft neck wallet. I found the strap showed across my chest, so I shortened up the strap and wear it over one shoulder. I safety pin the strap to my bra strap so there won't be any way for it to slip down. It is very comfortable and I forget I'm wearing it. It is not visible under my shirt, but it might be noticeable if my shirt was really tight. My husband wears a money belt that has a loop that fits on his belt and hangs down his leg.

The most important thing about a money belt is for the people around you to not know you have one, which is why it needs to remain under your clothes. Don't access it in public. I had a wallet taken from my purse on the RER in Paris years ago. It was a very crowded train and someone took advantage of that. Fortunately we were on our way to the airport to go home, so it didn't inconvenience our trip. It would have been worse if it had happened earlier in the trip.

thought that neck wallets might be good for that, but now it seems
another option is to get pants with zipped pockets or velcro pockets?
So a money belt, with my phone and wallet stored in those zipped pant
pockets, or a jacket with internal pockets would be great? Question
is, wouldn't a zipped pocket also be easy for the pickpockets? Granted
they have one extra step of unzipping, but they seem to be such
experts at it that it makes me wonder, which is why I don't want to
have anything at all in my external pockets. A vest or jacket with
secure internal pockets would be the best option for me I guess? Plus
a moneybelt around my waist, or even the hidden pocket type where it
goes under your waistband? By the way, do you all wear your moneybelt
halfway down your waistband, or higher up your stomach ?

The travel pants that I've seen have an outer zipper, plus an interior zipper and/or interior velcro fastener. No pickpocket is going to go to that much work, and risk of being caught. Here's a link to one brand of these type of pants with a video showing the features : https://www.clothingarts.com/products/pickpocket_proof_adventure_travel_pants

DH doesn't like the look of these, but he does have several travel shirts. They look like typical short sleeved shirts with button flap chest pockets. But under the flap, the pockets are secured by zippers. I don't think any pickpocket is going to put his hands on your chest and play with the flaps without you knowing about it. His phone, CC and daily cash go there.

Vests or jackets with secure pockets work OK when the weather is cool. But they add bulk (which is the last thing I want), and they'd be bloody hot in many places in summer.

Re: positioning your moneybelt. Position it so the strap is at the same level or just below your pants waistband.

Thanks to those who replied after my last post. I guess I'll have to check out a local travel store where they have money belts and others, and see how they fit. I'm probably leaning towards a hidden pocket type of wallet, where it loops around the belt and hangs under the waistband, or a money belt.

cjean

Those are great and seem to be exactly what I'm looking for! Alas, the pants have to be pre-ordered and only can be shipped in June, by which time I'll be back from the trip. I'm heading to Italy in mid-May. Hopefully I can find some other brands similar to that!

Sorry to be so late back to the party, Nelly. I don't wear the Eazymate through security. It's usually in my tote.

In fact, depending on where you are, any money belt on your body may be a trigger for the TSA to give you a closer look. Once I was carrying my passport in my hand in Atlanta and the TSA person thought that was worth flipping through all the pages and making me go back through the scanner, put it in bin and send it through the Xray machine by itself.

Lo

I might consider getting the running belt as well, since it has a handphone pocket.

we use silk neck wallets,the flesh toned ones, silk is by far and away to most comfortable but to get away from the cord showing for a guy put one arm through it so it is across the chest, no cord showing, for a woman shorten cord and loop around center of bra, no matter how light your shirt or tank is, providing its not skin tight, no one will see it, of course you dont start rooting around in public, anywhere that would appear weird. the little guy wallet that loops onto belt and then tucks inside is good too, couple that with keeping your eyes open and staying away from the obvious, young women with "petitions" gypsys with thing that "might" be a baby thrust at you, but usually isnt. you are going to be fine have fun!

Thanks for the tips cuthbertconstruction! Yes I'm planning to stay away from anyone who tries coming too close, and always keep an eye on my stuff.

My husband has used a moneybelt and the neck pouch. I don't like either (I sweat too much and just don't like the feel of it). I purchased a travel purse that has lockable compartments and an RFID blocking pocket. My husband now also owns a messenger bag with RFID blocking pocket and lockable compartments. I had a pick pocket attempt to get in my purse on the Paris Metro (I failed to lock the main compartment). I felt him tugging on it and locked it. I used it in Italy, but never had any situation where I felt a thief attempting to steal from me. The main time to be aware of thieves is when you are in a crowd. As Rick Steves has often said, pick pockets are there and you won't be able to pick them out. In Paris recently, I learned to always have my purse locked and keep my hands on it in a crowd. We also have one card to use primarily and a back-up card, just in case, that we do not carry everyday. We also bought travel vests with 10-12 pockets from TravelSmith for our travel days. It allows us to have passports and tickets readily available in a relatively safe pocket on the vest which is zipped up and hidden on the underside.

