Saving money without using the bank?

[wincrasher]

oh, by the way - if someone breaks into your house and steals your cash box, it's simple robbery.

If they bust open your cheap safe and steal your money - it's a life sentence for safe-cracking. Even if it was just a $1 inside.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by SacredFaerie

The toilet tank method sounds solid. Icky but solid.

Why is the toilet tank "icky"? The tank is filled with clean water. At no time does any waste product enter into the tank, just the bowl.

[mommyof4]

[quote=wincrasher;202916
But how do you keep from spending it? Easy, you just don't.

If you can't stick to your plans, if you can't decide not to spend it, then you will never be financially successful. There is no way to keep you away from your money if you decide to go after it. There is nothing stopping me from, within minutes from now, going to my safe and spending thousands, or checks for 10's of thousands, or credit cards for $100k. It's up to me to control it.

Once you excercise that control, alot of other issues will start taking care of themselves.

.[/QUOTE]

I'll second and third that. If you don't have self control, no place is a safe place for your money. You get the mentality where it is much more satisfying having some financial security versus running to Wal-mart and buying more plastic crap. Believe me, I've been there/done that, and it is so much better knowing that I can now control my spending.

[SacredFaerie]

Originally Posted by minnie1928

The ick factor may be why it would work...or lets make it a money saving option, if you put the money in a water proof container you'll be displacing water in the tank, thus reducing the water used per flush. It's a win-win!

Lol! I need to place something in one of my tanks. The maintenance people are taking forever to replace the valve thingy with a low flow.

Originally Posted by simpleyme

about putting money in the toilet tank or anywhere in the bathroom for that matter - I would not do it

why would you hide things in a room that you would let people you may not know well use? (like service people) and give them a lock and even a noisy fan ?

Wow that's a good point.

Originally Posted by wincrasher

I can imagine getting by without using the bank.

The convenience of a debit card and checks just makes life so easy.

That said, I always keep cash at the house in a cheap safe I bought from walmart. You never know when a situation comes up that you need cash ASAP.

But how do you keep from spending it? Easy, you just don't.

If you can't stick to your plans, if you can't decide not to spend it, then you will never be financially successful. There is no way to keep you away from your money if you decide to go after it. There is nothing stopping me from, within minutes from now, going to my safe and spending thousands, or checks for 10's of thousands, or credit cards for $100k. It's up to me to control it.

Once you excercise that control, alot of other issues will start taking care of themselves.

Good luck to you.

I concur!

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Why is the toilet tank "icky"? The tank is filled with clean water. At no time does any waste product enter into the tank, just the bowl.

I dunno Steve. It just is. It's the toilet. It screams ick!

[GREENBACK]

Ok, I'd probably avoid the toilet. I'd find the nastiest(dry) place where the spiders and mice hangout(burglars can be suprisingly shy about these places) and stash the cash there if I had to keep it at home.

I'll state again though, that if you have to be that concerned, it's not in a safe place and needs to be in a bank anyway.

[cptacek]

In the pocket of a winter coat (in the summer) in the hall/bedroom closet? Of course, none you, or anyone else, would think of donating.

In a coffee can on the kitchen shelf with all the other coffee cans?

In an envelope in your filing cabinet between 2002 taxes and 2003 taxes?

In an asprin bottle? We keep our cold medicines on top of our refrigerator, so the asprin bottle with money would go up there too. If you keep yours in the bathroom, then probably not (because of what simplyme said).

Cut the pages in a book and keep it there?

[minnie1928]

You know I was just reminded about my grandmother...she hid money in the house all the time. I think it was more of a you never know when you'll need cash thing. Anyway, she never told us where she kept the money and when it came time to ell the house we were convinced that the new buyers were gonna find it several years down the road. Unfortunately, grandma couldn't remember all the places she hid the money!

[SnoopyCool]

Just adding to the list of hiding places.

In an empty mayonnaise jar that has been spray painted white on the inside and placed in the refrigerator.

