Foreign Currency and Safety

Nobody wants to spend their entire holiday worrying about how to look after foreign currency. Holidays are otherwise known as ‘breaks’ for a reason. We load and unload the dishwasher enough as it is when we’re at home – we don’t need to be loading and unloading our worries and troubles every time we go abroad. Foreign currency

Carrying Foreign Currency Abroad

When carrying foreign currency abroad, we all need to take particular care. It’s not just how you carry your money that matters. You may need to reconsider the way you dress and leaving the valuables at home. Famous female traveller, Zahara Heckscher once said, “Stay safe, but don’t stay at home!” so it’s all about adapting, but not missing out on the things you want to do.

Travel theft is the biggest concern for all holiday makers, and this can sometimes be a much bigger problem for single female travellers. If you want to protect yourself and your foreign currency from theft, you can do the following to minimise your risk:

1. Take out travel insurance and read the policy carefully. Choose one that will reimburse part or all of your stolen money, and one that can give you foreign currency until you reach the nearest bank/cash point.
2. Consider carrying safety tools such as a torch for dark alleyways during the night. Make sure you have enough credit/allowance on your mobile phone for emergencies, and if you are venturing out into very dangerous places, you could even opt for pepper spray or an attack alarm.
3. Dress like a local. Don’t advertise yourself as a tourist and never take your most expensive pieces of jewellery on holiday. If you advertise your valuables, you will become a hot target for thieves, and it won’t just be your foreign currency at risk. Consider your attire before you travel – this may require extensive research into the country/area you are visiting.
4. Choose a safe bag. This may seem like an obvious thing to do, but fashion dictates practicality. Choose a bag that zips up and does not display its contents to other people. Don’t choose transparent bags or bags with big openings. ‘Bum-bags’ that go round your waist are the safest places for your foreign currency.
5. Spread the risk – don’t carry all of your foreign currency with you at one time. If possible, leave some at the hotel and use their hotel safe service. Another way top spread your risk is to keep half of your holiday budget on your credit/debit cards.

Buying Foreign Currency Before You Go
A hassle-free holiday is all about organisation and preparation. Order your foreign currency from Crown Currency Exchange and you will benefit from the best rates across the web or on the high street. Call 0800 612 7273 for more information.

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