When I was 29, I crossed the Atlantic for my very first trip to New York. The occasion? A friend’s 30th birthday extravaganza. We kicked things off by flying into Boston for a few nights, took a detour up to Maine to hit the legendary outlet stores, and then picked up a hire car to drive down to the Big Apple for a few nights before flying home from JFK.

As we were road-tripping toward New York, one of my friends suddenly turned to me and asked, “Have you got any muggers money?”

I was recently reminded of this because I'm currently reading “Understanding Personal Security and Risk: A Guide for Travelers” by Charles E. Goslin, and he talks about a very similar concept.

Back then, our strategy for "muggers money" was all about the loose change. The theory was that you needed a handful of coins because they make a distinct, undeniable noise when they hit the pavement. If you found yourself cornered, you’d toss the coins on the ground, the muggers would instinctively follow the sound of the money, and that would buy you the crucial split second needed to sprint in the opposite direction.

Charles E. Goslin has a slightly more sophisticated take on the matter. His suggestion is to carry a "decoy" second wallet. It should have "enough" actual cash to look tempting, some expired credit cards, and maybe even an old ID to make it look authentic. When confronted by assailants, you simply hand over the fake stash and keep your real valuables safe.

Conclusion

I’m incredibly pleased to say that we didn't encounter a single mugger during our time in New York. In fact, we had an absolute blast. The only real hazard of the trip turned out to be the shopping.

A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane: Back then, the exchange rate was a glorious $1.60 to the £1. For us Brits, the US felt incredibly cheap compared to the UK.

By the time the trip was over, I hadn't lost a single dime to a criminal, but I did have to buy an entirely new suitcase just to haul all my outlet shopping back home.