Ladies - how do you wear your money belt/neck wallet?

Honestly, if you have a Pac-safe bag, I wouldn't even worry about a money belt. I wear one piece sleeveless knit dresses most of the time touring all over Italy with just my Pac-safe purse. I hate skirts, and capris are often hot, so dresses that roll up in my suitcase and don't wrinkle are great. Using a money belt would be totally awkward at best so I just use the cross-over purse and only take whatever cash I need for the day. The rest I leave in the hotel safe.

You are going to get a lot of responses. My wife puts all her documents and money in a small opera wallet that she carries inside her purse which has cross-body straps. We both carry our passports with us at all times. I carry my passport and Rogue wallet in the inside zippered pocket of my Royal Robbins Global Traveler pants. If we are carrying a big wad of cash I do the carrying in a neck wallet that has been modified. I hate the adjusting toggle of the neck strap so I've taken the toggle off, measured how much strap I need for the wallet to hang properly, and had my seamstress sew the strap along the side seam of the wallet. I also sometimes use a hidden pocket. The neck wallet is by Victorinox, the hidden pocket by Eagle Creek.

If you are not concerned about the "fashion faux pas" of exposed straps from the neck pouch, then there is no reason not to wear it around your neck. Just because a potential thief knows where your pouch is, that doesn't mean they can get to it. Some people report wearing it with the straps across one shoulder so it nestles under an arm. Some people leave the passport in the hotel safe; some people carry it with them. Do whatever you are most comfortable with personally. Keep a photocopy with you are back at the hotel, whichever option you choose.

If you are not concerned about the "fashion faux pas" of exposed straps from the neck pouch, then there is no reason not to wear it around your neck. Just because a potential thief knows where your pouch is, that doesn't mean they can get to it. Some people report wearing it with the straps across one shoulder so it nestles under an arm. Some people leave the passport in the hotel safe; some people carry it with them. Do whatever you are most comfortable with personally. Keep a photocopy with you are back at the hotel, whichever option you choose.

I wear my money belt flat against my lower back, it always stays put, is not visible from the outside, and it has worked out quite well for me. I always keep my passport in it. Yes I sweat but mine came with a plastic lining. If you go the money belt route and yours doesn't, just put everything in a ziploc baggie inside it and your stuff will be fine. You can then hand-wash the money belt if you feel you need to.

My wife wears her money belt in the small of the back and somewhat below her bra line. Even with loose tops it works well for her. And we always carry our passports. Never know when you might need it.

I use a holster-style money belt. They're tough to find but for me the most comfortable. I put my arm through it & it lays down the side of my torso under my arm. I keep my passport & larger euro bills in the money belt & then I keep a small wallet in my camera bag with smaller bills, coins & my credit cards in it. I don't generally access the money belt while out & about.

Me: Rick Steves' waist-style money belt, worn high....in front right under bra....loose shirt covers....if more fitted knit shirt, it shows...so I choose touring clothes carefully. If dining in hotel or close-by restaurant (when I might be in a dress or a more fitted top, I'll stick the darn thing in my travel purse, with purse strap across check....and purse stationed loosely in my lap during a dinner. Spouse wears an RS neck money thingy holster style. I've adapted it because, like a previous poster, he hates the plastic adjuster piece (so I sewed the straps in place to fit exactly where he llikes them, and cut off the excess). When traveling in hot summers, simply take an extra money belt, so you can take off the gawd-awful sweaty one and put on a nice dry one after a shower (or the next a.m.) Definitely use the little baggies as extra moisture protection within the money belts, especially for items like passports. My sister recently adapted some travel trousers for her hubby and a travel skirt for herself by putting snaps/extra zipper in the secured pockets....that way a pickpocket would have a surprise/frustration.......not only a zipper, but then a few snaps, etc. (or vice versa) .....worked beautifully for them. I may try that when we travel again. Money belts can get gross in hot weather.......they feel like taking off limp dead rats or something after a long, hot day. But, they serve their purpose.

I always carry my passport, along with backup credit cards and some American dollars in my money belt. Once in a while, if I was going out for a short period of time (like dinner), I'd leave the money belt in the hotel safe, but as a general rule, it stays with me. Everyone has different preferences. I wesr mine loosely around my waist and tuck it into my pants or skirt in front. I tried it under my bra, in the small of my back, as well as under one arm and it just got too hot. I suggest you experiment- try it one way, wewr it like that for several days, all day until you find what is comfortable for you. Don't wait until you have left to start wearing it.

