Best ways to carry money and credit cards

[mildavis]

For all the men out there, have you heard of a swallet (i think this is how it's spelled). this is a rubberized wallet that is supposed to be very hard to pickpocket. We purchased them here in our hometown for around $9 in a hunting/fishing store. The kids (teens) even like them. They're not real big and can fit in your front pocket if you want. Look for them.

[Baylor99]

I take a photo copy of my passport and take it with me, leave my passport in the safe. Wallet in front pocket with 1 CC and money for the day.

[texancruzer]

Hi, Just a note to let you know that 50 euros is actually around $75 us dollars, not $31 us dollars. FYI

 

 

You are absolutely right.... I did the math backwards..... DUH

 

even so I still spent more than $ 75.00 !!!!!!! :o

[Blackberry_Girl]

My concern is the 2 days in Barcelona prior to the cruise. We'd have to take all of our money with us everywhere -- once we get on the ship we can use the safe, but beforehand we wouldn't want to leave it in the hotel. I am going to look into those neckpouches some of you have referred to. Also I think I will plan to take money out of the ATM as needed rather than carry too much cash on us.

[dancing]

We to have 4 days before getting on the ship. Staying in Tuscany region any good ideas on how to store extra cash and passports for both of us.

thanks

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Many hotels will have a safe where you can lock up your valuables.

 

Other than that, just have a good strong purse, or for guys, a pocket. And hang onto it, be vigilant, just as you would in a big city at home. Photocopy your passports and leave *that* in the hotel room.

 

I'm just musing about why this is such a big deal for so many Americans. And I think I have an answer--they are suburbanites who are used to living in their cars. If you live in a big city and are used to walking around and taking subways, etc., doing the same thing in Europe will not be a big issue for you.

[pollux]

I have a travel pants with 4 zip pockest.

1. With paper Euros.

2. with 1 cc.

3. with smal dollars.

 

Reason: No taking out at the airport and forget or get wallets stolen at check in.

 

When travel in ports ,I carry the money plus passport and ship ID the same way. But I have a show bag......small backpack with umbrella, extra shoes, kleenex.

When it gets hot I have a place to put my sweater.

Also my things I buy.

[friendship]

I used n/c travelers checks at the pursers whenever I needed cash on our Baltic trip. Only place I couldn't was getting Rubles, used an ATM there.

[feistytigger]

depends on whether or not i need my passport. if i do, i have a neck-pouch sized for holding a passport. i can't stand the weight on my neck, so i wear it across my body and frequently walk around with a hand hooked on it (like i hook them to pockets sometimes). if i don't need a passport, i either carry a handbag or a teeny tiny wallet on a string looped around my waist.

[Sea Island Lady]

I purchased the SlingSafe from PacSafe http://http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7325179/c/275.html for my Mediterranean cruise and most importantly, for our Rome stopover.

 

I had the opportunity to try the bag out on a cruise earlier this month and I really liked it. I ordered in black, but they seem to be out of that color. The bag worked so well, that even I had trouble getting into it. :D

[canadian cruise queen]

My concern is the 2 days in Barcelona prior to the cruise. We'd have to take all of our money with us everywhere -- once we get on the ship we can use the safe, but beforehand we wouldn't want to leave it in the hotel. I am going to look into those neckpouches some of you have referred to. Also I think I will plan to take money out of the ATM as needed rather than carry too much cash on us.

Just a suggestion, but why not take US travellers cheques and exchange for euros at pursers desk.

[agabbymama]

I used to use a money belt. But after my trip in 1996 to Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, the security officer at the airport grabbed me at my waist and wanted to know what the bulge was. I responded in a low voice, "it's my money belt", she then bellowed for everyone within the immigration hall to hear "oh did you say your money belt". I no longer worry about it. My US money is in a wallet in my purse. I usually also have my pleather (HAL) document holder that has about 5 pockets. Very handy for money, passport, airline tickets, vouchers for hotels, etc. and it's pretty distinctive so you know where it is at all times.

 

The only thing I worry about now is keeping them separate. I usually have about $100 in US currency just for emergency use on return to the US. And I usually have about $100 in $1 bills for tips. The rest I plan to have in EUR, and I usually find little nooks and crannies to hide a few here and there so if one gets hit by a pickpocket, I'm not totally broke. But so far after 21 years of travels, I've never been the victim of a pickpocket or a robbery.

[Susan-M]

Advice from Rick Steves: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/theft.htm

[Sea Island Lady]

That article really gets me excited about visiting Rome! :rolleyes:

 

What is Rome's notorious bus #64?

 

Luxurious luggage lures thieves. The thief chooses the most impressive suitcase in the pile — never mine.

Does this mean that we also need to worry about our luggage being taken off the airport baggage belts, before we can get to it?

[DavidandPaula]

Paula used a money belt last July for cash and CCs. She also had a small purse carried across her chest with camera, CC with fixed limit, contact lens solutions etc. Most emabarassing time was trying to access the money belt at an ATM in Rome but they were a nice looking pair of knickers she was wearing.

 

I carried large notes and CCs in a money belt but kept ready spending money in the pockets of my shorts at the front. Only used the rear pockets for train tickets etc.

 

Thankfully we had no problems but on arriving at termini in Rome I counted 5 attempts at scams between getting of the train and walking to the end of the platform. After Termini we seemed to be clear of the shady types and could relax a bit. I did get a bit confused about how much I had agreed to pay our driver for the trip from Rome to Civitavecchia to join the cruise so offerred the higher amount to him. He seemed most offended that I was offerring more than we had agreed and gave me change. I do not know if I had struck one of the most honest drivers in Rome or what but I did observe that the Italians we dealt with in general were amongst the most scrupulous merchants I have ever dealt with and we did not have one instance of short changing or overcharging. Might have been lucky but I really did come to love the people we had dealings with in Italy.

