How much cash do you keep at home?

[DrPizza]

The only time I carry a sizeable amount of cash is if I need some play money, or if there's a major storm heading in that might knock out power. I keep it on me, not at home.

I do have a big container full of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. The amount of coins is inversely proportional to their value. I figure that when I die, my kids will be screwed into having to turn all those coins in for more useful currency.

 

[Triumph]

About $500 for those times I need to buy something and don't feel like going to the ATM (I don't even know what the max withdrawal is). Works good for yardsaling, prolonged power outages, spur of the moment craigslist deals. And in case of emergencies like when I'm harboring a fugitive and I toss him a wad of 20's to get him on his way to his next safe house. No traceable record of that transaction.

Plus I have a hundred or so Euro on hand. Nice to show up in Europe with some money in my wallet rather than having to fumble with finding a money exchange at a good rate before even getting to a hotel. Cash is still more prevalent than credit over there compared to here where everyone takes credit.

 

[nanette1985]

Any hurricane Sandy victims posting here? Curious if they had any $$ on hand or not, how well they fared with no power.

Yes. Used it to buy gas when the stations couldn't use credit cards without power.

 

[piasabird]

There was a guy that lived down the street from me that kept a lot of cash at home and he was murdered. This is why they have banks and debit cards.

I could see the point of having a little cash on hand but it is dangerous. Better have a safe or a lockbox.

I also have some emergency food storage. You should have some extra food for emergencies. We keep things like canned fruit, Rice big bags, Spaghetti and Sauce, and Ramen and some canned vegetables and stuff like Chili beans. Might be nice to have some water or soda also.

If you live in an earthquake or flood zone there is no guarantee you will make it home to get your food or money. Some people keep just enough in a back pack for 3 days survival in their trunk.

Now adays if the electricity is out the store just stays closed. Takes electricity to work the cash register.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

This much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPX5mRSQ3pw

 

[TheVrolok]

Generally like to have 2-3k, with 1k in 20s, 5s, 10s, and at least 100 in singles.

 

[ZaneNBK]

We should plot the dispersal of cash at home on a map and look for interesting patterns and clusters. Those of you with >$1000 PM me your home addresses, work hours and any upcoming vacation times. I'll put together something interesting and post it here later.

:whiste:

 

[TridenT]

Because I actually have to use cash on a weekly basis (Some places I go only accept cash) I keep about 20-60 on me. I poll'd at 20-50 because that's more common.

 

[boomhower]

Whatever I have in wallet and my wifes purse. We don't keep any substantial amount of cash in the house.

 

[Murloc]

can't use plastic at sandwich food stalls because they don't have the machine most of the time, and using a card in take-away food places or self-service restaurants with lines etc. take too much time compared to cash and everybody gets nervous since the line has to stop while you insert your PIN and the machine read stuff and people often have just an hour to eat.
Also sometimes the POS machine just doesn't work or your card doesn't and you have a problem if you don't have a cash back-up.

If there's a power outage you're out of cash too, so keeping enough cash to buy food for a few days is a good idea. 200$ is enough for that.
EDIT: scratch this, shops can't operate without elecricity. Well there's usually a few kilograms of cookies, pasta, tomato sauce and chocolate around the house at all times and a fireplace, plus the wood in the garden. So no need to plan food for emergencies really.

 

[Golgatha]

I keep about $40 hidden in my car at all times for emergencies and $40-80 on my person most of the time. My wife keeps about the same on her as well. Between my wife, my kids' piggy banks, and myself; we might have $200 total in the house on any given day.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i hate using cash, but try to keep ~100 on me. you never know when it will come in handy and it is no effort at all to carry.

don't really keep any in the house.

 

[z1ggy]

Barely any because the only places that don't take cards these days are small local businesses like barbers or flea markets.

Plus I hate loose change and dont want to give satisfaction to a mugger for getting my hard earned ched.

 

[jupiter57]

not sure where you live, but around here we have these things called ATM's where you can get money out without the need for a bank to be open.

srsly, they are amazing! there is usually one on every corner too, so they are easy to find!

True, but what about whenever you find that great deal on a vehicle or farm equipment.
Hard to get $5K-$10K out of an ATM on Saturday afternoon or Sunday.
It's been years since I've used an ATM, but IIRC, a couple hundred bucks was all I could get each day(?).

Edit: For the record, I keep $300-$1K in my wallet at all times, and considerably more in the safe at home.
I love my Debit card, but sometimes cash IS king.

 

[Exterous]

We generally have over $1k but its a function on how we spend money. My wife and I both get a weekly allowance to spend on whatever we want outside of gas, groceries bills etc. So if I want to go out to lunch at work or out to the bar Friday night I pay for it out of my allowance. If I want a new computer part or tool it comes out of my allowance after I save up for it. Same thing with her - she can buy as many shoes or purses she wants as long as it comes out of her allowance.

 

[shortylickens]

0

I thought I had some. Just got a cab home. no cash, he doesnt like cards.
Ran into house, cant find cash.
Had to use card. 10 percent surcharge.

 

[momeNt]

There are very few people that I would rob here just for their cash.

I suppose we need to start a post your jewelry thread, this has gone nowhere.

 

[AMDZen]

$200-500

For last minute weekend hookers and blow

 

[Svnla]

As of right now, about $20K because I have a special project going on and before any of the wise guy say anything, it is straight up legal.

But about next week, all of that will be back to the banks/CUs and I will have less than $100 US on hand at any time. I usally carry about $20 or less on me (wallet).

 

[Jeffg010]

This reminds me of when my wife then GF at the time pulled out her lock box and she counted all her money in front of me. Lets just say it was the most money I ever seen in front of me. Before she ever showed me that she always acted like she never had any money. I guess that is why she a has nice stack of bills.

 

[Brovane]

Keep over $500 at home but I have good safe.

I also keep 1 oz silver coins as a backup in-case US currency is no longer accepted. :whiste:

 

[Meghan54]

EDIT: scratch this, shops can't operate without elecricity.

Then the stores around you have complete dumb asses for employees and managers. Ever heard of a pencil and paper or better yet, a battery operated calculator?

Seemed to work out quite well on the Cape last winter when the power died for a few days and yet, most stores were open, working the "old fashioned way" of selling.....pencil and paper. Amazing what one can do when you have stores operated by more than sacks of hair on the intellect scale.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Trick is to have two safes. One that is not attached to anything and in plain view, another that's hidden and bolted down. The one that is in plain view has a bunch of nuts and bolts in it, as well as multiple strategically rigged cans of "great stuff" that release it's product quickly when safe is opened. Optionally, a print out of the troll face glued in the back of it.

 

[pchelica]

All the money of this world!

 

[spidey07]

not sure where you live, but around here we have these things called ATM's where you can get money out without the need for a bank to be open.

srsly, they are amazing! there is usually one on every corner too, so they are easy to find!

Can you get 3-5k out of an ATM? No. How about large bills from an ATM? No.

I keep about 5k cash at home and really don't like having less than 2k. Large bills make it much easier to grab and go and manage. Like if I'm getting ready to travel I can just grab 1k large bills and go, no multiple trips to the ATM, no bulky 20s. It really comes in handy especially if you need to buy something somebody is selling. Cash is king.

Going to the casino or horse track? No muss, no fuss...grab and go.