I do what Sheron does, but instead of a special holster money belt I use one that is meant to go around the neck. I am short, so the RS neck money belt is too long for me. I found another one that is shorter and it works great. I shorten up the strap, then pin the strap to my bra so it can't fall off or slip down my arm. It hangs under my arm and I forget I'm wearing it. The strap doesn't show. And yes, I wore it in warm weather!! I carry my passport with me. You never know what can happen while you are out and about where you might need it. I keep my DL in my purse.

I only wear a moneybelt while actually travelling , not for sightseeing days out,, I wear it in front, below the waist of pants. Its never exposed or gone in to while travelling( obviously at aiports where passport is needed I keep pp in purse ( inside zipped pocket) but before I leave the airport I usually put pp back in moneybelt. I rarely carry a passport out and about, its in hotel safe.

I wore my money belt for two days when I went to Turkey some years ago and quickly decided it was not for me. Uncomfortable, sweaty and a nuisance to deal with when using the somewhat interesting toilet facilities at many Turkish sites. So I just used my Derek Alexander cross-body shoulder bag. As well as a serving as a purse, it holds a half litre water bottle, my camera and even a fold up rain jacket. In the past 10 years it has gone around North Africa, Europe, Australia and the States with no problems. It's relatively compact, 9 x 9.5 x3 inches, and I can clip my (small) change purse (used to carry enough money for that day) in the depths of the bag. In crowds I just keep one hand on the top but it has so many zipped and clipped pockets you can confuse a pickpocket! Most times when out and about I do not take a large amount of cash, maybe 20 Euro or so for meals. I use ATM's for cash so do not need passport with me (banks require it sometimes if cashing traveller's cheques or US$). just leave it in the hotel safe. I have never been asked for it on my travels except for hotel registration.

One issue with having all your valuables in your purse is the possibility of leaving it somewhere or having it snatched from your chair back or wherever you set it down. I use a crossbody purse and it doesn't come off me at any time unless I am in the lodging I am staying in.

This is really a body-shape/travel style issue. When I was young and poor and skinny I wore a necklace style pouch. With a backpack I wore it down my back where by backpack hid it completely. I safety pinned it to my shirt so it wouldn't strangle me. With my backpack off it was very obvious in front so I wore it holster style under an arm. Later, when I was still skinny but traveling with more money and a suitcase I wore an under the pants money belt with pleated pants or an a-line skirt. These days I'm rounder and have a a fuller bust. I wear three things: a bra pouch for credit cards and today's money (my breasts hide that just fine); my passport on the days I can't leave it in the hotel safe I wear holster style under an arm; for everything else an old fashioned money belt that looks like an ordinary fashion belt for cash I'll use in a few days and copies of documents to use later. I no longer use an under the pants money belt because in my current body shape it hurts in front and I would feel insecure with it in back. If I were you, I'd experiment with the mirror and see what works for you now. You don't need all the different style to see, jut stuff your pass port and credit cards in various places and look in the mirror. Then order the appropriate belt or pouch.

I use a neck wallet that is almost always in my small purse that goes across my body. It is tied to the straps on the purse. On the rarest occasion I might put it around my neck... (have only done this once or twice) I always carry my passport in this little wallet, along with my credit cards and cash. I even carry my passport while at home.... it just stays in my wallet. I would not even consider trying to wear a money belt...I tried one on once and it would last about 5 minutes with me. I can't even stand any tags in my clothing, let alone a money belt...especially in the heat. I am very aware of my bag and it always sits in my lap while at a restaurant, etc. and I feel very comfortable that I will not lose it.

I can't stand those things under my clothes, and don't want a string around my neck. I have a lovely silk one, but it is just too hot in July. I would probably be more inclined to use in in cool weather. So now, I have a compact purse with lots of zippers, and keep some nominal amount of cash buried deep with my credit cards. It is always across my body, and I usually have my hand on the bag. Pickpockets look for an easy target, and this approach is not one. IMy husband has a bigger supply of cash inside a functional belt (you know, the kind that keeps your pants up.) that he loves. A smaller amount goes in his wallet that he carries in a front pocket. We try not to have a ton of money at any given moment, just getting what we need daily from an ATM. As far as passports go, I mostly travel with mine, but this year we are going on a cruise where they collect all the passports and keep them until the last day! We'll see how that goes.

One caveat about the cross-over bags: I've seen someone dragged along the street by a thief who grabbed the bag and ended up dragging the woman (small, late 50's) along with her bag. She couldn't let it go. My feeling is that if someone wants my purse that badly, I'd rather they take the purse and leave me behind... uninjured. I use the RS waist money belt, positioned in the small of my back. No one sees it, and I don't have to worry.

