Most of the world is comprised of interesting and kind hearted people, but thieves and assholes are everywhere. Here are a few tips to help you out along the way if you run into a tough spot.
Empty your wallet of any valuable items
Fill your wallet with old business cards, your drivers license, an expired credit card, and a little of your cash. Keeping too much cash in your wallet not only attracts undue attention, it is also a recipe for disaster.
The rest I sometimes put in a travel pouch I tie around my waist, under my jeans, or under my boxers. This includes my extra cash, credit cards, and my passport if I don’t have a safe available at my lodging.
Never leave your money in your bag. In one fell swoop your whole trip could go to shit.
Consider the possibility of getting mugged overseas. It doesn’t sound like the ideal beach vacation we all dream of and we all like to believe we can handle ourselves in a spot of bother, but bad things can happen to anyone.
Be humble.
A wallet or bag with a bunch of bullshit in it isn’t as hard to part ways with than the one that contains all of your valuables.
Spread your cash in your pockets
Pickpockets count on easy prey and if you have all your valuables in one place, you are asking to be robbed.
Surprisingly, many hang out in areas that have signs warning about the presence of pickpockets. This is because most tourists see these signs, check their pockets for their belongings, and tell the thieves exactly where their belongings are like a neon sign saying “I’m an asshole, rob me”.
To avoid this, keep your wallet in your front pocket and spread some cash around the others. Keep the rest of your cash either in a travel pouch like I mentioned before, or just don’t withdraw it until you need it.
Put some money in your sock or shoe
This one is also a good trick for keeping a larger sum of money on you without it all being in your wallet. It’s a difficult place for thieves to get to and allows you to access it quickly if needed.
I just recommend you step into a bathroom to get your money before buying anything if you do choose to adopt this method. I don’t know many people who would appreciate damp money that smells like foot. So keep it out of sight so it stays out of their mind
After all, we all like money, and what they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?
