THE MONEY BELT QUESTION

Greg, everyone has their own personal preferences for stashing their valuables; what is right for one may not be right for another.

Due to the fact this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, I'm not sure of the point of this post, other than to provoke.

So it's easier for two people, working together, to accost you, hold you, rip your shirt or blouse open, pull a knife to cut the money belt off (which should actually be worn under the beltline of the pants, not the shirt).....as opposed to simply snatching the neck wallet and ripping it from your neck? Doesn't seem logical to me.

Norm - I cannot be responsible for "what seems logical" to you. Having witnessed about 25 belts being cut off in the past 35 years of being in Napoli - you can take my word for it or not - And , it isn't as Angela suggests either - a personal preference - What it is is what is the safest way to have money, especially in Naples. A neck wallet is unobtrusive and you don't have to feel for it all the time. As far as "under the pant line - Norm - please - Keep wearing your money belt and if you go to Naples - GOOD LUCK!!!
After reading the posts for the past 4 months about the subject I had hoped to try and finalize what was the safest for the traveller - But the opposition of some of you guys is amazing. One or two trips to a locale does not an expert make!

Norm, the neck wallet is worn under your shirt, not out in the open.

Greg, have you considered - even for a moment - that some women (and men) prefer to wear fitted, v-neck tops and wearing a neck wallet under that type of shirt would be a large bulge advertising their business?

There is no one size fits all policy here, no "end of story." It's a personal preference based on comfort and wardrobe. My husband prefers to wear the neck wallet, I prefer the belt style (due to reasons above). And somehow, we manage to live in harmony under one roof. I think it has something to do with the fact we respect each other's choices and don't try to shove our own personal preference down the other one's throat.

Yes, Lee, thanks....I am aware of that.

I am very skeptical that someone could "slice" my moneybelt and steal it without me reacting in time to catch them. Maybe if they had me pinned down to the ground....and I have worn both and the neck wallet sticks out WAY more than the money belt. In all fairness though, I do wear the neck wallet in transit between cities as I find it easier to access my money/documents. Usually I leave my things back at the hotel/hostel in a secured location. Hate wearing both and luckily I never had a problem. I use my own judgement and am willing to take that chance.

Wow Greg...that's lot of crime in Naples! I guess you've "settled" the argument as far as Naples goes....I'm not sure about anywhere else though. In 35 years travelling abroad to various places, I've seen two muggings, an attempted murder, and four pickpockeeting/purse snatching incidents.....none involved people losing their hidden wallets...neck or waist. I'll just have to avoid Naples in the future.

Greg,

"The Neck Wallet is the safest , best way to go - End Of Story."

I'm not sure I can agree that the Neck Wallet is the "best way" for all people. I've had good luck using a Waist Belt so far (including in Naples), and I hardly notice it so don't tend to "adjust it or feel for it" too often. Everyone has to find the solution that's most comfortable and works best for them.

I'm not comfortable with a Neck Wallet and won't be using one anytime in the near future.

Cheers!

It is people like Greg who have ruined this site.
cml

Charles - Please come back on and explain how "people" like me have ruined Rick's site by trying to give advice that would benefit all!!

Greg,
I have a hard time when posters here declare that POSITIVELY this is what you "should" do, when in almost every case, the answer to questions on this site is: "It depends"!!

Whether it's wearing shorts or white sneakers, getting Euros before leaving NA, carrying a laptop, taking an SLR vs a point and shoot, taking a night train or driving a car, etc. etc. I appreciate people giving me examples from their own experiences which I apply to my own individual situation.

So, thank you for your personal examples. "It Depends" on so many factors whether I wear a neck wallet or a money belt (and I've worn both and will continue to wear the one that works best for me.)

What story?

If you are wearing a money belt, don't put your passport in it. I wear the money belt but put the passport in the "hidden pocket," as shown by Steve. Both the hidden pocket and money belt are tucked underneath your pants and shirt, if you tuck in your shirt.

As long as you feel comfortable, natural, and not awkward wearing the money belt and the hidden pocket, forget the neck wallet.

Neck wallets and light women's tops don't play well together, in my limited experience. And well-endowed women may find them awkward as well. So count me in among the "it depends" folks. In my opinion, the best thief deterrent is the one comfortable enough that it will always be used.

And on the sub-text here, there are a wide variety of posting norms on the Internet. Posters on this particular site generally are respectful of each others' opinions and recognize that their own opinions are merely the end-product of their own experiences and are not eternal truths. Style-wise, heavy use of capital letters (shouting, in Internet convention) is considered heavy-handed here. There are, however, plenty of other places on the Internet where categorical statements and shouting matches are the order of the day. This isn't one of them.

