The post How to Protect Your Money When Traveling appeared first on Traveler Dreams.
]]>Diversify Your Finances
Diversification isn’t just for investments. When traveling, keeping your money in several different forms can help you stick to your budget more closely while reducing the risk of loss or theft. Avoid being completely dependent on a single source by carrying a mix of cash and cards, including a small amount of the local currency for immediate expenses. Save your credit cards for larger transactions, or consider using prepaid travel cards for added security.
Secure Your Bank Account
Before you depart, let your bank know about your travel plans to prevent any issues with transactions abroad. Set up notifications for every purchase made through your account, and if you need to access online banking, only do so through secure networks. As much as possible when using your credit card, try to opt for contactless payments, as this minimizes the risk of card skimming.
Cover Your Cards
To protect your cards against digital pickpocketing, invest in an RFID-blocking wallet and keep everything inside a money belt or concealed pouch when walking around crowded areas. If you need to withdraw cash, stick with ATMs from major banks, and even then, gently wiggle the card reader to make sure that no skimming device is attached.
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]]>Check for Bed Bugs
Before you start to unpack or get comfortable, inspect the room thoroughly for any signs of bed bugs. Lift the sheets to examine the mattress seams, check the headboard, and go over any other furniture nearby, as bed bugs often hide in upholstery. Look for small reddish-brown bugs or tiny black dots, which could be bed bug feces. If you find any, ask for a room change.
Safety First
If your hotel room has a safe, place your passport, electronics, and any other valuable items inside and lock it with a code that you can easily remember. To ensure your room is secure, double-check that the windows and doors lock properly. Most hotel rooms will also have a map of the building and emergency plan near the front door, so give them a glance to familiarize yourself with what to do should an emergency arise.
Sanitize High-Touch Surfaces
Hotel rooms are supposed to be thoroughly cleaned between guests. While it’s usually fairly easy to tell if the towels are fresh and the sheets have been changed, there’s no guarantee that all of the surfaces in a room have been sanitized. To avoid coming in contact with any illness-causing germs, go over high-traffic objects such as the phone, remote, and light switches with disinfectant wipes.
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]]>Inspect Your Accommodation
As soon as you arrive, thoroughly inspect your hotel room or Airbnb for any signs of bed bugs. Check the bed under the sheets, in folds of the mattress, and behind headboards as well as in any other upholstered furniture. Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects about the size of apple seeds and can usually be detected by dark spots of excrement or blood, even if the bugs themselves aren’t visible.
Keep Your Luggage Elevated
Avoid placing your luggage on the floor or bed until you’ve finished inspecting the rest of the space. Instead, use luggage racks or keep them on hard, non-porous surfaces like tables or dressers where bugs are less likely to hide.
Wash Your Clothes
When you return from your travels, wash your clothes in hot water and dry them on the highest heat setting to kill any potential bed bugs or eggs that may be hiding in the fabric. This is especially important for dirty clothes that may have touched the bed or floor of your accommodation but also goes for clean clothes that stayed in your suitcase.
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]]>Choosing Your Campsite
Before you even head outdoors, do some research on your potential campsites to check for any abnormal weather alerts or wildlife activity happening in the area. Read up on the terrain conditions, opting for established campsites with designated fire pits when possible. Within your chosen campsite, set up your things away from low-lying areas that may be prone to flash flooding, keeping safe distance from any cliffs or steep slopes.
(@mizunogorilla)Fire Safety
Campfires are a central part of camping, but they’re also the most dangerous if not managed properly. Research any regulations or restrictions at your campsite in advance, and once you’ve arrived, thoroughly clear the area around the fire pit of any flammable debris. Have a few gallons of water nearby just in case, and never leave a fire unattended. Make sure the fire and any embers are extinguished before you to go sleep or leave the campsite.
Wildlife Awareness
Encountering animals up close can be exciting, but it’s important to remember that even the cutest critters are still wild animals. To avoid attracting any unwanted visitors, keep food stored securely in bear-resistant containers or hung from a tree. Learn about the local wildlife and their habits, and resist the temptation to get too close if you come across them. For extra protection, consider carrying bear spray or a homemade vinegar-based repellent.
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]]>Research Your Destination Thoroughly
Some locations are more solo traveler-friendly than others, so take your time planning and do extensive research on potential destinations to see which ones feel appropriate for you. Read up on the culture, customs, and laws of your chosen place, and try to find other solo travelers who’ve been there and can share any insights.
