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It doesn't matter where in the world you're travelling, it's always a good idea to have a few places to hide your money. The key to a good cash stash is having various hiding spots. If someone manages to get into your luggage, you don't want it to be too easy for them to take you for everything you've got. Spread out your money and have multiple hiding places. Of course, no one expects to get robbed while travelling, but it's always better to be safe than sorry!
Here are 7 of the best places to hide your money while travelling.
1. Money Belt
Not just any money belt! You need to get the one that actually looks like a belt. Even the most savvy thieves will often overlook your belt if they're rummaging through your bags. These little things can hold up to $3,000 in U.S. currency, so they're the perfect place to stash some bills on the go. Would-be thieves may have already caught on to the normal style of money belts, but these are still unknown to most people, meaning your money will be safe and hidden from view.
2. Secret Zippers
Many types of luggage and backpacks come with secret zippers built in, often hidden within a strap or deep inside of a seam. But if your bag doesn't have secret zippers, consider making one yourself. You can sew on a small pocket on the inside of your bag, or cut a small hole in a seam that doesn't hold a lot of pressure. Just make sure that you resew any fraying parts of your work so that it doesn't harm the integrity of your bag over time.
3. In Your Shoe
This is an old trick but one that works very well. If you're packing extremely light and don't have much room for secret hiding spots, you can stash a few crisp hundreds underneath the sole of your shoe for safe keeping. Some newer shoes even have a secret pocket built in to the sole of the shoe or into the tongue. Again, if your shoe doesn't have a secret pocket, you can just place the money under the insole or cut a small hole in the tongue and add some velcro to seal the pocket. A little ingenuity can go a long way when you're stashing your cash!
4. In A Pill Container
Most travelers carry a first-aid kit, which can make for a great place to hide a few bills. If a thief is rummaging through your bag, they'll probably throw your first-aid kit aside and start looking in more likely hiding spots. That's why it's a good idea to stash some bills in an empty pill container. It's somewhere they'll never think to look.
Note: It's probably a good idea to keep a couple of pills in the container so that it still rattles. You'd be surprised how clever and crafty criminals can be.
5. In Your Pillow Case
Unless you're traveling with your own pillow case, you should be careful with this one. You don't want to check out of your hotel room and forget that you had hidden a few hundred bucks in your pillow case. There are stories of burglars breaking into travelers' rooms while they're sleeping and stealing their money from the room without them even waking up. If you have your cash hidden in your pillow case, it would be pretty hard for a would-be thief to steal it right from under your nose.
6. In The Safe
Here's an easy one, use the safe/locker in your room! The problem with this hiding spot is that the cleaning service and hotel manager often have spare keys. If you trust the place you're staying in, then use the safe. It's more likely that there will be an outside intruder trying to steal from you than someone in the hotel and the safe will definitely deter them. If you want to be extra careful, place your money in your small day-pack and lock it, then put that in the safe. Usually, if the cleaning staff is trying to steal, they'll be looking for a quick snatch 'n' grab so if they see your bag is locked, they'll quickly give up.
7. In Your Bra
Ladies, you have the ultimate hiding spot! Remove the inner padding from your bra and replace it with cash. The richer you are, the more curvaceous you'll look! You may think that stuffing money in your bra will look lumpy and unnatural, but if you don't go overboard it's impossible to tell that you're packing big bills on your breasts.
In Conclusion
No matter where you decide to hide your money, it's important not to have too much on you at one time, and definitely don't keep it all in the same place when you're traveling. Get creative, be secretive and put your money where nobody will look. For extra protection, always lock your door and close your windows in your hotel room... even when you're in there. It's very unlikely that you will have any issues with theft during your travels, but you can never be too safe! Check out our blog for more tips about traveling.
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