I have used both but will usually put my neck wallet in pants/capris I have bought through Eddie Bauer. They have pockets that zip close and I have never had any issues in all the many trips around the world. I can even zip my phone in the other pocket. I do leave a copy of my passport and an extra credit card and cash in the safe at the hotel.

I use a money belt when I am in Italy, and I prefer the type that has a small loop that goes over your belt and is deep inside the side of your pants. I am not a fan of money belts that hang around the neck or have a belt that goes around my waste.

Make sure to keep the money and cards you might need that day accessible..the rest tucked away in the money belt with your passport.

Just a comment on the thought that money belts are only needed in crowded train stations, buses and popular tourist sites. I was taking a photo of a unique sign in Bologna, and my husband and I were the only people on that street. A pick pocket came up to us and stole the money out of my husband’s pocket before we even realized what was happening. Fortunately, we always wearing a money belt, so we only lost the 10 Euro change from our lunch. We both are very careful and aware of surroundings so know it can happen to anyone. Since we were wearing our money belt, it was just a minor inconvenience, and my husband said it’s been a 10 Euro interesting story.

I wear the waist one, and my husband likes the belt loop one that hangs vertically instead of horizontal.

In addition to a neck wallet, which as others have said, I never access in public, I like the Scottevest and Exofficio clothing items with inside zipper pockets. These companies make pants, vests, jackets, and shirts with inside pockets. My favorite is the lightweight vest for summer, which I actually use for all year round travel. There are inside pockets for your phone, metro pass, sunglasses, and day-use money, and the vest itself zips up. I never carry a purse for travel, as I like having my hands free. I use a light day-pack for drinks, snacks, guidebooks, clothing layers. I have done this for my last several European trips, and it work for me. Safe travels!

I always use neck wallet to keep my cash, passport and credit cards. You almost feel nothing around your neck.

I only put a little bit of cash in my wallet.

I used Rick Steves' neck wallet in Italy last year. It was totally comfortable and I felt completely secure with my passport, money and credit cards under my shirt and right next to my chest.

Mpow Universal Waterproof Case, IPX8 Waterproof Phone Pouch Dry Bag for iPhone X/8/8plus/7/7plus/6s/6/6s plus Samsung galaxy s8/s7 Google Pixel HTC10 (Clear 2-Pack) $7.95 on Amazon.

I bought these to protect my passport and mobile phone on cruises, but they work fine for carrying your money.

I have a holster style money belt that I like - it slings over shoulder to your side and has a strap that goes around your waist, so it'd be really difficult to get off me since if someone were to cut the shoulder strap, it won't fall to the ground since it has the waist belt around my waist. I only use it for our passports, so I have no reason to go into it while we're out and about. For my credit cards and any cash I want kept safe, I use a bra pocket/pouch, that's attached to my bra strap, that I can easily reach into without anyone really noticing....in my cross-body I keep a small amount of cash that if it winds up getting picked or we get held up, oh well, it's a small amount, just for that purpose, and for small items that I need some coins or a small amount of cash.

When you're going to need cash/credit cards you have hidden, it's best IMO to take a moment and go to the bathroom, or to a corner of the shop with a companion shielding you, get your money/card out, then go pay for stuff; that way no one is seeing where you have your money or your credit cards.

Regina,

Where did you get the holster style money belt?

TC - It's by Deuter....I have the one in beige, but it also comes in black:

https://www.campsaver.com/deuter-security-holster.html?_iv_code=Z31-TVL-DEU0150-254137&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoovFvP_b3AIVQSSBCh0CIQEFEAQYBSABEgICC_D_BwE

They also make a leg holster, but I thought the shoulder one looked more comfortable and secure for me.

Thanks for the info Regina. Will check it out.

As a woman and I may wear dresses at times, I was planning to use a cross body bag with inside zip pockets. Is that safe enough? reading these posts Rome seems more scary then going to Newark NJ!!!! Also why would I bring my passport with me if the hotel has a safe? Just wondering.

I wear dresses all the time (they're so comfortable), so the holster style money-belt works really well, but only if you don't plan or need to keep going into it for money or credit cards. I use mine for passports - I'd much rather them on me than risk losing them in the hotel to a thief or fire or something comes up and I cannot return to the hotel but must go. I do use a bra pocket for easy access to a credit card and some cash; I do carry a cross-body bag (it's the PacSafe CitySafe 100, nice adjustable strap that is long enough - I'm tall - and the bag itself isn't overly large, nor too small) with basics like tissues, any coins, a small amount of cash, map/guidebook, etc. - basically nothing I'd cry over losing.

The other option, if you're in a dress, is to wear biker-style shorts under your dress so you can lift your dress without exposing much other than the shorts....I do that with swing dresses since a good breeze can make them fly up and I'm pretty sure no one wants to see my underwear!

