Do you keep cash in case of emergencies?

[james.hendrickson]

My family lives in Hawaii - which is prone to tsunamis. So what some people in neighborhoods in Hawaii do is they keep cash on hand in the event that the power goes out. Most of the time this is in small bills so you can still buy goods and services even when electronic payment systems are out of order.

Do you guys do this?

[disneysteve]

Absolutely. We always have cash on hand. When power is out, debit and credit cards don't work. ATMs don't work. Cash always works.

[DaveInPgh]

Yes, but it is only $500.

[nadine_doa]

I keep cash hidden in my van, which is a Sprinter converted into a small RV. The money is both for emergencies and to pay service providers like electricians and handymen. Yesterday my landscaper needed some cash for supplies, so I was able to give him $200 without going to the bank.

A couple of years ago I was on a business trip in another state when my wallet was stolen. The wallet contained cash, ATM cards and credit cards, of course, but it also had my cellphone in it. Unfortunately this happened on a Sunday and all the banks were closed. I was able to get a $50 cash advance at the hotel I'd stayed at the night before -- they still had my credit card on file.

As a result of that experience, I learned never to keep everything I need in one location. In addition to the hidden cash, I also keep small ziplock bags of coins and small bills in my computer bag and my suitcase. This has come in handy since.

[HundredK]

I have to say, this has never even occurred to me. Interesting. I do always have a few small bills on hand when we travel to other countries, because you just never know, but interesting idea to keep an emergency petty cash fund at home. Hmmm.

[sv2007]

My family lives in Hawaii - which is prone to tsunamis. So what some people in neighborhoods in Hawaii do is they keep cash on hand in the event that the power goes out. Most of the time this is in small bills so you can still buy goods and services even when electronic payment systems are out of order.

Do you guys do this?

I don't do this and I live in the part of CA where the big one is expected. There's prepare for emergencies and then there's paranoid prepare for emergencies. A prolonged power outage without backup that causes you to require cash for several days probably will mean a major disaster that cash (or even making change, as businesses do run out of change) will be relatively useless IMHO.

We visit HI often (often enough to own a house), and I don't think people there prepare for tsunamis. But then maybe each island is very different in this regards as I'm really just familiar with Oahu and Maui. So, could this tsunami preparations be on the paranoid level? Just wondering.

[sv2007]

We keep cash at home, but not for emergencies like what you mentioned. It is for our routine cash spending.

[HundredK]

When we travel, we also always carry a decoy wallet with a few bucks in local currency if we are in iffy places. Worked out for us in India where the decoy wallet was stolen. Pickpockets are talented.

[Outdoorsygal]

Yes. We just bought some land so now all we have is 25 thousand

[HundredK]

What is a good amount to keep around in small bills? Maybe $500?

[Jluke]

We kind of touched on this before with the thread about how much cash you carry.

Where I live, we usually know when a big storm is headed our way - that is when I may get a little more cash to have on hand, stock up on food, and gas up the vehicles. I don't have permanent cash reserves on standby; I guess in a pinch there is always my son's piggy bank so long as I didn't recently cash him out

[FLA]

I keep too much cash on hand in a safe. I do it because when I see the actual cash and can count it, it helps me save more. When I reach a certain amt I deposit some. But the safe can be picked up and if someone can pick a lock they;ve hit pay dirt so I really shouldn't do this.

[snafu]

In order to fend off Murphy's Law, we keep a reasonable amount of small bills in a small home safe, we've chosen to bolt to a shelf and studs in a back wall. I've mentioned before having been ordered evacuated with hardly any notice due to a train derailment of dangerous chemicals miles away. Unprepared and rattled, I stuffed a bag with useless things, grabbed kids and dog and fled.

We live within bad air range of the major Ft McM fire May 2016. You may have seen a clip on your TV news. 2,500 homes burned, families split at home, school, work, running errands had a very short time frame for ordered evacuation. Day turned to dark and fire sparks on the highway were terrifying. No one had time to prepare, most relied on the kindness of strangers to care for their immediate needs until government services could mobilize.

While other rampages of Mother Nature haven't touched us personally, I've certainly seen floods and washouts. I believe it's easier on everyone if you're prepared with an old, small back pack of supplies, water and at least $ 100. in small bills, some hidden in your car, some at your home.

What do you think?

[nadine_doa]

I don't do this and I live in the part of CA where the big one is expected. There's prepare for emergencies and then there's paranoid prepare for emergencies. A prolonged power outage without backup that causes you to require cash for several days probably will mean a major disaster that cash (or even making change, as businesses do run out of change) will be relatively useless IMHO.

Read about the 1994 Northridge quake, which was so severe that 57 people died and 8700 were injured. Eleven local hospitals were damaged, some so severely they were uninhabitable. A week after the quake, tens of thousands of residents were still without water.

We visit HI often (often enough to own a house), and I don't think people there prepare for tsunamis. But then maybe each island is very different in this regards as I'm really just familiar with Oahu and Maui. So, could this tsunami preparations be on the paranoid level? Just wondering.

Ask the people of Hilo if it's paranoid to prepare for a tsunami.

[scfr]

My family lives in Hawaii - which is prone to tsunamis. So what some people in neighborhoods in Hawaii do is they keep cash on hand in the event that the power goes out. Most of the time this is in small bills so you can still buy goods and services even when electronic payment systems are out of order.

Do you guys do this?

We do keep some cash but it's in 20's and your post makes me think that I need to exchange some of that for 1's and 5's. Thanks.

We have never been through a major natural disaster on the scale of a major earthquake or tsunami but we did go through the aftermath of a big windstorm where power in our neighborhood was not restored until 4-1/2 days later.

In addition to cash and preparedness supplies, I recommend not letting the gas tanks in the car get too low. When the power's out the pumps don't operate.