True Emergency Fund in House

[morrisr2d2]

Just curious as to people's thoughts about keeping cash in the house for a true emergency. For example, I live within ten miles of a nuclear power plant. If something went wrong it, had to evacuate, and lost power, so long ATMs and credit cards. I told my partner maybe we should keep $1000 in 20's in a fireproof place container in the house a "sky is falling" scenario, at least to get us out of town.

Do any of you keep such a fund in the house, for what sort of scenario and how much?

[qofcc]

I try to keep at least $100 in cash with me and at least $500 in small bills around the house just in case. We live within 50 miles of a nuclear plant and we also live in a place where storms have shut down the power and the roads for days and it's comforting to know there would be cash to buy necessities if the ATM and credit card machines were not working.

[morrisr2d2]

Yeah, between my partner and I we normally have about $200 in cash on us. We are so use to just putting most things on the Amex and then paying it off every month, that if a major storm, power outage, or nuclear plant problems occurred we could be screwed. Never thought about it until the whole Japan situation, and then Indian Point (nuclear power plant outside NYC were I live) was said to be right on a fault line and a old plant, just got me thinking.

[crockpottin]

I keep an emergency stash in the house, no set amount although I think there's about $800 in it right now. It just makes me feel better to know that I have cash on hand to deal with a short term emergency that would knock out power (and thus ATMs/credit), like a replay of the blizzard of 78 or something along those lines.

[cronewitch]

I always have some cash but don't see much need even in a major emergency. If we needed to get out of town we probably couldn't because the roads would be full. Seattle is boxed in with mountains on one side and water on the other and cities at the ends. The freeways would be packed worse than rush hour in a snow storm, that can take about 20 hours to go 10 miles. I took about 5 last time my nephew took 22 just to get home from work. It would probably be quicker to take a boat and launch it then head across Puget Sound if that way was clear of danger. Bicycles or a motorcycle might work better than cars to evacuate and require less fuel and get through traffic better. I would probably just be safer to stay home elevation about 425ft so out of tsunami range.

[998fbird]

This subject is discussed often over on Smart Spending, from how much to have on hand to where to hide the stash. My personal goal is to have $300 in small bills hidden all around the house. I have made it a habit to fill up the car whenever snow is forecast and I have a very well stocked pantry. I just need to have a little cash around for small emergencies. I have been very fortunate that I haven't been personally effected by area power outages do to weather and I make it a rule not to go out during snow storms. If it's a terror attack or thermo nuclear war I'm just planning on not surviving.

[TrixAre4Kids]

I keep a cash stash of $20's in the house.
Crone: you remember the windstorm and power failure we had about 5 years ago? My power was out for 4-5 days, thank god for camping equipment and gas hot water heaters. Anyway - the Safeway was open selling food (had a generator for lights) but it was cash only.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

We keep a cash stash in the house.... though sometimes we raid it to pay the pizza delivery guy! Our goal is to have $1,000 on hand ~ enough for me to have here and for my wonderful DH to take some with him if the military sends him off somplace. (I don't think we have quite that much on hand, I'd have to check.)

We do have a supply of potassium iodide tablets, hazmat suits, and masks that can withstand the avian flu on hand, as well. And a prety nifty "emergency tub" with all sorts of nifty things like a tent, machete, water purfication tablets, etc.

When it comes to being prepared, we're on the "overachiever" side of things. ;D

[TrixAre4Kids]

Molly - wow! My 'emergency tub' consists of my camping & hiking equipment and 4 cases of bottled water. Hazmat suits? Masks? Hmmm I do have the water purification tabs though, LOL

[cronewitch]

Crone: you remember the windstorm and power failure we had about 5 years ago?

Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=finance&action=display&thread=5043#ixzz1H5jWYpoJ

December 14th storm cost me a fortune. We didn't lose power but all our neighbors lost trees. We cut them up and brought home the wood for our woodstove. One tree was so big he needed to buy a bigger chainsaw. Then it was so big he couldn't lift the rounds so I bought him a wood splitter for Christmas.

We don't need electricity much we were out about all day last week. He has a generator in the camper so could run an extention cord to the pump in the basement or to the freezer in the garage. The woodstove will heat the house. I have a full pantry and freezer and could cook on the woodstove, I have a perk coffee maker and he loves coffee that was perked so that isn't a hardship. The generator is propane and almost out but we have a new one for the turkey fryer

[blackcard]

We keep about $5K on hand at all times. We up it to about $10K during hurricane season. We live in a hurricane zone. Last hurricane, no power, no ATM's, gas came from tanker trucks, food stores had no power or any way to use credit or debit cards, CASH only.