 

David

[texancruzer]

Might have been lucky but I really did come to love the people we had dealings with in Italy. David

 

We had the same experience. We fell in love with the people, the food, the sights and everything else about Italy. I can't wait to go back and spend some time on a land vacation.

[Susan-M]

That article really gets me excited about visiting Rome! :rolleyes:

 

What is Rome's notorious bus #64?

 

 

Does this mean that we also need to worry about our luggage being taken off the airport baggage belts, before we can get to it?

 

I wouldn't worry too much...we used the subway and were packed in like sardines...just needed to keep a close eye and one hand on valuables.

 

Bus #64 is famous ... do a google search on "Rome Bus #64" and you'll get an idea. We weren't on it, although we did try to use a bus in Rome...it sat through 4 traffic lights without moving, so we aborted that effort and used our feet to get back to the subway.

 

We never felt threatened or unsafe in Rome .... looking forward to going back this year! (Not sure about luggage at the airport....but we'll find out on this trip.)

[Sea Island Lady]

Thankfully we had no problems but on arriving at termini in Rome I counted 5 attempts at scams between getting of the train and walking to the end of the platform. After Termini we seemed to be clear of the shady types and could relax a bit.

David

Was this 5 scams against you, or did you witness these on other persons?

[Blackberry_Girl]

I'm just musing about why this is such a big deal for so many Americans. And I think I have an answer--they are suburbanites who are used to living in their cars. If you live in a big city and are used to walking around and taking subways, etc., doing the same thing in Europe will not be a big issue for you.

 

Worse. I live in a rural area...we aren't used to locking cars/houses, etc...we tend to be too trustworthy of others and in all honesty, had I not read about the pickpockets I wouldnt have even considered there might be a problem.

[Sea Island Lady]

Like Blackberry Girl, we live in the country.

 

My back yard

 

[bunnyette]

DH & I purchased (or should I say invested) in Tilley Pants and Shorts. They have secret pockets which can hold a passport, credit cards and some cash. Tilley Endurables also does mail order too. The fabric wears well and you can rinse it out in the sink at night. They have a website.

 

We would put our cash & credit cards in the secret pocket and some cash in my travel purse - another find but this time at Sears. I can't remember the name but it was theft proof and held quite a bit including our digital camera.

 

A final tip - Ladies do not put your travel bags on the chair when in a cafe, restaurant, etc...keep them on your person at all times (preferably across your shoulder & chest). Euro-thieves are very talented at snatching items from under your nose.

[DavidandPaula]

Was this 5 scams against you, or did you witness these on other persons?

We caught the train to termini from the airport.

 

The steps are rather steep so paula got of the train and I was passing the baggage down to her. When I got down to the platform with the last and heaviest suitcase the cases had already been loaded onto a cart by a very "helpful" person who then wanted our train tickets. I had read enough already to know that something was not quite right as the tickets still had another 2 hours of use on them and would likely be sold to some unsuspecting tourist going in the other direction plus we would get stuck with having to pay for the baggage cart and "porter". I just firmly said no and removed the luggage from the cart. So number one was ven before we had started walking along the platform.

 

Before we got to the end of the platform near the kiosks we had been approached by a person asking for change and a beggar carrying what looked like a baby all wrapped up in a blanket (considering it was over 40 degrees that was unusual). So now the count was up to 3 and we had not even got of the first platform.

 

At the kiosk we had approaches offering to buy our tickets for us and more beggars.

 

I was really glad to get down the escalator and onto the metro and the further we got from termini the better things got. Didn't go near Termini again in either of our stays.

 

We were annoyed by a bloke trying to sell us something as we crossed the road a few days later but it was easy to brush him off, maybe the bus approaching dampened his ardour somewhat.

 

We did see a lot of the street peddlars as we walked around the city but were never hassled by them and never tempted to buy anything as we had been warned about buying fakes and having them confiscated at the airport on departure. One of the handbags looked nice so we went to the genuine store to buy an original but they did not have them. We did however get a much nicer leather handbag for Paula from another store which just happens to perfectly match her car. Still waiting on the credit to come back for the tax we paid on it.

 

David

[tom_uk]

My lightweight summer clothing includes 'Rohan' brand trousers (their 'Bags' range, specifically) and these include zipped front pockets (as well as unzipped ones). I carry money and a single card in that. I've never had a problem.

 

I have twice misplaced credit cards during, or on the way home from, a cruise, but those incidents were my own fault. I even managed to lose one in the safe! - there was a recessed area that I missed when I was looking for the card, and I only discovered *after* I'd cancelled the card....

[texancruzer]

Rome airport is notorious for "missing" luggage. This is actually before it even gets to the kiosk for pickup. I read before our November trip that 10,000 pieces of luggage go missing a month here. A MONTH. Seems that sometimes the handlers have accomplices that they hand the luggage to over the fence..... they then sell the contents. So I would imagine it doesnt matter if your luggage is luxurious or ratty...... if they think there is something inside they want.....well its gonna disappear.

 

This is why for the first time ever - I cross packed. Some of my clothes in dh's suitcase and visa versa. Do not put anything of value in your checked bags.

 

We had no problem though.....

[Lair Bear]

Don't let your wife handle it.