Up under the treadmill belt. No one would think to look there

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by SnoopyCool

J

Up under the treadmill belt. No one would think to look there

With my luck, they'd steal the tread mill, and I'd be out the money. At least then I'd have an excuse not to exercise. "But honey, I have to sit around reading the forums tonight! They stole the treadmill...."

[simpleyme]

Originally Posted by minnie1928

You know I was just reminded about my grandmother...she hid money in the house all the time. I think it was more of a you never know when you'll need cash thing. Anyway, she never told us where she kept the money and when it came time to ell the house we were convinced that the new buyers were gonna find it several years down the road. Unfortunately, grandma couldn't remember all the places she hid the money!

that's whats going to happen to us,only my DH knows where the stash is I am okay that if we die a few K will be lost , the real money is in the bank and real estate and a bit of cash isn't going to make or break any one the kids are going to get plenty and in the meantime provides us with some security

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

If you can get to the place where you can afford both a cashbox and a safe, you can keep yourself and your spouse away from money at home unless you both agree to spend it. Lock the money in the cashbox; give husband the key. Lock the cashbox up in the safe; you keep the key. It now requires the agreement of both of you to both put money in and take money out.

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

If you can get to the place where you can afford both a cashbox and a safe, you can keep yourself and your spouse away from money at home unless you both agree to spend it. Lock the money in the cashbox; give husband the key. Lock the cashbox up in the safe; you keep the key. It now requires the agreement of both of you to both put money in and take money out.

Oh, I like that idea.....

[skylovessea]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

If you can get to the place where you can afford both a cashbox and a safe, you can keep yourself and your spouse away from money at home unless you both agree to spend it. Lock the money in the cashbox; give husband the key. Lock the cashbox up in the safe; you keep the key. It now requires the agreement of both of you to both put money in and take money out.

That is a fantastic idea!

[minnie1928]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

If you can get to the place where you can afford both a cashbox and a safe, you can keep yourself and your spouse away from money at home unless you both agree to spend it. Lock the money in the cashbox; give husband the key. Lock the cashbox up in the safe; you keep the key. It now requires the agreement of both of you to both put money in and take money out.

That's what us accounting/audit people call dual control (us anal types love things like this!).

[skylovessea]

Originally Posted by minnie1928

That's what us accounting/audit people call dual control (us anal types love things like this!).

Haha, definitely true!

[vonowen]

i would have save my money in the bank. at least it will learn an interest and i know its safe there.

[skylovessea]

I am currently bank shopping as we are coming into some extra money that I don't want to keep in the house. I want to be sure to find a bank that I am completely happy with. We are at Regions right now and they are great but my husband can't be on my account because he does not have a local ID.

Do any of you have suggestions for good nation-wide banks? The local ones here are not exactly up to par in my opinion.

[hmd2009]

Originally Posted by skylovessea

I am currently bank shopping as we are coming into some extra money that I don't want to keep in the house. I want to be sure to find a bank that I am completely happy with. We are at Regions right now and they are great but my husband can't be on my account because he does not have a local ID.

Do any of you have suggestions for good nation-wide banks? The local ones here are not exactly up to par in my opinion.

Are credit unions an option? Related to anyone in the military or gov't who banks with Navy Federal, or Pentagon Federal?

[skylovessea]

Originally Posted by hmd2009

Are credit unions an option? Related to anyone in the military or gov't who banks with Navy Federal, or Pentagon Federal?

No. The closes CU is about 30 minutes away. And no military/gov. in the family.

[boosami]

Originally Posted by simpleyme

why would you hide things in a room that you would let people you may not know well use? (like service people) and give them a lock and even a noisy fan ?

This is an excellent point. Wherever you end up hiding it, it's not enough to just stash it away out of sight and hope no one finds it. Make sure it's locked up. It's not worth the risk of someone accidentally finding your stash, whether they make the toilet overflow and try to fix it, or are hungry and rooting around in your freezer or pantry.

What's worse, having a hassle and getting charged some fees you might be able to reverse, or losing all of your money irreversibly? No one here wants to see you in any more financial trouble than you are already experiencing. Whatever you do, make sure you keep it safe.