Your money is your business. If you want to keep it away from people who are too curious, you can learn some money hiding places that will help. Whether you're on the go and want to keep money on your body, or want to hide money at home, you can learn some great ways to hide money. If you want to hide your money from creditors or taxes, you can learn to play the system in other ways.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Hiding Money in Your Body
Step 1. Place it on your shoes or underwear
If you're in a vulnerable area and want to keep your money safe in case you're picked on, the two best places to keep your money are your shoes and underwear. If you're traveling somewhere unfamiliar to you, it's a good idea to make sure your money is safe.
- Women can safely tuck a few pieces of cash into a bra, while men usually have to hide money in their underwear. Placing it at the waist of your pants is a great option, but it comes off easily.
- If you can, sew pockets on a pair of underwear to keep your money safe, or use paper clips to clip them to the hem of the pants.
- Go to the restroom before spending your money, of course. Don't just start reaching into your lower body.
Step 2. Bring a fake wallet
If you hide money on your body, another general tip is to take a cheap "fake" wallet and keep it in a regular place. This way, if you attract the attention of thieves or pickpockets, chances are they won't get any results.
- Instead of putting a credit card in it, insert an old supermarket membership card, or one that is no longer valid. Instead of money, enter money from the game of monopoly, or just ten or twenty thousand rupiah.
- Keep your wallet visible in your bag, and easily accessible if you're a woman, or put it in the back pocket of your pants, if you're a man.
Step 3. Wear pants that have buttons on the pockets
Some pants come with buttons or ties that can be used to keep money in your pocket, and are securely tucked away in one of the front pockets of the pants. If you're on the go, this is a great way to prevent yourself from being picked up.
- Like button pockets, purse chains are a common accessory on many occasions, and allow you to turn any pair of pants into a secure pair of pants.
- Pants with button pockets are quite effective, but less effective than specially made pants with money clips. Use a combination of methods to get the best protection.
Step 4. Save your money in various places
Even if your money is in an unusual place, it won't be very safe if it's all kept in one place. If a pickpocket finds a few tens of thousands of rupiah in your pocket, it won't be a big deal if you still have a few hundred thousand in storage divided between your shoes, bag, underwear, and sewn inside the top of your hat. Let them guess.
Step 5. Bring cash as needed
One of the best ways to prevent yourself from being pickpocketed? Carry a little money on your body and you won't attract much attention. Try to bring only what you will need for a particular trip or event, and leave the rest at your home, or better yet, in the bank.
If you can, try to use the card for as many purchases as possible. If you don't carry cash, you're unlikely to be pickpocketed
Step 6. Take care of your money
If you are in a place that is unfamiliar to you, try to keep the amount of money you carry a secret. Don't show anyone the inside of your wallet or purse, and don't flaunt large piles of cash if you don't want to attract pickpockets.
If you do receive change, just put it in one of your pockets and keep it in your wallet later, once you've had the opportunity to do so in private. Don't stand and hold all your money, or walk around with your wallet out
Method 2 of 3: Hiding Cash Around the House
Step 1. Hide in various books
If you have a lot of books, it is one of the best and easiest places to hide some money. Hide a few tens of thousands of dollars at a time in assorted books on your shelf. It is not uncommon for thieves to rummage through book collections.
- Choose a specific page in the book to save money. If there's a lot of money to hide, you might try putting it on your favorite pages of many books. Choose page 20 which is taken from Bambang Pamungkas' jersey number, or whoever your favorite athlete is, so that you always remember it. It's easy to lose money, so it's a great way to help yourself remember.
- If you have too much cash, use an X-Acto knife to punch a money-sized hole in a large pile of pages. Choose an important book, such as Adam Smith's “The Wealth of Nations,” then slice a rectangle from the center of the page, so that the pile of money can easily be stored inside.
- Video game boxes, DVD boxes, and other boxes can be an alternative to books, if you don't have a lot of books at home. Fill the old "Money Train" VHS cassette box with real money.
Step 2. Hide inside the toilet paper roll
Roll up your pile of money and tuck it in the middle of the toilet paper to hide it. Thieves don't usually fiddle with toilet paper too much.
