How to Hide Money on your Person Although effective when used prudently, money belts aren’t the only way of hiding valuables on your person whilst backpacking. There are a number of other ways yo u can do so should you either chose not to use a money belt or simply don’t want t o fork out for one... The list is by no means exhaustive, but in this article we share a few of the mo re common places you can stash your stash. Here are a few suggestions and pointers on where to start:In socks/shoes/underwear – A few folded notes slid right down between your ankle b one and the sock with do the job for shorter periods of time although this may n ot be ideal if you are doing a lot of walking. If, like me, you always wear whit e socks with your brown leather sandals then this is always an option… Even better in my opinion though is to put a bit of cash and a card into a small Ziploc bag and pop that down the front of your undercrackers (as long as they a re not too loose or holey!) – if you get mugged, it’s more likely that you’ll lose you r shoes (and therefore your cash) than your undies. Some backpackers have told m e that they also do the same thing but inside their bra, so that’s another option for the girls. In trouser waistband – cut a small slit vertically on the inside of your trouser w aistband (only just big enough to get your thumb into) and push a smallish roll of notes inside it. Just remember to remove any cash before you wash your favour ite backpacking pants. In a hidden pocket in trousers – This is a bit of a backpacker favourite, and for good reason. Now, there are many ways to go about this and it can be pretty effe ctive, especially if you are a little creative with where you put the pocket. If you’re not sure how to make a cheap hidden pocket, there’s a neat little guide here . If you are patted down, however, even a hidden pocket may be found if it’s behind an existing pocket, so consider putting it elsewhere. A credit card sized pocket can easily be sewn into the bottom of the inside of a trouser leg and can go co mpletely unnoticed. I’ve carried a spare card and a small fold of notes like this for years and so far, touch wood, it’s never been detected – even by airport staff d uring searches. The only risk here though is actually breaking the card yourself , as I did once. One night, whilst undressing after a bit of a heavy one in Ariz ona, I drunkenly ‘trod’ my trousers off and accidentally stepped on the card in the process. I heard a little snapping noise in the dark that evening but only reali sed the gravity of the situation the following morning – so beware! This kind of pocket can be secured at the top with a little Velcro (one strip on the inside of the trouser leg and one on the piece of pocket material). Even if you don’t use it for a spare card then it’s still a great place to stash money (aga in, in a Ziploc bag). If your trousers wear out then simply cut the pocket off a nd ask a sew-sew to put it back in your replacement pants or do it yourself. It’ll probably only cost a couple of bucks for someone else to sew in and may end up saving you a lot more. There are plenty of other options, too. For example, someone recently left a com ment on the hidden money belt article sharing with us how they hide money actual ly inside a hand made, copper tube necklace. Obviously it’d have to be pretty inno cuous and seem of little value so not to entice or encourage thieves, but it is most definitely another option.
Even without hidden pockets and other hidey-holes, there are other tips that may help to limit damage if you were to get robbed. Fake wallet – keep some of your more valuable backpacking possessions in an obscur e pocket (easier to do if you have cargo pants etc with plenty of pockets) and h ave an obvious one with a cheapo ‘fake wallet’ with a few dollars in it. If you were to get robbed then, even if its only a slim chance, it may throw your assailant s of the scent – ie they may well think they have got what they came for. You coul d even go as far as giving an Oscar winning display of panic, chucking it on the floor - away from both you and them – and getting the hell out of there quick tim e. It may sound a little over the top, but it’s another option nonetheless Carry only what you need – If it’s safer to stash things at your guesthouse/hostel t han on you then do that. Sometimes it will be safer, other times it won’t. Again y ou have to evaluate the risk. Also, if you do draw a chunk of money out, try to do it on the way back to your guesthouse as opposed to just before you go explor ing for the day – you never know how many pairs of eyes may see you make the trip to the ATM. Split your valuables – If you do have to carry valuables on you whilst backpacking , have them in at least two places. Again, it works on the same principle as the fake wallet. If someone finds one half decent stash of money then they may thin k they’ve got what they