Watch Your Wallet

4 Tips to Make Sure Your Wallet is Safe While You're on Vacation

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I'm planning a fabulous vacation to an area that is somewhat known for crime, especially against people who are obviously tourists. My biggest feat is that I'll go on vacation and end up losing all of my money, passports, etc. with no way to do anything, much less get home! Do you have any advice for how I can make sure my family can avoid becoming the victims of robbery while we're enjoying our time away?

Sincerely,

I Wanna Keep My Wallet

A:

Dear I Wanna Keep My Wallet,

A stolen wallet has the potential to ruin your entire vacation. So, you need to take every precaution to make sure nobody else gets their hands on your wallet!

How to keep your wallet safe on vacation:

1. Take inventory!

Wallets are one of those Bermuda Triangles of life where you don't know what you had until it's gone. In fact, while you have it, you probably don't know what's in there. Clean out your wallet once a week so you have an idea of what's there -- so that if it's stolen, you'll know what needs replacing. 

2. Keep a list.

Keep a list of what's in your wallet complete with credit card numbers, insurance numbers, and phone numbers to call if these are lost or stolen. Keep the list in your glove compartment and/or luggage -- NOT in your purse. If your purse is stolen, so, too, is the list. 

3. Don't carry everything. 

Before you go out, just take what you need. Don't take everything in your purse. If you're traveling with someone, split up your stuff. You take the wallet, and have your partner take the camera, etc. 

4. Have two major credit cards. 

And don't carry them together. If your wallet is stolen, and you only had one of your two major credit cards inside, you won't be without a credit card if you have a second major credit card back in the hotel. 

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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