Thank you for all the great feedback/suggestions! I've been "practicing" wearing the money belt in different ways & think I'm going to modify it to wear under my arm. And will definitely bring make sure I've got a liner so it doesn't get too nasty in the heat :) And, Sherry, I agree with you - my PacSafe bag is not worth my personal safety!

I put my passport and cash in a ziplock bag, then it goes in the neck pouch I wear under my arm. Honestly I would forget I was wearing it! You can rinse out the money belt if it gets too nasty.

I've worn it so many places. Right now a money belt around the waist under clothes works just fine. So does the bra bag, but it won't hold a passport. Over the shoulder and under the arm holster style also works. In the late fall and winter I prefer calf pouches. I choose based on what I'm wearing. I bring both a money belt and a neck pouch unless it's cool enough to wear a calf pouch and then that's all I bring except the bra purse. I prefer the bra purse for what I'm going to be using or spending during the day. I don't like down the back unless I'm wearing a backpack over it. Just feels insecure to me though I'm sure it's perfectly safe.

I use a couple of ziplocks to help keep things organized and dry for warmer days. My passport is always with me since ours were stolen from a hotel room safe in Canada a number of years ago. I prefer the at the waist style. Then I keep small amounts of cash and coins in zippered pockets that are easily accessible to me, but trickier than a plain pocket to a pickpocket. If its cooler weather I have a Scottee vest for holding other stuff and I love that since it helps me keep my hands free for my camera. If I was to travel with a purse, I'd opt for an across the body type and never take it off when sitting down at cafes, bars, etc. Mt camera, fairly large DSLR, is never put down somewhere either, I keep it in my lap when we stop for a break.

I use a neck pouch made of breathable material like microfiber so it doesn't get too sweaty. I removed the toggle and just knotted the straps together. Instead of wearing it around my neck (can't stand wearing things around my neck. Am an RN and don't like to wear my stethoscope around my neck either), I loop the strap around one of my bra's shoulder straps, then I tuck the pouch into the waist band of my pants. You can wear it in the front or the back, whatever is most comfy for you. And I'm in the "carry my passport with me wherever I go" group. I just like the secure feeling it gives me that it is on my person all the time in case a catastrophe happens.

Around the waist, and fastened to my waistband with a large 'diaper' pin for extra security. I also wear the 'Hidden Pocket' style, but not looped through a belt - it gets pinned, too, either vertically of horizontally...depending on whether I'm sitting or standing most of the day... Passport stays in the moneybelt - always! ( the last time I wore a shirt tucked-in was in a heat wave during my first time in Europe/Rome...)

Just got back from a 2 week trip to Italy with my hubby. I wore a Rick Steves money belt on my front side right at my waist. I felt very safe with it there and had no problem. I did lose my drivers license somewhere in Italy....really should not have even taken it as we did not need it as long as we had our passports. I think that I mistakenly put it down in my money belt at the Borghese Gallery and must have missed and pushed it through my clothing and it probably landed on the floor and I did not notice. We used the hotel safe to lock our passports in each day when we were sure we would not need them...and we did not need them much. I even locked my iPad and money belt up in the room safe if we were walking to a nearby place to eat. My hubby had a pocket with a zipper where he kept his wallet and had no problem. We talked to numerous other travelers in our hotels that were complaining about pickpockets....we were prepared but never even saw 1! One lady said her husband had some strange woman's hand in his front pocket! We were very careful and avoided pushy crowds, the buses and trains. I also did not tuck my shirts in so they covered the money belt I wore.

@ Jane, just because you never SAW a pickpocket doesn't meant they weren't near you. They are usually very good at what they do and they don't wear a uniform or name tag to identify themselves as pickpockets!

Hi Anne, This May was my son's and my first trip to Europe. I brought a money belt and neck wallet with me (both Rick's). At first I attempted the neck wallet, thinking that it would be so much easier, but, the strap showed and it was hard to keep getting it in and out of my clothing. I then (reluctantly) tried the money belt, only to be pleasantly surprised at how convenient it was as opposed to the neck wallet. You can keep a copy of your passport with you and keep your real passport in the hotel safe or room safe, etc. However, whenever I carried my passport with me in my money belt, it was quite comfortable. It was much easier for me to be discreet accessing money from my money belt. In answer to your question, I just tucked it in the top part of my pants. The belt snaps together and the pants hold it pretty securely. Most of the time I wasn't aware of wearing it. I had brought a travel dress with me, but I only wore it once. I found it much easier to wear skirts and capris. Buono viaggio! Ruth

I wear a waist money belt with my passport, one cc, most of my cash, etc. use a plastic bag if you sweat. Then I wear my purse crosswise with enough cash for the day.