6 Places You Should Never Keep Your Money When You Travel, According to Travel Agents

In a recent survey, GOBankingRates asked 1,141 people how they keep their money safe while traveling. While some people said they don’t carry cash at all, others have their go-to methods of storing their money.

Nearly 22% of respondents said they leave their cash and other valuables in a hotel room safe while they’re out and about. Just over 17% of respondents indicated that they either wear a money belt or carry an anti-theft bag or dummy wallet in case of pickpocketing. And finally, around 30% of those surveyed said they only carry small bills — no higher than $10 — if they carry cash at all.

Whether you’re a frequent or casual traveler, it’s important to know where to keep your money so that it doesn’t get lost or stolen while you’re on your trip. GOBankingRates asked several travel agents and experts about the top places where they would never keep their cash while traveling.

Here’s what they said.

Maya Kapoor-Miller, an independent travel manager and agent at Dreamport, said, “When it comes to avoiding some areas, I would say do not use [the] back pockets of your backpacks, open backpacks [or] luggage compartments to keep your money while traveling.” Not only do these places lack security, but they’re also easily accessible to pickpockets.

“Pickpockets often target back pockets, making them a vulnerable choice for storing money,” added Raj Yadav, co-founder of Lowest Flight Fares, a one-stop travel solutions company. “Also, there’s a high chance of breaking the card in half when you sit on it.”

Your hotel room might not be as secure as you think. Even if it’s highly-rated and in a safe area, you still shouldn’t leave your money out in the open in your room.

“I’ve learnt a lot from my past experience about how I can reduce the risk of losing my money while traveling,” said Yadav. “Like, once I left my card on the side table of my hotel room and went sightseeing. The entire day I was worried about what if someone from the room service had found it, and I couldn’t enjoy my day. It was a contactless credit card and anyone who [came] across it could transact as much as they want[ed] from my bank. So, not taking out your cards from your purse is the safest bet.”

If your room has a safe, this might be a more secure option. “If you are staying in a hotel, I would also highly [advise you] to use the hotel safe for valuables and distribute cash and cards across pockets and bags,” said Kapoor-Miller.

“Hotel room safes, quite obviously, are the best go-to choice for locking away passports, cash and valuables, providing peace of mind while you explore,” added Justin Albertynas, CEO at RatePunk, an online hotel price comparison tool.

“Tourists can often become targets to thieves who know they have money and are ready to use any opportunity to steal it. Therefore, it’s important to be extra careful when traveling, especially if you are abroad on your own,” said Mercedes Zach, travel agent at ASAP Tickets, part of Trevolution Group.

One thing Zach advised is to distribute your money across several locations rather than keeping it all in one place. “Instead of putting it all in your purse or wallet, try separating it to have yourself protected in case something unexpected happens.”

James Kinsella, travel expert and director at Turtle Trip, said to never keep money in your backpack’s outer pockets or the loose pockets of your clothing. Backpacks “are easily accessible to you and potential pickpockets, especially in crowded places,” said Kinsella. As for loose trousers and coat pockets, “money can easily fall out, or a thief can slip a hand in without being noticed.”

“One of the safest places to store some cash is hidden pockets in your trousers or jacket, as it is almost impossible for thieves to notice them. There are plenty of clothing items on the market that come equipped with hidden pockets for small amounts of cash, and I highly recommend investing in one or sewing in your own secret pockets,” said Zach.

“Alternatively, you can also consider hiding your money in an undercover leg wallet or shoes,” Zach added. “It’s a rather safe method that has been used for years. Unless the thief forces you to give them your shoes, there’s no way you can lose this money.”

You can also use zippered pockets and RFID-blocking pouches to deter thieves, added Albertynas.

Traveling with cash isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, you never know when you might be out and need it for something. But carrying large bills might not be the best — or safest — option.

“Another piece of advice is to carry around small bills and only have enough cash for wherever you are heading,” said Zach. “I suggest keeping the rest of your cash hidden away back at your apartment or hotel room in a safe so that you still have enough backup cash if you happen to lose some of it.”

Some lesser-known or smaller travel destinations might not accept cards, so be prepared for this before taking your trip or leaving the hotel room. More popular destinations, on the other hand, often have alternative payment options available.

“If you’re traveling to a country where cash isn’t the only payment option, I highly recommend using other money alternatives such as credit cards, pre-paid tickets, travel cards, etc., as that way, you only need to carry around enough cash for some souvenir shopping or tipping at a restaurant,” said Zach. “And always remember to keep a small stash of cash set aside for any emergencies [that] might occur.”

A person’s wallet is one of the most common places to keep cash, making it a prime target for pickpockets. This doesn’t mean you can’t keep your money in your wallet at all — it just means you need to be smart about it.

Brittany Mendez, CMO of FloridaPanhandle.com and travel expert, said she’d never keep money anywhere that’s easily accessible.

“Pickpockets are a big problem, particularly in tourist-heavy cities, so you want to make sure that your wallet/money is never easily swiped from your bag,” said Mendez. “I always keep my wallet in an interior pocket in my backpack or purse so that there are a few layers anyone would have to get to in order to reach it. Also, I often use a wallet clip so that my wallet is securely trapped inside my bag.”

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