Keeping your money safe can be challenging at any time, but especially when you are traveling. Wherever you are traveling to and no matter how much money you want to take or plan to spend, making sure that it stays in your hands and your trip isn’t ruined by theft or hacking is important. Being prepared can save you from a lot of stress and heartache, so here are some top tips to keep in mind to protect your hard-earned cash while you explore.
Limit Cash:
The good news is that many banks now allow you to use your debit or credit card without any additional fees abroad. Simply let your bank know that you are planning to travel before you go to avoid having your card blocked due to suspicious activity. Using a card to pay for goods means that you are less likely to have your money stolen if the card falls into the wrong hands since the thief will also need to know your PIN. On the other hand, cash is much easier to use when stolen and it could cause you to overspend. Only take as much cash as you need to.
Use a Money Belt:
If you do take cash on your trip, use a money belt or another device to keep your money safe on your person rather than in a bag or wallet that could easily be stolen with your cash inside. Rather than taking all of your cash out with you, take what you need and use the safe provided in your hotel room or take a portable safe along with you to stash your cash safely indoors. If you need to take your cash out with you, it’s well worth considering investing in an anti-theft bag that’s designed to be impossible to cut or slash. Keep your bag with you at all times.
Use a Travel Card:
Instead of traveling with your main bank card, use a travel card, or open an online bank account with a separate card that you can use for the duration of your trip. This is also a good idea as you have a back-up card to use in the event your travel card is lost or if it is swallowed by an ATM abroad. Make sure that you are fully set up with online banking so that you can simply transfer money to your travel card or second bank account to spend as and when you need it. This way, if your travel card is stolen, thieves don’t have access to all your money.
Know Who You’re With:
Most of us would like to think that we can trust the people that we travel with. And this might not be a problem if you’re with trusted family or friends, but if you are on a business trip with people who you have never met before or are meeting up with people who are relatively strangers to you while you travel, it can be worth using Nuwber to conduct a background check on them to make sure that you can trust them if they are going to know where you’re keeping your money.
The good news is that modern technology has made it easier than ever to keep your money safe while traveling thanks to cards, background check services, and anti-theft devices.
