For some people, vacation is such a wondrous and magical time where people make memories of joy and fun that will last an entire lifetime. For others, vacation can be a complete and utter train wreck. It is one of the worst feelings in the world when you misplace, lose, or are robbed of your money. As common as it is though and as good as some people are at being thieves, there are lots of ways you can prevent losing all of those credit cards and the foreign currency that you buy online.

• Organize – Vacation is about relaxing, but never get so relaxed you forget where things are; if you don’t keep track of your cash and cards, you might not even notice if someone takes them until it is too late.
• Safe Advantage – While it is admirable to trust the security of a hotel room, always put your valuables in the safe should there be one available.
• Make Copies – It is always a good practice to make copies (front and back) of credit cards, plane tickets, and photo IDs and keep a set with you as well as a set at home with a trusted friend or relative. If you are tech savvy enough, keep a digital copy on your phone, in an email, or in the cloud for fast access.
• Talk to Your Bank/Credit Card Company – If your financial institutions are unaware that you are travelling and spending on the other side of the world, there is a good chance they might think a thief is using your money to jet set around the world. Just give your bank and card companies a call and let them know where you are travelling, when you leave, and when you’ll be back.
• Be Wary of Crowds – Especially when visiting dense tourist spots, make sure you are aware of your surroundings. Pickpockets see lots of people in close quarters as the perfect opportunity to score, so avoid crowds if you can.
• ATM Alert – If the option is available, even if it is more inconvenient, always go inside a bank to use an ATM. Stand alone ATMs can often be fitted with by thieves with skimmers to steal your financial info or even be fake altogether.
• Wallet Lite – Always rid your wallet of anything you are not using when you travel abroad. Your library card and gym membership and half used Target gift card will be there when you get home.
• Exchange at Home – You should always keep at least a little bit of local money with you. To avoid local scams and airport fees, try going to buy foreign currency online.

No one should have to suffer through a vacation because all of their money was lost or stolen. While it is inevitable that sometimes bad things happen to good people, following these few simple steps is a good move in the direction of keeping all of your finances inside of your pocket.