Funds Security

[Stargazer]

Hi,

I am intersted in knowing how you handle your credit cards, foreign currency, debit cards etc. Do you keep all items together, or do you separate these (keep some on your person (eg in a handbag) plus some in your suitcase), do you use a body wallet or money belt. Basically I am trying to work out how best to position my funds to minimise problems if robbed etc. It seems that its best not to keep all cards etc together but where to place them to ensure maximum security. Really interested to know how you handle this problem.

thanks

 

[harvyk]

As I said in your other thread, I keep my money in separate places on me. I tend not to use money belts or anything else that only a tourist would use as it makes you look like a tourist (especially if you’re wearing one under your shirt, hands disappearing behind shirts is a good indication you'd be a good person to rob).

Long and short of it is, apply common sense. Don't keep all your valuables on you in the same place, but don't really treat things differently to walking down a street in SYD or MEL. If nothing else if you do you’ll start jumping at shadows and will have a very ordinary time.

I wouldn't get too worried about being robbed. Maybe if you post up your itinerary here somewhere someone who has been to the places you wish to visit would have more specific advice (eg don't wander past 8th street etc...) which would be far more valuable than how to carry your funds.

 

[simongr]

When I travel I tend to minimise what cards I take (so I leave store cards, medicare etc) at home. Then my wallet goes in my back pocket. I only get cash out at the ATM and use cards for most other things.

 

[nickykim]

Just to go off on a tangent, my daughter and I watched someone get set up and have their wallet lifted on the bus from Berlin Airport into the city a couple of weeks ago. The bus was crowded and one man in his late 20s had to step across a business man wearing an overcoat to get into the window seat. We were sitting in the seat behind. The young guy kept putting his hand across the back of the seat behind the back of the business man and I was watching him carefully as he was getting close to the zip of my daughter's backpack. When the business man stood up to get off, the young guy stood up after him, pretended to slip over, pulled the wallet from the coat pocket and passed it to his accomplice who was already getting off the bus. I called out "Oy, he's got your wallet" but have no idea if the business man heard or understood as they all off the bus and gone. The bus driver was totally uninterested when I reported it. The result was that we kept a fairly close watch on our belongings while out and about in Berlin for the next four days.

The moral - watch everyone, especially those whose behaviour seems a little "odd". Both my daughter and I had pick that the young guy was "sus" but hadn't picked that he had an accomplice.

nickykim

 

[Alanslegal]

Minimise the number of cards and cash you really have to carry. Usually I carry one credit card + some cash for the day. I leave another card + bulk of the cash in hotel safe.

 

[Robert K]

When I travel I tend to minimise what cards I take (so I leave store cards, medicare etc) at home. Then my wallet goes in my back pocket. I only get cash out at the ATM and use cards for most other things.

If you are visiting a country with reciprocal medical treatment agreements with australia (like the UK) (and don't have travel insurance) than make sure you bring your medicare card. If you need to go to the hospital, you'll be covered.

 

[simongr]

(and don't have travel insurance)

I am not stupid enough to travel without insurance.

 

[straitman]

.....(and don't have travel insurance)

Is anyone that silly :?:

 

[ozmille]

Is anyone that silly :?:

That girl in Bali a couple of weeks back that got methanol poisoning didn't have insurance... I don't get why people travel without...


Sent from my iPad using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Stargazer]

Hi,
any thoughts on using the safe in the hotel room. Is this OK or could it be compromised. Anyone had any negative experiences.

thanks

 

[harvyk]

Never had any problems myself...

 

[Inver]

Hi,
any thoughts on using the safe in the hotel room. Is this OK or could it be compromised. Anyone had any negative experiences.

thanks

Personally never experienced it but untrustworthy hotel staff taking some cash from a guests safe is always a possibility. I saw on example on youtube.

Also the quality of safes used in hotels vary greatly there are a lot of cheap safes which are fairly easy to open sometimes with a paper clip or just banging the top of the safe.

I leave my passport, cards & extra cash in a Pacsafe bag which is locked and then stored in the safe,

I can't post links yet but google Pacsafe Daysafe 200 Backpack to have a look at some of the security features it has.

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks Inver for the information on the PacSafe. I checked out google and this is certainly worth purchasing. I note that you place your PacSafe in your hotel room safe. But is there something in the safe that you can anchor the PacSafe to -- otherwise anyone can just take the back pack and all your valuables.