came for. You could end up losing some things, but maybe n ot everything. It can be a little risky, of course, as if both lots are found th ey may delve deeper thinking that there must be more money hidden. It’s something only you can assess at the time. Use pockets with fasteners – You’re more likely to lose valuables to stealthy opport unists such as pickpockets than you are to direct confrontation – so don’t make it e asy for them. If you have pockets with zippers, buttons or Velcro, for instance, get into the habit of using those instead of open pockets – and get into the habi t of re-securing them afterwards. When I get a new pair of pants, I want them to have good, secure pockets. I even try them out (sad, I know…). But the fiddlier t hey are to open, the more secure they will be! Of course, prevention is always better than cure. If you take all reasonable ste ps to avoid getting into a situation where you could be parted from your money ( such as by learning about the area you are backpacking through, staying alert, n ot overtly display signs of wealth such as cameras, or unnecessarily exploring n ew areas after dark etc), then you can drastically reduce the likelihood of havi ng to deal with this kind of scenario in the first place. ROOM Behind books on shelf. Outside the room under a rock, or other. Take a pack of macroni, or packages food. Open then glue shut with stuff inside. Sew a extra pocket in backpack Take the light switch off, and put inside. BODY Put a bandaid on you leg and put in under. Cut the band of your pants and put inside. Under the sole of your shoe Sew pockets in pants In a pocket below the knew Best places to hide money when you travel! I m familiar with the travel belt with a hidden zipper, the various kinds of sec
ret pouches you put under your clothes and the socks with a built in zipper. But here are some extremely inventive and rather novel ways to hide money if you re traveling to dicey places: carry a small roll of duct tape (roll it around a pencil) and tape cash/credit c ards to the inside of your pants. Of course, be sure to cover the cash with a pi ece of paper or plastic first so you don t rip the money when you take it out! For women, maxi pads and tampons provide a handy cover for cash. Some women rese al the packages after hiding money in them. If you wear dresses, buy bike shorts and sew a pocket into them for valuables. Then there s the old double wallet trick. This one works best if you have a purs e, fanny pack or deep pockets. Place a dummy wallet on top with just a few bills in it. Have your real wallet at the bottom or behind it so if you get pick pock eted you ll only lose the dummy wallet. If you use a purchased money holder that goes inside your clothes, waist style i s better than around the neck as sometimes the strap can show. If you’re taking a trip and worried about where to hide your cash there are a few tried and truste d tricks that you can use to keep your money safe. In fact, it’s best to try a few of these tricks and space your money out just so there’s always a stash at hand. Money belts are an old favorite and have been around forever. Some money belts l ook exactly like regular belts and only the most seasoned travelers and criminal s will know the difference. On the inside of the belt is a zippered pouch where carefully folded bills can be stored. Some money belts are more obvious as they’re just pouches held to the body with a belt but they can work just as well. Secret money pockets sewn into pants or socks are also a popular way to protect your cash from criminals. Unless the criminal is fishing through your clothing i ts doubtful that they will find the loot hidden inside. Hide some in your hotel room in a toiletry that a thief or cleaning lady with st icky fingers is not likely to look. Get creative and find places to tuck your ca sh. There are a number of favorite places for hiding money when you’re on vacation but the safest best it to hide it in your bank. Leave your cash at home and carry a credit or debit card instead. Hiding Money in Hotel Rooms Getting robbed while you re traveling can be devastating. While some hotels have in-rooms safes, it s possible they malfunction, and someone in the hotel will h ave a master key to your safe. Hiding money in various places in your rooms can help ensure that you won t fall victim to a thief. hotel image by Yuriy Rozanov from Fotolia.comhotel image by Yuriy Rozanov from F otolia.comHiding your money in your hotel room helps ensure you won t get robbed .9ff58a86-e148-80e2-1741-4742f9a2f145300400 Step 1 Purchase the items you need. If you are driving to your destination, the items y ou need can be purchased beforehand and taken with you. However, if you are flyi ng, you can t take a screwdriver, scissors or a razor on the plane. If this is t he case, stop at the local drug or hardware store to gather your hiding tools be