Just getting one huge tree off your house, costs at least 2K to 3K. Then there are the emergency repairs to roof, windows or walls. Or as you noted, cash to flee the scene of devistation. A few grand in cash can make a big difference

[lurkyloo]

Not to bag on the victims in Fukushima...but I was surprised to hear someone huddled within the 12-mile radius quoted as complaining about not being provided with gasoline to get out of there. I find it hard to believe that many people had cars, but not enough gas in them to drive 12 miles? The car we'd want to take if we were evacuating gets refilled by the time it's down to 3-4 gallons; that'd get us at least 75-100 miles (plus whatever lawnmower gas we have on hand). Even in heavy traffic that ought to get us out of the immediate danger zone.

I typically keep a couple hundred on hand--we have a housemate who reimburses me for some of our utility bills in cash; that's the source. It's low at the moment, though, and maybe a couple hundred isn't really high enough? I don't have specific emergency preparations; just the standard well-stocked pantry. Probably ought to get on that. (gets out her notepad and scrolls back to molly's post to start her list)

[TrixAre4Kids]

Mar 19, 2011 18:11:41 GMT -5 998fbird said:

This subject is discussed often over on Smart Spending, from how much to have on hand to where to hide the stash. My personal goal is to have $300 in small bills hidden all around the house. I have made it a habit to fill up the car whenever snow is forecast and I have a very well stocked pantry. I just need to have a little cash around for small emergencies. I have been very fortunate that I haven't been personally effected by area power outages do to weather and I make it a rule not to go out during snow storms. If it's a terror attack or thermo nuclear war I'm just planning on not surviving.

Hi 998bird, we gonna drag your glowing ass with us into the next epoch, just so's you know ;D

Now, which thread on SS do they talk about stashing emergency cash? I scanned the titles on the 1st three pages and didn't see anything obvious. Can you help?

[straydog]

A few hundred dollars in small bills, a few silver coins, a few cases of bottled water, some emergency candles and two battery powered lanterns (with extra batteries), a battery powered radio, and I usually stock up when things are on sale (coffee, crackers, pb&j etc.).

[princessleia]

I do keep $100 - $200 with me for emergency and a handful of american silver coins. My pantry and fridge is pretty well-stocked up most of the time and I also have abt 20 gallons of water plus juices. What I need to get next is a gas grill in the event of a lack of power so that I will still be able to have my coffee and get a little cooking done. Of course, I hope it will never come down to it.

[Regis]

Just whatever happens to be in my wallet and my wife's purse when we're home. Probably always less than $200.00.

I guess we could raid our kids' piggy banks if needed. ;D

[stats45]

I don't see how cash be that relevant unless the whole country lost power. Wouldn't you just drive to a place where your debit cards, etc. do work? If the entire country is without power or in a nuclear winter, I don't think any of this matters. Cash, gold, silver, etc. wouldn't be that useful in some 'end of the world' scenario. And again, if it isn't the end of the world, I think the cards will work.

Things like generators some gasoline, batteries, seeds, guns, and ammonition seem more practical if you really are concerned about a doomsday scenario. Food reserves might help you deal with shortages and price increases in the short term and water purification would probably be a good bet as well.

I always said this on the old 'Politics and Money' board (they seemed to have this discussion every day...), but in an awful, world-changing event, martial law would be enacted, and your plans would probably become irrevelant.

[gooddecisions]

"I don't see how cash be that relevant unless the whole country lost power. Wouldn't you just drive to a place where your debit cards, etc. do work?"

Hurricane Isabel did some pretty significant damage to my city in 2003. Power was out for at least 1-3 weeks, water treatment plants were out and gas was out too. Some stores and restaurants were open, but they were only able to accept cash.

There was no need for a mass exodus because the weather cleared up and was gorgeous (September in the mid-atlantic) and the flooded roads dried up. Sometimes it's not a doomsday scenario that makes you think about this stuff. It would be very inconvenient and time consuming to drive around until you happened upon a place that accepted a card.

ETA- I am not in a coastal city. This is not an area that gets hit with hurricanes, so pretty much nobody was prepared.

[whispering17]

I keep a couple hundred dollars in bills and a couple hunded dollars in coins. My emergency stash of items is sorely lacking as I read this thread. I have a first aid kit, matches, water, bleach, batteries, flash lights and canned food. I need to re-read these posts and make a list of what I'm missing.

[servant_of_dog]

Mar 19, 2011 16:32:39 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

I always have some cash but don't see much need even in a major emergency. If we needed to get out of town we probably couldn't because the roads would be full. Seattle is boxed in with mountains on one side and water on the other and cities at the ends. The freeways would be packed worse than rush hour in a snow storm, that can take about 20 hours to go 10 miles. I took about 5 last time my nephew took 22 just to get home from work. It would probably be quicker to take a boat and launch it then head across Puget Sound if that way was clear of danger. Bicycles or a motorcycle might work better than cars to evacuate and require less fuel and get through traffic better. I would probably just be safer to stay home elevation about 425ft so out of tsunami range.