 

[Cynicor]

I think once you get to a certain level of paranoia you just have to accept that there's always a risk, and maybe purchase some insurance. While it may be possible to anchor your super-safe bag to something within the hotel safe, some of the safes I see aren't anchored to anything either...

I just pay for my annual policy, chuck my excess cash and cards in the safe and hope it's good enough. Not had a problem yet. I also take ~3 credit cards with me on the streets and keep 1-2 cards in the safe in case. Cash amounts vary depending on my perception of safety. In Thailand, I only carry 100-200 aussie, in Singapore 500-1000, in Tokyo I'm happy to keep it all on me (though 'all' is only 100-200k yen).

Oh, and as for travel insurance, there was a great thread on whirlpool recently, with person x asking if they should purchase travel insurance. Many posts from the "I've never had a problem and if you aren't silly you won't need it" crowd. Some classic ideas and stories there. That said, there were just as many from the pro-insurance side.

 

[Inver]

Thanks Inver for the information on the PacSafe. I checked out google and this is certainly worth purchasing. I note that you place your PacSafe in your hotel room safe. But is there something in the safe that you can anchor the PacSafe to -- otherwise anyone can just take the back pack and all your valuables.

Like Cynicor states your travel insurance should cover anything stolen from your room. This is one of the key questions I specifically asked of my provider.

BTW AFAIK no travel insurance will cover you if an item is left unattended outside of your hotel room but this includes situations like putting sunglasses on a table while you are eating or having a backpack on the ground next to you. They will only cover items that are on you at the time if you are robbed.

With the hotel safe usually there is no anchor inside the safe but I only use it as a deterrence to stop hotel staff from possibly skimming cash without me realising.

You can secure the pacsafe to a bathroom pipe or other furniture which is what I do if there was no safe in the room or at reception. Still anyone with decent cutters could remove it quickly. It all comes down to risk versus convenience.

 

[harvyk]

I think once you get to a certain level of paranoia you just have to accept that there's always a risk, and maybe purchase some insurance.

Agree 100%. Cover the basics such as have multiple ways to access your money, don't do anything stupid such as carry around (AU equiv) thousands of dollars for no reason or get drunk and leave your passport behind in a pub somewhere, and get travel insurance for when luck isn't on your side.

As long as you have those 3 things covered off you'll be fine...

 

[notzac]

• Empty your wallet of non-essentials before travelling
• Stay in hotels that have an in-room safe
• Keep minimal cash on your person
• Ensure you have some emergency cash/ATM card in the safe in your room
• Be aware of your surroundings when outside the hotel, and finally..
• Don't even think about travelling without adequate insurance

 

[Julesmac]

I work on the premise that if you can't afford travel insurance - you can't afford to travel! Incidentally (a bit off topic) I discovered to my cost a few years ago, when I left a diamond ring behind in a hotel room, that under your home/contents/personal effects insurance, cash and valuables in a hotel room are not insured unless they are in a safe. Travel insurance however, generally does not have that caveat but it's always worth checking the T&C's

 

[rani1]

Hi,
any thoughts on using the safe in the hotel room. Is this OK or could it be compromised. Anyone had any negative experiences.

thanks

I have not had any negative experiences and I always keep my cards, extra cash, iPad etc in the Hotel safe but I do leave most of my jewellery at home in a safe. I only take with me as much cash as think I will need for the day and 1 card. I tend to use my pockets rather than carry a purse.

A friend recently left their jewelry in the safe in KL when they checked out (each thought the other person had cleared the safe). When they returned home they realized it was missing so rang the Hotel and they could not check the safe immediately as the room was occupied and the persons were out, when they returned the jewellery was found still in the safe and the staff member put the jewellery into a drawer in the Managers office while they worked out the best way to send it to the owner. It went missing from that drawer and has never been seen since, they were compensated by the Hotel but as they (the owners of the jewellery) did not have the items insured the Hotel's Insurance would not pay out so that is why the Hotel paid for 1/2 the value and has offered them Executive accommodation free of charge on their
next visit.

 

[Stargazer]

A few people have mentioned using overseas ATM's. How difficult are they to use if you are in a non-english speaking country?