Have a Plan
While you don’t need to create a jam-packed itinerary for yourself (unless you want to), putting together a loose plan of the sights you’d like to see, landmarks you’d like to visit, and even restaurants you’d like to eat at can help make solo travel feel less overwhelming. Use Google Maps or a similar app to familiarize yourself with their respective locations, and research local transportation options to figure out how to reach them.
Stay Connected
Where safety is concerned, we highly recommend keeping in contact with a trusted friend or family member while traveling solo. Talk with them before you leave and create a plan for how often they should expect you to check in, and give them the number for your accommodations and local authorities to contact if they don’t hear from you after a certain period of time.
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]]>The post How to Protect Yourself from Pickpockets While Traveling appeared first on Traveler Dreams.
]]>Secure your valuables
Keep your wallet and other important items somewhere difficult for pickpockets to access, especially when you plan to visit busy tourist spots or use public transport. If your accommodations offer a safe, leave anything you don’t need locked inside when you go out, and invest in an anti-theft backpack to take with you.
Be mindful of your surroundings
Staying alert and aware of your surroundings is key when it comes to avoiding pickpocketing attempts, especially near tourist attractions and public transport terminals. In some locations, pickpockets will work in teams that may even include children, so be on the lookout for unexpected distractions and exercise caution should you notice anyone start to approach you.
Use decoys
The goal of most pickpockets is to work discretely and come away with your valuables unnoticed. They don’t want to spend a long time searching and put themselves at risk of getting caught, so keeping a dummy wallet with a small amount of cash and expired cards in a more accessible place can help you to protect your more valuable belongings.
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]]>While it’s always best to be cautious, there’s no reason to let fear keep you at home. A few simple gadgets can help you stay safe so that you’re able to relax and enjoy your trip to the fullest. Here are a few we always bring with us.
Birdie
Birdie is an easy-to-use personal safety alarm small enough to fit in your pocket or handbag. If you find yourself in danger, simply pull out the top pin to activate an alarm loud enough to draw attention and scare off any potential threats. Once the danger has passed, turn it off by putting the pin back into place.
Addalock
This lightweight and portable lock fits most inward-swinging doors and installs in seconds without any tools. It even comes with a handy storage pouch for easy carrying. Use it to protect your belongings and stay safe in hotels or Airbnb.
Pacsafe
Pacsafe makes travel-friendly bags with anti-theft features such as lockable zippers and slash-resistant fabric. They’re perfect for protecting important items such as passports and can be used as a makeshift safe if your accommodation doesn’t provide one.
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]]>Always Tell Someone Where You’re Going
It’s always a good idea to enlist your friends to keep track of you. Luckily you can send people your location so they’ll be able to follow your moves, and you can ask them to check in every so often to make sure you’re okay.
Always Meet Somewhere Public
Make sure to start your date somewhere out in the open with lots of people, so that you don’t need to worry about being alone with a stranger. Never go to their house or allow them to come to yours, and remember that you can always leave if you feel uncomfortable.
Do Some Googling
Before you start swiping, be sure to look around online to see if there’s anything people have said to watch out for.
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]]>Leave Valuables at the Hotel
They can’t steal it if you don’t have it! Keep expensive items like a laptop in the safe at your hotel room.
Wear a Money Belt
Before traveling to a city that may be known for its pickpockets, you may consider investing a few bucks in a money belt. They’re basically wallets that you wear around your waist, and can even be hidden under pants or a skirt.
No Phones on the Table
Smartphones are a major target for pickpockets. Avoid leaving your phone on the table while sitting at a restaurant, as a pickpocket can easily snatch it while you are eating.
Zippered Purse
Even if you’re favorite purse is zipper-free, traveling with an open purse or bag is like asking for a pickpocket to steal from you. Keep your valuables tucked away in a securely zippered purse.
Shirley Rainbow (@shirleyrainbow_tb)Stay Alert
This may seem like an obvious one, but it really is the most important thing. If you seem unfocused and careless, pickpockets will quickly take advantage of the opportunity. Always be aware of your surroundings for optimal safety.
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]]>Card Troubles
Relying solely on your card is a risky business. You should always have it by your side, but a little bit of cash can come in handy if you end up losing it, reaching your daily limit, or having card troubles of any kind, because that’s also a possibility.
Local Stores
There are certain places where you simply have to pay with cash. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to pay souvenirs and street food at local markets with a card, and even if that’s the case, it’s possible they’ll charge you a fee for this payment method.
Safe Place
Traveling with cash doesn’t necessarily mean you should be walking around with a huge sum of money. Take only what you need for the day, and leave the rest in your safe or locker, in case something unexpected happens along the way.
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