Mark the roll with a small dot using a marker in a place known only to you. That way, you won't try to use the roll of paper towels and can quickly find them among the rolls
Step 3. Hide in food packaging or other products
Pick something that's been in your cupboard for a long time and hasn't been eaten, and isn't likely to be eaten for the next ten years, then use it as a place to hide your cash. Here are some ideas:
- Peel off the label of the soup can and hide the money behind the label
- Under the cake in a tin, or in a cookie jar
- In a tampon or condom box
- Buried under decaffeinated coffee grounds
- Between the bag and the cereal box
- In an empty baking soda box in the fridge
Step 4. Store in fake plants or other household items
Apart from the kitchen, there are many other places around the house where you can hide piles of money from people who want to take them. Try some of these ideas:
- Inside the guitar, or musical instrument case
- Under the lights
- Behind the photo in the frame
- In the puzzle piece box
- Inside old shoes
- Behind the poster on the wall
Step 5. Make a fake pipe or wall display
If you want to make your own money hideout, go to the warehouse and find a good place to put extra pipe you don't need, or a good place to loosely attach some extra tiles, so you can tuck in the money, if needed.
- Look for a real pipe joint in the warehouse and buy a similar pipe, then place it next to the plumbing. Leave one end open and put some cash in it. Mark it with a marker so you can find it easily.
- Loosen the décor along the bottom of a corner of the floor, and pull it off. Save the money behind the decorations and put them back in place, sticking them using Blu-Tack or UHU glue.
Step 6. Keep it in the bank
The best way to store money safely? Put it in the bank and only take part when you need it. The money in the bank is insured against theft and is very safe. You don't have to worry about losing money in the bank. This is always the safest idea.
Open several different accounts if you want to spread your treasure and make it hard to find. See the next section of the article for more information on how to hide funds from tax liability
Method 3 of 3: Hiding Money from Tax Liability
Step 1. Invest in an irrevocable trust
If you have a lot of money that you want to hide from creditors or the central government, raising funds for loved ones is a great option. Technically irrevocable funds are property of the person you designate as trustee, but you still have a lifelong right to use them. Basically, you will give your property or investment to someone and at the same time be allowed to use it, but are not responsible for the taxes.
Talk to your financial advisor to properly manage your funds. Once you have set up a non-refundable fund, the terms cannot be changed, which means you cannot cancel it. It is important to understand the terms properly at the outset, so consult a professional to help you appoint a guardian
Step 2. Open a bank account abroad
Saving in another country with less stringent tax requirements is a well-known way of hiding money from the government. The Cayman Islands, the Philippines, Switzerland and the Isle of Man are known as tax havens for the very rich.
Sometimes banks can fail too. Developing countries often offer very lenient tax laws as a way to attract wealthy investors. This can be a risky bet. Never put 100% of your savings into an offshore account, or you risk huge losses
Step 3. Own a homestead to be free from obligations
Homestead is the principle of land ownership through the use of property that is not owned by others. In the United States, several states have very friendly homestead laws, which keep property that your family has owned for a certain period of time, safe from creditors. Florida, in particular, has friendly laws in keeping long-term homestead residents safe from creditors.
The Homestead lifestyle usually has a "back to the land" connotation but it's actually more to do with your rights as the landowner. If you live in the US, learn more about your local homestead laws here
Step 4. Invest in precious metals
Gold, metals and platinum are sometimes considered safer long-term investments than keeping money in the bank. Although the value of money can be said to fluctuate, usually if a bank goes bankrupt, the gold standard will be a safe thing to use in the future.
It will be quite difficult to cash out your gold for a while. Investing in precious metals can keep your money safe, but it may be so safe you won't be able to use it
Step 5. Purchase a prepaid gift card
If you have a lot of money but don't want to report it to taxation, buy a prepaid gift card and use it to make every purchase. Gift cards are widely available for a variety of purposes, and you can use them to buy fuel, groceries, and certain items in stores.
- This tactic is common among drug smugglers, with some even seeking debit options abroad that are higher than the $250 limit for gift cards in the US.
- Buying a regular prepaid debit card will generally require you to provide other information, including a social security number. If you have to provide this kind of information, using a debit card will not be an effective way.
Tips
- Don't tell anyone the location of your money. They can tell your partner where the money is!
- Tips with an asterisk for use with notes/bills.