fore heading to your hotel. Step 2 Take one side of the shower rod off the wall. Most shower rods pop in and out ea sily, making it a good place to hide money. Place your money in a sealed plastic bag. Make sure that all the air is out of the bag to it s easier to fit in smal l places. Then simply take one side of the shower rod down, slide your money in and replace the rod. Step 3 Snip a few stitches at the bottom of the curtain to create a small pouch. Most c urtains are made the same. At the bottom, there is a hem. Simply use your scisso rs to snip away a few stitches. Then fold some bills up and store them in the cu rtain. Do the same thing to the collar of the extra dress shirt you packed and s lip some bills in there too. Step 4 Hide money in your toiletry bag. Roll up a bill and slip it into the the end of your disposable razor. Place money into three separate plastic sandwich bags. Ma ke sure that the bags are properly sealed and all the air is removed. Slide one baggie into each of the small tinted plastic bottles. Then fill the bottles with shampoo, lotion and hair conditioner so that the baggies aren t easily seen. Step 5 Put a few bills into separate envelopes and seal the envelopes. Tape the envelop es under the drawers in the dresser and nightstand. An envelope can also be tape d to the bottom of the trash can, but make sure you don t use the trash can. Thi s way the housekeeper is less likely to pick it up. Step 6 Unscrew the back of the television. Place some money in an envelope and put the envelope inside the television. Then screw the back of the television back in pl ace. This technique also works on the telephone, if the bottom can be taken off.
How to Reduce Housekeeping Theft in Hotels You come back from an enjoyable day of sightseeing, and just want to relax befor e getting ready for dinner. You open the nightstand drawer to get your cash you stored there, and it s gone. You ve become another victim of housekeeping theft. Dishonesty is a fact of life on vacation as well as anywhere else. The next tim e you check into a hotel, take some precautions to make sure that you re not a v ictim of theft by unscrupulous hotel staff. Make sure that your valuables are safe the next time you stay in a hotel. Step 1 Hide your valuables when checking in. Don t make a big display of showing large amounts of cash, jewelry and laptops to hotel staff or strangers who may be lurk ing in the lobby. Be discreet with your belongings. Turn diamond rings and watch es around to the palm side of your hand and don t wear expensive jewelry in comm on areas such as lobbies and snack bars. Pay with a credit card instead of showi ng a large amount of cash. The bottom line is that if thieves don t think you ha ve a lot to steal, they are less likely to try to steal from your room. Step 2 Use the room safe, even if you re only going to be leaving the room for a short time. Store your laptop, jewelry, extra cash and passports in the safe at all ti mes, and only remove them when you plan to use them. Make a habit of returning v aluables directly into the safe as soon as you are done with them, and locking t he door. Set the safe s passcode to an unusual number, like your home address nu mber. Potential thieves will quickly try codes such as 1234 and 0000, hoping to get lucky in clearing out your room. Step 3 Purchase a diversion safe and use it. Diversion safes are "trick" versions of ev eryday objects, such as shaving cream cans, which have empty interiors in which
you can store cash and jewelry. They are inconspicuous objects that are commonly seen in any hotel room, and they have convincing weight to them, in case a woul d-be thief should pick them up and move them while tidying up the room. Use one or more of these safes and keep them where you would keep the original object, s uch as a toiletry bag, to hide your money from thieves in a hurry. Step 4 Be discreet when you are leaving so housekeeping staff is never sure when the ro om is empty. Do not hang up a door sign indicating that you want the room to be made up. This is a sure sign to thieves that a room is empty. When you leave the room, hang up a "Do Not Disturb" sign and leave the television or radio playing . There will be less chance of a thief entering, looking for an empty room, and you can always call housekeeping later when you return to the room. Step 5 Take everything with you that absolutely cannot be replaced. If you are travelin g out of the country, keep your passport with you on your person. Use body walle ts or keep these valuable objects in front pockets. Step 6 Keep only enough cash with you for one or two days. It s a rare vacation spot th at doesn t have an ATM nearby, so getting more cash every day or two is relative ly easy. Smaller amounts of cash are less tempting targets for would-be thieves. Follow common-sense safety rules when using these ATMs, such as using the machi ne in daylight, and making sure that no one is around to see your PIN.