This is so true. Even a full tank of gas is going to run out if you're sitting in gridlocked traffic for ten+ hours. We got about 2 inches of snow in Seattle one day last year, and traffic seized up. People abandoned their cars after sitting for over 8 hours. Seattlites are so odd. People fly down the highways at 70 mph during Iowa rainstorms with 5-0% visibility, but out here, motorists panic over mist and sun.
In the midwest, people can drive even in "weather".

[TrixAre4Kids]

Funny, I always see these posts from outsiders and shake my head. Um, you may have noticed all the hills around here? And you may have noticed it rains on occasion? That particular day, it was warm and raining, then the temp dropped and it started snowing. Then rush hour occurred. And as before (anybody else remember the Monday eve football game with the Seahawks playing and THAT snow/traffic jam? ).

Anyway to continue: Rain, then snow/freeze makes for 2 inches of solid ice in hilly terrain. Add rush hour traffic and you get a nightmare. I ended up spending the whole night at work the last time (Thanksgiving week). It's a little bit different driving on hills covered in solid ice than it driving on flatlands.

[stats45]

That is a good point gooddecision. I didn't think about that. I'm just used to hearing a lot more apocalpytic rhetoric than practical rhetoric lately.

[cronewitch]

Mar 20, 2011 13:06:17 GMT -5 TrixAre4Kids said:

Funny, I always see these posts from outsiders and shake my head. Um, you may have noticed all the hills around here? And you may have noticed it rains on occasion? That particular day, it was warm and raining, then the temp dropped and it started snowing. Then rush hour occurred. And as before (anybody else remember the Monday eve football game with the Seahawks playing and THAT snow/traffic jam? ).

Anyway to continue: Rain, then snow/freeze makes for 2 inches of solid ice in hilly terrain. Add rush hour traffic and you get a nightmare. I ended up spending the whole night at work the last time (Thanksgiving week). It's a little bit different driving on hills covered in solid ice than it driving on flatlands.

I knew it might snow so took my truck but it was low on gas. Everyone was leaving work early but it didn't look that bad and the one who was to answer phones left so I had to. I didn't leave really early but left about 4 instead of 4:30. It took me forever to get to the freeway. I wanted to go south but the northbound lanes were closed so the line of cars to the freeway wasn't moving. It was the mercer mess so one car every 5 lights to get on mercer. The freeway was moving fine so I drove a few off ramps then took an exit to get gas and took side streets home. They were moving one car per light packed bumper to bumper. An accident on the freeway stopped it for hours so while I was creeping home the freeway wasn't moving. My nephew and his wife got off work at 4 and home at 2AM in Auburn.

[servant_of_dog]

we keep cash on hand ~ just a few hundred dollars though. Small car, small dog, small cat.

[ysi]

I've been thinking about this since Japan. I watched a video on CNN about shelterbox.org which supplies emergency kits in plastic cartons that include a tent sleeping bag water treatment kit etc. Sounds like a worthwhile charity.

I think putting together one's own kit, if you have storage, is a good idea-copy from their list?

Short of wearing a money belt every day, purse is the logical location for cash on hand. I live in tornado country, one went thru just 3 blocks from me couple yrs ago. As a child we were on the highway during one-had to drive thru the town it destroyed afterwards to get home and I remember the trees and power lines down on our home street.

I could grab a purse, but anything more than that would take too much time. Like those tsunami people who ignored their sirens, I ignored our siren couple yrs ago with the tornado here-there had been so much cry wolf on local TV weather the last 10yrs I just said Bah! when I heard it go off. Next time I will head for the basement.

I definitely see the value of stored water. I can't count the number of times my water has been shut off with no notice here due to burst pipes, floods, tornadoes, etc. Each time I then went to the store to buy gallons of water for brushing teeth, bathing, cat, etc.

[DVM gone riding]

I have always kept some, usually 100-200 when I was poor. Now I try to make it closer to 500-1000. Somedays I think about more but I figure situations where more would be needed then money (US currancey) might be useless any way. Some times I think gold/silver coins would be a good idea but then I figure if it was that bad I needed that beans and bullets will be worth more

[DVM gone riding]

trixaire I remember that storm, it was horrible!! I happened to come home in the middle of it (from school) and told my parents I wish I hadn't since my house at school got power back after one day and we were out 3-4 days at my parents house. I can't remember what we did for food but we all camped out in the living room where the fire was. So many people died from Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Cash was definitely helpful then.

[The J]

Not really. I mean I have whatever cash I have on hand, but that's about it. If I can't get out of the area in which I live, I'm not really going to be able to get to places where I can use the cash anyway. If I can get somewhere, but I just can't use a credit card for quite some time, I have sources where I could get cash if necessary.