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Traveling is one of the best ways to widen your perspective, immerse yourself in other cultures, and try unique food and exciting activities you’ve never encountered before. For people with office jobs, it is a sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are a few ones, though, who are lucky enough to travel for a living. Some people love traveling in groups, while the more daring ones find going on solo trips to a new place a thrilling experience. Whether you’re a solo or a ‘joiner’ type of traveler, traveling is, no doubt, one of the most enjoyable things you can do. Well, that is, until you lose money while travelling or experience the loss your valuables. In case this situation happens to you, remember these tips and you just might be able to save your trip.
1. Don’t panic!
Whether you dropped your cash on the streets, left it in a vehicle, or it was stolen from you, never give in to panicking and keep your composure. According to Dr. Jason E. Schiffman in a Psychology Today article, most people who experience panic attacks fear they are losing control. This is the last thing you want to happen after losing money while on a trip.
Remember that even seasoned travelers experience this, as nobody really know when fate decides to play you, and safety will always vary from place to place. In the event of losing money or things while traveling, it is important to be aware of the ways to stop a panic attack from happening to yourself or your companion.
2. Take advantage of the Internet.
It’s easier to cope with traveling mishaps nowadays than ten years ago, all thanks to the Internet. If you still have your mobile device or laptop with you, find free Internet access and connect with your family or friends. Much as you want to spare them from worry, this is one of the fastest ways to cope with losing money, especially when you are a thousand miles from home.
One thing that can be done is to have a relative or friend send you cash through means like Western Union or Remitly, which offers convenient online money sending services. It will only take an hour or more for the money to reach you. Do note there are fees tied to this solution, but it works fine to get you out of emergency situations. Another thing that you can do online is to call your bank and have your cards blocked immediately.
3. Ask for help.
Losing money is very unfortunate, but it is not the end of it all. It can actually make your trip a unique and unforgettable one! If in case contacting home is out of your options, keep in mind that there are people in the area who can help you.
Seek help from locals, your host, a tourist officer, or even fellow travelers in getting around town, especially in locating important places such as public Internet spots, police stations, and the embassy or consulate office.
This could be risky to do, but there are ways to go around stranger danger. Blogger Stephanie Spitler shares her tried and tested ways to stay safe when traveling, and the most important one is to be wary of divulging too much personal information to strangers, including your complete home address, card and passport numbers, full name, among others.
4. File a Police Report.
If you are really unsure of asking help from strangers, another thing you can do is to look for a police officer and ask for assistance in filing a police report. While it is uncertain that the police can help you locate the thief (in case of theft) or return your things, filing a police report can help you in more ways than one.
Police reports can help convince your bank to replace your lost cards. It is also a requirement, should you request for a replacement passport and when filing insurance claims for lost items, such as travel gears or railpass.
5. Contact your country’s embassy or consulate office.
When traveling abroad, always take note of the telephone number and address of the embassy or consulate in the area. In case of theft or loss of money or passport, the folks from this office will help you get money from your contacts back home, and secure a temporary passport. The Australian government website lists the embassies and consulates Australian citizens can seek help from when abroad.
As the famous saying goes, prevention is better than cure. The same goes with traveling! To avoid this nasty situation, it is important to leave back up cash and credit card at your hotel safe. As much as possible, only bring your passport when needed, and only the amount of money you need when heading out.
Author: Laura Buckler is an excellent freelance writer and contributor at Essays Scholaradvisor writing service. One of her many goals is to make people recognize their full potential, and understand how achievable everything is in life. Follow Laura on twitter for more information.
