Money Belts-important questions?

Since a Passport will be needed until after going through Immigration at the arriving airport, I don't wear my moneybelt till after that. Till then, I put it in my crossbody bag.

I load my money belt at home, then stash it deep in my personal item for the airport. I put it on after I go thru security.

I have my passport+a credit card + about 100 Euro or Pounds in a small cross-body wallet that I put on after security as well. You'll usually have to show your passport to get on the international leg of your flight. I generally have to show my passport to get on my first leg out of my small airport even though all my information including my PP# are on my Delta SkyMiles account. As indicated you'll need it when you arrive at passport control at your destination.

If I'm not wearing it, I store it in the bottom of my purse or day pack, depending on the situation. If I'm in an area where I feel there is little chance for a pickpocket (rural area or small uncrowded village) I'll put it at the bottom of my every day purse. If I'm on a Rick Steves tour and it's a bus day, I'll stash it in my day pack that I leave on the bus.

No "right way" -- but what I do is
(1) put the money belt on at home and wear it on public transit to the airport. Belt contains everything -- passport, credit and debit cards, € bills from prior trip. € coins go in a zippered coin purse in my cross-body bag.
2) At the airport, pull out passport and put it in a neck-holder for ease of checking in. Put the money belt in the cross-body bag or the personal item that will go on the plane with me. Check the roller bag.
3) At security, my husband and I try to go through the screener far enough apart that the second person keeps an eye on all the personal items while they are on the conveyor belt, until the first person through takes control of the items on the other side.
4) After security, put money belt on for the flight (and basically for the rest of the trip except for inside the hotel room.) Wear neck holder until clearing immigration at the destination airport, then put passport back in the money belt (done in airport bathroom) for the ride to the hotel. As needed, keep a credit card in the cross-body bag for purchasing transportation.
Yes, for many people this would appear anal-retentive -- but it works for me and feels comfortable.

Laura-Thanks for the complete walk-through...makes good sense.

We slightly less secure. When departing we load the money belt at home with extra cash, credit card, debit card. Into a separate, small billfold goes US dollars, one credit card, and passport for the airport. That goes into a secured shirt pocket. I carry a small leather shoulder bag about the size of a ipad (since it carries an ipad). The loaded money belt is in that bag. Prior to security watch, cell phone, billfold -everything but the passport and boarding pass goes into the bag and through the screening machine. In the lounge area prior to boarding the international flight, we put ourselves back together. We do it in public because I don't think the threat of theft in the international departure lounge is all that great. The US money goes into the money belt, and some local currency goes into the small billfold and all back into the bag. I don't worry theft on the plane either so the bag is stashed in the overhead.

On arrival we hit the restrooms to freshen up a bit, in the stall I will put the money belt on. I wear it high in the middle of the back just below the rib cage. Passport and small billfold will go into a secured shirt pocket because I will need the passport for immigration. In the billfold is a couple of hundred local currency, a credit card, and the debit card if I am going to need more cash that day. If not the debit card is in the money belt. And we are ready to roll.

I put mine on in a restroom after my last flight while still in the airport. It carries the emergency items: passport, spare credit card, cash over what I expect to spend that day. Before then it is in a carry-on bag, purse, or daypack, something I keep under my feet on the flight. I wear mine at belt level on the front, over the shirt if it's a tucked-in shirt, but below the top of the pants. That way I can actually get into it to fish out my passport to show the hotel staff at check-in. Once I get to my room I put it in the safe if there is one.

I feel more secure with a cross-body bag than a should bag, personally. And my husband uses an ankle wallet instead of a money belt (it's smaller so I carry his passport).

I put my money belt on in the restroom after I clear immigration in the country of arrival. I put my passport, all but one credit card and debit card, along with US $. After I get currency at a bank ATM in the airport, I put all but small denomination of cash into my money belt. I carry a cross-body purse that includes includes ready cash and card.

As Laura B said, there isn't a "right way" as everyone does it a bit differently. You'll probably wind up incorporating various parts of other people's methods in order to come up with one with which you are comfortable.

Here is what we do. Before we get to the airport (leave home or hotel) we place the money belt in a LOCKED compartment of our carry on. At security we let it go down the conveyer belt as usual. After clearing the TSA security area, we find the nearest rest room and put it back on. If our carry on has to be gate checked ( and it sometimes happens regardless of size) we still have our money belt on us. Easy Peasy peace of mind. Lord forbid the carry on is gate checked and then lost with the money belt inside.

While going to / through the airport, everything is in the belt except day money, a credit card, maybe an ATM card, and travel documents needed in route such as boarding pass & passport. Those are in a secure zippered shirt / blouse pocket. On occasion we'll use a purse / "man bag" / personal bag. When going through the TSA check point we put those things, cell phone, watch, and misc. in a zip lock baggie in our purse / "man bag" / personal bag. Since the money belt is TEMPORARILY in the carry on, our goodies are in two different places.

While in Europe, we carry passports and travel documents (such as train / plane tickets for later use) in the money belt also. We only carry day money and a credit card in an easy to access but a secure zippered shirt / blouse pocket. But you could use a purse or "man bag".

