So, you’ve saved enough to embark on the journey of a lifetime and now are planning your dream vacation. You’ve saved, planned, booked, packed, double packed, and are ready to go. But have you thought enough about keeping your belongings and money safe when you are traveling? The last thing you will want is for your adventure to be scuppered by theft of your physical belongings, your identity or money from your accounts. Be safe and you won’t have to worry about calling your holiday short because of unscrupulous thieves and fraudsters (image by Lady Tracy o’ the Disk).
When you’re travelling you will be in unfamiliar territory and travelling through a variety of towns, beaches and wilder terrains. When abroad and out of your comfort zone it is even more important to be aware of your surroundings and take care of your belongings. Keep anything of value close at all possible times – a Bandits wristband with a tiny built-in key holder pocket would be ideal for concealing something small, but super-important, and only leave things in hostels and rooms if absolutely necessary, making sure they are not accessible to anyone else. Only pack valuables that are necessary, such as a phone and your wallet or purse, so you’re not putting your things, and yourself, at risk unnecessarily. Before traveling, look into insurances for both yourself and your belongings so that, should the worst happen, you are covered and can claim for any losses (image by hueyrunner).
There are a number of options to choose from when it comes to money abroad, and the one you chose will depend on your trip and what you will need to spend. If you are going through several countries, you might not want to have to keep changing currency, so a card or travelers’ checks may be best. One of these options also helps protect you from theft, as travelers’ checks and a USA Credit Card can be cancelled, whereas cash cannot. There will be occasions that you may need to spend in cash however, so consider looking for a card with good rates on both purchases and withdrawals so you can get the right currency out in each country you visit.
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Related post: 4 Great Financial Tips to Get Out of the Rat Race and Start Traveling
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Protect your identity
When you are traveling, you will have all the documents needed for a thief to steal your identity. Passports are mean big money to thieves in some countries so take extra care with this and your travel documents. You will also want to make sure your cards and documents, both those with you and those you have left behind, are not vulnerable to having the details stolen or even getting lost. If your documents get misplaced from your hands, then you might want to get them laminated at the earliest or invest in a laminator. They could come in handy at several given points in time. That said, now that you got them a strong cover, remember to keep those documents safe and secure. You don’t want it misplaced again or stolen! When it comes to your cards, be careful where you use them and never let them out of your sight. You might also like to sign up for a credit checking service like Credit Expert, which can alert you to any suspicious activity under your name, such as accounts being opened or limits being extended. You can be notified by email, so that even when travelling abroad you are able to quickly put blocks on fraudulent accounts and transactions.
Traveling is usually a once in a lifetime experience, and you won’t want to let anything ruin this experience for you. Take as many precautions as possible before you leave, and be careful and safe during your adventure, and you won’t be forced to cut it short.
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Related post: 5 Important Financial Ideas While You Travel
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