I used a neck 'wallet' for a month, backpacking Europe in 1978. It worked well.
I used it on my next trip and realized that it really made me sweat.
I've got a money belt and have never liked it and only used it once. It is a pain to access , if you have to, during the day.
I use a pouch like the Civita hidden pocket - https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/hidden-pocket
Mine had a white loop which I colored with a magic marker to match my belt.
If I need to access it during the day, I can be sitting at a restaurant table and slide it up to get more cash, then slide it back into my pants.
Used this on MANY trips.

Thanks @ regina but still what is wrong with a cross body bag with inside zip pockets?? I'm not into wearing money belts or pulling things out of my bra LOL

@eeccrodgers... There’s nothing wrong with a crossbody purse with inside zip pockets. This thread is just more about what is a personal preference for people in terms of their security. In the six trips I’ve taken to Europe, I have always used my Pacsun crossbody and been just fine. I successfully just spent 16 days in Italy, 7 of which were in Rome. My cards are kept inside a RFID wallet that is is attached to the bottom of the bag via a lock. That’s enough for me and when I’m out, that bag never leaves my body, even when sitting down at restaurants.

You’re more in line with me when it comes to security but obviously everyone’s mileage varies. I hate money belts. They are hot and sweaty and cumbersome (to me). I’ve chosen not to use them. I generally think the fear of being robbed gets somewhat exaggerated, while acknowledging I’ve seen the scams always talked about in action. RS even got pickpocketed, as previously referenced.

At the end of the day, it’s about traveling smart and being aware of your surroundings. Hanging a purse off the back of a chair is dumb, Leaving passports in an unsecure location is dumb. Carrying all your money in one place is probably dumb. How you deal with these things is up to you.

My first money belt was from REI. The clasp was faulty and every time I used the restroom it would fall to the floor. Yikes! The RS money belt is much better, but I am petite and no money belt I have found disappears under my clothing.

I don’t like waist ones in summer as I have to wrap my money & passport in plastic to avoid damp from sweat. Plus they get bulky i with my two passports (dual citizen), plane ticket, cash, credit cards etc. so they can be quite visible under a dress/pants. Not at all accessible under a dress without finding a restroom.
I haven’t used a neck pouch as I don’t like the bulkiness, so I can’t comment.
In recent years I have taken two leg pouches. They strap to your calves and you face them towards the inner leg side. I have one on each leg, and i am so used to them that I forget they are there after a couple of days. They will slip down if not tight enough and will cut circulation if pulled too tight, so you need to find the right balance. But they won’t work if you wear shorts. But if you do wear shorts, you will likely stand out as being a tourist as it is not common among middle aged or older Italian men or women to wear shorts except at the beach. But more acceptable for teenagers and younger men.

Whatever you take, you need to take them off at airports when going through the security check. Also, I like to not have all my money/cards in one place so I have the two pouches. Daily spending should be removed from your stash in the morning and kept in a more accessible place. I have a small round plastic screwtop canister that hangs around my neck and tucks into my bra - realise this might be difficult for you - which holds my daily spending. I roll up the notes and it is just wide enough to hold coins flat inside the rolled notes, or a hotel key in lieu of coins.

If you use a wallet or money clip instead for small amounts, keep it in a front trouser zippered pocket or an internal zippered pocket and make sure it is very thin. I like the zippered pants idea mentioned by others.

You do not have to wear the waist pouch too low, but if it is just below the waist band of your trousers and not done up too tightly, it will likely be more comfortable. The zip facing inside is a bit safer. Depends on body shape too. With a sway back, my waistbands are loose at the back but tight in front so I found it less visible if I had it at the back.

If you stay in one place for a number of days use hotel safes. Remember you must have ID on you at all times in Europe by law.

I have travelled to Europe as a solo female traveller many times over the past 30 years & while I did ‘lose’ a battery charger once in a Naples bus, I never had any money stolen. Common sense goes a long way. Try not to stand out in the crowd & talk quietly and you are much less likely to be a victim. Americans tend to announce themselves in public which is why they are targeted more than other groups I think, plus they are thought to carry more cash than other nationalities. Not sure if it is true but it is something I hear often as well as the fact that older Americans tend to be less aware and do things like access their money belt in public. Here in Australia, Travel Money Cards are very popular and have a VISA facility. Don’t know if your banks issue them in the USA. You can preload foreign currency, and top up from your banking App. You can buy goods in stores as with any VISA card and you can withdraw your preloaded currency at ATMs. You can top up your card as needed via online banking. Here they are popular because there are no international credit card charges added, though there is a fee for cash withdrawals, as with any credit card. Also, it is a debit card - if stolen, you cannot lose more than what is preloaded on the card. Here you are protected against theft of the card so you get reimbursed for any lost money due to a lost or stolen card that is reported, but if you realise quickly that it is gone you get into your banking app via your phone and transfer the money remaining on the card out to one of your other accounts. Worth asking your bank as it means you don’t need to carry much cash with you.

I endorse the comments by Ken and Mira.