Why Money Belts Are Outdated & You Should Stop Using Them Immediately

Why Money Belts Don’t Work & What to Use Instead

Should you still use money belts today? To answer this question, let’s first look at why there was a need for a money belt in the first place. Many decades ago, there were no ATM machines, credit cards, bank cards, electronic payment apps on phones … basically none of these existed. The only means of paying for hotels, goods and services were cash and travellers’ cheques (yes, those).

So, there was a need to hide large amounts of cash and TCs and the money belt came to rescue. Fast forward to today, travellers no longer need to carry large amounts of cash and TCs. You don’t pay your hotels or plane/train fares with cash anymore. Everything now is credit cards, cash, or phone app payments. Money belts have become outdated and a thing of the past. Yes, there are some who will hold onto them and will use them forever. But this is always the case as some of us simply hold on to the past, won’t upgrade and accept the change.

There are also several disadvantages in using money belts:

Money Belts Are Old School & Ridiculous.

Money Belts are the opposite of inconspicuous.

Money Belts Are Sweaty & Dirty.

Money Belts Advertise You Have Cash & Make You a Target for Theft or Robbery.

Money Belts Immediately Mark You Out as A Tourist—And Not a Particularly Savvy One. You Have to Expose All of Your Cash Just to Get a Little.

Money Belts Are an Insult to The Country You Are Visiting (I Don’t Trust Anyone Here).

What to Use Instead of Money Belts

Diversification is the key. I don’t recommend putting all your money, cards, and valuables in something like a money belt. Put your money, cards, and valuables in separate places such as in your back pack, personal item bag, sling bag, fanny pack, small cross body bag, or a day pack.

Do not carry all your money when go out for your day trip. Leave some money and one credit card in the hotel (possibly in the hotel safe box), some money and another credit card you will be using in your day pack bag or any bag you are using for the day.

Better yet, keep some cash in your front pocket to pay for any expenses for that day. This amount should be little enough that even if you lose it you are in no trouble, as you have backup money in the other bag. Replenish your daily expenses money when you return to your hotel or as needed.

To make this article short, I didn’t elaborate on some of the disadvantages mentioned above. However, watch this video here to see the details: