Reddit reviews EAGLE CREEK TRAVEL GEAR Undercover Money Belt, Khaki

These are the things I wished someone had told me before my first time in Europe:

• Never carry your wallet/your 'big' notes in your pockets. If you want to be extra safe, get a money belt where you can safely carry your big notes, credit cards, etc. Then you can carry about $20 - $40 in your pocket for general spending.
  
  
• If any friendly stranger comes up to you (esp on the streets of Paris or Barcelona) and asks if you can speak English, just shake your head and walk away. 9 out of 10 times, it's a scammer.
  
  
• Speaking of scams, I would list out the most common ones but I'm sure you can look it up yourself. I have experienced about 80% of them and was fortunate to not lose any money / get scammed because people had warned me beforehand. This is a good read that lists most of the common scams.
  
  
• Not sure if you're male/female, but generally it's safe for women to walk around at night. However, YMMV: I usually don't stay out beyond 11pm. Also, use common sense and don't wander down dark alleyways or hang around the red-light districts.
  
  
• Now that we covered the issue of safety, I'm just going to tell you that you're going to have an awesome time. Europe is easy to travel around because there are excellent transport links. Budget airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair offer great flights (make sure to check that they don't fly to/from some ulu airport) and trains are also clean and economical, if you buy in advance. I've made quite a few friends in European trains.
  
  
• If you are/look Chinese, people are going to assume you're PRC. Sorry, that's just the way it goes. It helps to learn 'Hello' and 'thank you' in the native language, it works wonders in getting the locals to warm up to you.
  
  
• If you're flying into France at any point, be warned that the immigration officers might insist on speaking French to you even though you obvs don't look French. I found that it really helped me to say 'Sorry, can you speak English?' ('Pardon, parlez vous Anglais?') in French, because they will then be nice and speak to you in English. Having said that, the French are some of the nicest people I met. Not all the stereotypes are true, but I added in this bit because many of my friends kena before.
  
  
• If you have a bigger budget, hit the bigger cities first for your first backpacking trip. Smaller budget? Consider Eastern European cities like Prague, Budapest, etc. However, English may not be spoken as widely as in Germany, Scandinavia, etc.
  
  
• Most European hostels, especially the chain ones like St Christopher's Inn or Generator Hostels, are usually quite good and VERY well-located. Bear in mind that some ang mohs are quite rowdy and will smuggle alcohol into the dorms, or even shag in the bunks. Bring earplugs, or splurge for a private room if you really can't tahan.
  
  
• The food in Europe is so, so amazing. If you're saving money, please don't eat McDonald's or fast food! Try street food or local bistros. You can find amazing, cheap meals!
  
  
• If you're going to Scandinavia, it's going to be crazy expensive. However, the Scandinavians are the most warm and welcoming that I've met! I didn't experience racism in any of their countries at all.
  
  That's all I can remember for now. Just PM if you need more info! Have a great trip!

Along with keeping money in different pockets you can get a money belt to keep cash in and keep small amounts in your wallet. You can't wear leggings with it but it's thin enough that you can't see it if your pants have a thick-ish or not really stretchy fabric.

Edit: you can wear it through a metal detector but not those body scanners so be aware of that if you plan on wearing it to the airport with a dress.

How bad are the pickpockets on the tube and around London? Will I really need to bring a money belt or will I be fine putting my wallet in my front pocket and being very conscious of my surroundings?