| Hide it. When traveling, always divide up
your cash into several piles and hide it in different places. I like the "leg
safe" --a pocket that straps to your calf under your pants. You can also get
"hidden pockets" that attach to your belt or to the waistband of your trousers
or skirt. Money belts and neck pockets are also popular.
Don't flaunt it. Never flash large
amounts of money around ANYWHERE. There may be folks lurking around watching for
folks carrying large amounts of money so they can rob them.
Know the currency.
Familiarize
yourself with the notes and coins of the local monetary system, and how prices are written
(e.g. £ 4,45 is 4 ppounds and 45 pence in the UK; EUR 4,45
or i4.45 in
the European Union is 4
euros and 45 cents)
Know the exchange rate.
Carry a
small calculator or pocket card that shows current exchange rates so you know how much you
are paying for items. You can have one of my "pocket cheat sheets" with
current exchange rates by clicking here:
Cheat Sheet
Use "traveler's checks".
Carry some of your money in American Express, Visa, Thomas Cook or other
travelers checks if you are carrying a large amount. That way, if your cash or
credit cards are stolen, you can use your traveler's checks. Even if your traveler's
checks are stolen, they can be replaced far more quickly than can cash or credit cards.
Use traveler's checks in the local currency.
Where possible, get traveler's checks in
Euros if you are traveling in France
or Ireland, or
other local currency wherever you are traveling. Usually traveler's checks in U.S.
dollars have to cashed at a bank or hotel, but nearly every business will take traveler's
checks in the local currency. Some currencies are unavailable in traveler's checks,
but they are easily available in euros, Canadian dollars, British pounds
sterling, and more.
Carry money/card/check info separately.
Write down numbers of your travelers checks (and
denominations), credit card acct.
numbers and phone numbers, and other pertinent information and carry this information
separately --so you can quickly report stolen items and get replacements.
Use ATMs.
Most cities around the
world now have automatic cash machines (often with screen instructions in English).
You can get local currency --usually at a good rate-- there. Check with your bank
before leaving town to find the locations of ATM machines in the cities you will be
visiting. (But also have a plan if your ATM card is lost, stolen, or simply
doesn't work.)
Call your bank.
Not only might you want to find out where the ATMs are, you might want to alert
your bank and credit card agencies where you'll be so they don't put a hold on
your account because of "unusual activity" that MAY mean (to them)
that your card has been stolen. If you don't usually spend hundreds for a
rug in Zanzibar, and you think you might be, let the bank know ahead of time so
they'll know it's YOU (and not someone who stole your card). It won't
hurt.
Call your mom. You can
have someone at home wire you money effortlessly by using Western Union or
similar service. You can arrange to have money wired to yourself, so
you don't have to worry about carrying it with as you travel to your
destination. Details at
Money Transfer - Emergency Travel Money_1
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