Brits admit to crimes of fashion to fend off thieves

Over 2.5 million people will be jetting off abroad this Easter but fear of holiday crime is causing Brits to commit some terrible crimes of fashion, new research from the Lloyds TSB Travel Money Card reveals.

Of holidaymakers surveyed, over a third (36 per cent) take between £400 and £1,000 in cash with them when they travel, despite the fact that nearly half (45 per cent) admit to being worried about theft. In addition, a third (34 per cent) are nervous that they’ll lose their holiday cash and 22 per cent find foreign currency awkward to carry around.

But Brits are keen to keep their cash close and while bum bags might have gone out of fashion in the eighties, 16 per cent admit that when they are on holiday, they are willing to wear one in a bid to protect their pennies. Across the country, the Welsh are the biggest fans of bum bags with 18 per cent packing them in their suitcase.

Also, one fifth of sun seekers (19 per cent) hide their cash in secret pockets in their bag, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) hide their cash under their clothes and 22 per cent spread their foreign currency in different places around their body to thwart pick pockets. A cautious three per cent even put their money in a waterproof wallet to carry it when swimming.

Of those surveyed, men seem slightly more likely to fall victim to thieves on holiday than women, with 18 per cent of men saying that they’d had cash stolen versus 13 per cent of women.

Commenting on the findings, Jatin Patel, Head of Foreign Transactions & Travel, Lloyds TSB, said: “Think about how many times you have your picture taken on holiday and then consider whether or not you really want to be photographed wearing a bum bag! In a bid to keep our cash safe it seems that we are willing to go to embarrassing fashion extremes but, in this day and age, taking huge amounts of cash abroad just isn’t necessary.

“The Lloyds TSB Travel Money Card is an easy way to keep your cash safe without the need for a bum bag. It’s a pre-paid Visa card which can be initially loaded with between £1 and £3,000 in either Euros or US Dollars. The card can then be topped up over the phone with a minimum of £50 as and when needed, up to a maximum of £3,000. The card costs £7.50 and can be used in shops and to withdraw cash from ATMs. If it’sreported lost or stolen, the card can be replaced and the money refunded.”

The Lloyds TSB Travel Money Card isn’t linked to a bank account and has no overdraft facility, making it a very safe way of carrying money abroad and a good choice for people wanting to stick to a defined budget.

Two fifths (41 per cent) of holidaymakers admit to having trouble budgeting and will probably end up spending more than they intended, while a fifth (17 per cent) don’t set a budget in a first place. A further seven per cent do set budgets but fail to stick to them.

The card can be re-used, allowing travellers to save unused cash from one trip for their next holiday.

Customers are also able to check the balance on their card and get details of recent transactions by phone.

Both Lloyds TSB and non-Lloyds TSB customers can apply for a Travel Money Card.