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Used with permission from Microsoft.

Summer is just around the corner and many of us will travel for vacations. The last memory you want is a memory of losing your wallet or purse with money, credit cards, and your ID.

Here are some tips for holding onto your things:

  • Take only what is necessary in your wallet or purse. Leave home all your extra cash, cards, checkbooks, and identification. That will minimize your loss if your wallet or purse is lost or stolen.
  • Take a credit card or two and leave your debit card at home. If your debit card is stolen, your checking account could be emptied very quickly. You have recourse and protection with credit cards.
  • Make two photocopies of both sides of all the cards and documents you take with you. Leave one copy at home and take the other copy with you, but keep it separate from your wallet or purse. If anything is stolen, the photocopy provides a complete record, as well as the phone numbers to call to cancel the cards.
  • Keep your wallet or purse where you can see it or feel it. That usually means somewhere on the front of your body—not in a back pocket, which can easily be picked.
  • Don’t leave cash and valuables in your hotel room or in a rental car. Store them in the hotel safe.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. If something looks or feels suspicious, take precautions. Don’t walk around areas in unfamiliar cities unless you see other families and children there as well. It’s better to be overly cautious than sorry.
  • When you return from your vacation, check your accounts online to confirm that all transactions are legitimate.