As a former over the road tour director, I have traveled far and wide escorting multi-day and multi-week tours, and not just escorting the local four hour cruise tour, here's my take:

The biggest problem is not what type you use, but how much you put in it. If you overstuff any of these, they will stand out. (Although I have found it easiest to spot the neck type when the wearer has on a tight shirt or t-shirt.)

Yes, lots of people will keep checking to see if their moneybelts are still there. That could be one tipoff.

Cruise ship passengers are a big target. The thieves know they have money and they are there to shop. Unlike a tour group, the cruise passenger only has a few hours in that port and will carry his/her money with him all the time.

They are looking for your money...so they look for signs:

--no wallet bulge, no purse---moneybelt?
--too much jewelry--you have cash
--dressing loudly--you're a tourist who is probably not that aware of your surroundings.
--they will watch to see if you are showing signs of feeling for your moneybelt.

The thieves make their mark and strike. They will get close enough to brush you to make sure they know where the moneybelt is and go in for the "kill." They work in pairs, one to distract, the other to actually reach in and cut the belt.

A neck wallet isn't any safer as they are just as easy to cut.

The key is not to look like a target. Keep your moneybelt low profile and if you have to carry that much concealed, think of wearing two types.

And that's also a reason why it's a good idea for men to carry a fake wallet. If they can pick your pocket to get the money, rather than to start slashing, they will. Of course, they won't know the wallet is empty until they are long gone.

One last reason why cruise ship passengers, and some tour passengers, are targets is that many tend to be seniors and will probably put up less of a fight then someone younger.

And one other thing...

Never access the money belt in public. Only in private. That is also a big tipoff to thieves. If you're going to access it in public, why bother?

I think Frank II makes an important distinction - the Travelers Helpline is oriented to independent travelers using trains and other public transport.

The original post seems oriented to tourists on cruises.

I think money belts work well because they're hidden beneath my pants. I keep a small amount of money handy in my front pocket so that I don't have to access my money belt in public.

When I carry a money belt I have all my essential material with me: my passport, my credit cards, my flight info and my big cash. I feel very safe knowing that nothing of importance can be stolen from me. I don't have to worry about someone ripping my shirt, because that's not where the money belt is...

Frank II, Excellent Post!

One other point I wanted to add to my earlier post, is that it's a good idea to store valuables or cash in several different locations. That way if one source is stolen or lost, there will still be some cash or an ATM card available as "backup". Some clothing designed for travel features hidden pockets, so that's another place to store cash or cards.

Cheers!

Neck wallets totally SHOW on me,, I mean,, in the summer , when I usaually travel,, I wear a t-shirt material type top ,, and the neck wallet sticks out completely .. I mean,, how loose would ones top need to be??

I use and will continue to use the money belt. I do not use it for touring around during day,, I leave stuff in hotel safes,, but for travelling I do consider it very safe.

I will never go to Napolis though, as Greg makes is sound like we are not dealing with pick pockets but muggings and assaults,, in which case I seriously doubt it matters WHERE your stuff is,, they will rob you regardless.

I have never felt that unsafe in other cities ,, and Greg,, I have been to Europe more then "once or twice" LOL

So, if they think you have a money belt, but you really don't, you just end up with a wedgie?

Greg, do you have a little notebook where you keep track of the moneybelt thefts? I picture you sitting in a cafe watching the show- ooh, there's another one of the "pigeon poop" tricks, mark that down.

And just a litle shout out to Frank II, glad he's stuck around.

As Pat mentioned I have also felt "unsafe" or a potential pick-pocket target literally in only a couple of places in all my trips to Europe over the years. Apart from taking the normal, common sense precautions, the idea of theft did not even occur to me while I was visiting the various places. And,then there are places/cities, especially in crowds, where I am constantly on guard, money belt or not.

We all know that in certain places or cities the probability or likelihood of theft, being scammed, or even mugged is a lot greater than in other places. Naples looks as if it's one of them.

Also, I have been in towns/cities where as I am seeing the sites, walking, touring, picture taking etc., I hardly had to be on guard. It simply depends on where you are.

....hmmmm.... provoke this...

I wear my money belt below my belt... inside my pants. It's for deep storage. Waiters don't know I'm wearing it. I carry a front-pocket wallet with enough cash for 1-2 days.