The way we wear the money belt WHEN OUT AND ABOUT in Europe is this: (1) Everything that goes in the money belt is in a double zip lock freezer bag to protect against moisture from perspiration. (2) It is worn on the small of the back with the bottom half or two thirds tucked into the top of the undies. No one can get to it without our knowledge. If we need to retrieve something from it (highly unlikely) we just step into a rest room and do so.

Any recommendations for Euro denominations? Also what coins
are need for the WC"s?

Thanks, again to all.

Hi d,

If you haven't done so already, please familiarize yourself with the Euro banknotes.

Scroll through to get an idea of the bank notes, colors, etc. https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/other/euroleafleten.pdf?c3b62449c42a5811541b40fc8ac06e68

If you can, separate the larger denoms from the smaller denoms in wallet/money belt or purse compartments. The €5 is the smallest for paper money. Banks give only paper money.

Euro coins - the One, Two dollar and 50 cent ones are the most popular. The One and Two coin look similar at a fast glance, but are different. The denoms are noted on the coin.

I don't know how much coin you would need for il bagno - bathroom - but maybe €1-€2 ?? Keep some smaller coins like the 20 cent or 10 cent. You will only get the coins when you change a €5 - maybe buy a water or espresso to get the smaller coinage. Or at the market, buy something small. Just suggestions.

Oh...another thought...if you walk by a McD's or BK, you can maybe get a bottled water there and use their bathroom for free (in most cases, I think.) Or, if you eat at a cafe or restaurant, visiting a museum, take advantage of their facilities. I presume most, if not all, are free for patrons. Sometimes, the restrooms may be locked so they know it's for patrons only.

What Laura said.
I always go into the loo at the airport, after all the Customs and Immigration; and in a cubicle: put away passport, bank cards and extra cash into my money belt, then put in on under my clothing.
Wear it with the pouch in the small of your back, it's more comfy.
I only keep out enough cash to get me to my first hotel/apartment that day.
You're jetlagged, a bit disorientated; and it just makes sense to be extra careful.

As an additional point I would recommend wearing and using your money belt for a week or more before you go on your trip. You might feel a little silly but it is best to find any shortcomings in your money belt or distribution of funds and documents while you are still safe at home versus fumbling around for something when criminal eyes might be upon you. Practice at home will help put you at ease overseas.

Thanks.

Wondering if anyone had any advise on where to carry euros, a credit card, and tickets for the day?
These will not be going into the money belt.

My wife will have a cross body day bag to place her share in, and I will be carrying my share, as well.

Small wallet, front pocket??

Also, we are flying out of JFK. Any reason not to keep the passport in my pants pocket while going through the security process?
Or, shoud I use a neck wallet?

......Small wallet, front pocket??...... While logic seems to say that a front pocket should be safe, it is not significantly safer than the back pocket. A number of personal postings on this site will attest to that. Most of my shirts have to two front pockets - generally secured with either zipper, button, or velcro. I use a small money clip. I will carry about a hundred local currency with a money clip in one of the secured pockets. In the other pocket is a single credit card, debit card if I am going to use it that day, and the passport. That way, if I am being observed, when I take the money out it is hard to tell exact what I have. I have practically nothing in any of my pant pockets other than tourist information, maps, etc.

No reason not to carry your passport in your pocket where it is handy while you are waiting to show it at the airport. Just make sure it doesn't fall out. Then I would store it in a secured bag (purse) that you know won't be taken from you, neck wallet or money belt for the plane ride. You will want the passport handy on arrival though as you will have to show it again to enter foreign country. During transit from and to the U.S. I keep mine in my locking cross body purse as does hubby, mainly for the convenience. I also use a neck wallet that I loop through my bra strap and tuck down into the side of my pants. I hate things pulling on my neck and that solves that problem. Hubby uses a hidden wallet as his backup to his purse.

I have found that various atm's give money different ways: Some issue bunches of twenties and fifties, others allow one to actually choose how many of each 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 bills are received. I never choose to accept 100's and prefer a good mix of the smaller bills if given the option. I usually withdraw 500 euros at a time. Toilets are usually .50 or more but rarely as high as a whole euro, and free inside restaurants where you buy something and museums. I've never had to pay for toilet at the airports but have at the train stations. *Try to use the restroom as frequently as you are used to and drink some waters throughout the day to help prevent acquiring a UTI. Also, those coins get heavy so don't hold onto too many. We've found that convenience type stores are often eager to change out coins for bills.

Some people prefer to wear the money belt and carry passport every day. I don't. We only carry the credit card for emergency so it never has come out of the money belt on any of our trips. We each carry a debit card and 50-100 euros or pounds in each of our locking cross body purses. We leave the money belt and bulk of our cash zipped up in our backpacks at the hotel or apartment and restock our funds each day before heading out. We never take the purses off when out in public, not when dining, or anything else other than maybe using a private toilet. Our purses are very small and we wear them under our rain jackets or winter coats when weather demands it. IF however I am traveling to a different city during my trip (even just a day trip) I have my money belt or neck wallet on, with passport in baggie safely inside.

Have fun on your trip!

For good measure, I would start wearing it a month or so before departure, certainly as soon as you get the money out of your bank ready for the trip. A lot of cash on you could be a huge temptation for your spouse.