Do You Keep Cash on Hand? How Much?

[mpeirce]

> no one would ever find my hiding place

I wonder if cash hiding places are like password used to be - everyone thinks they have a great spot, but everyone uses the same ones.

And no, I'm not asking where you keep your stash along with the GPS coordinates of your house and when you might be away for a few hours

 

[WhoDaresWins]

> no one would ever find my hiding place

I wonder if cash hiding places are like password used to be - everyone thinks they have a great spot, but everyone uses the same ones.

And no, I'm not asking where you keep your stash along with the GPS coordinates of your house and when you might be away for a few hours

Well, I will spill the beans on where I keep my cash: An antique Limoges soup tureen in the hutch in my dining room. I have read that thieves head straight for the master bedroom as this is where most folks keep their small valuables.

 

[REWahoo]

Well, I will spill the beans on where I keep my cash: An antique Limoges soup tureen...

Isn't that where everybody keeps it?

After my FIL passed away, my BIL and I went on a 'treasure hunt' to locate where he'd stashed away some cash. He'd told my BIL he'd buried some money in the barn. We found it about a foot below the surface in what was definitely an antique (but not Limoges) soup tureen. $15K in $10's, $20's and $50's - some of the bills dated back to the 1950's.

 

[brewer12345]

Dad was a cash-basis small businessman for many years. He knows to the dollar how much a coffee can and a shoebox will hold if you fill it with 20s, 50s, or hundreds. As the executor of my parents' estate, I very much dread the necessary treasure hunt when the time comes.

 

[robnplunder]

Before you judge the "wealthy doctor" please know that he is a small businessman with significant overhead (probably 30-40% of total income). He needs to manage his income and expenses just as carefully as you do.

Sorry, Meadbh. I know my doctor very well as he has been boasting about his wealth. And 25 cents don't add up to price of a cup of coffee at the end of the month. He's just being miserly.

 

[Walt34]

I have read that thieves head straight for the master bedroom as this is where most folks keep their small valuables.

In most cases my experience is that is true. Nobody looks behind the cobweb-covered oil cans on a back shelf in the basement.

 

[Meadbh]

Sorry, Meadbh. I know my doctor very well as he has been boasting about his wealth. And 25 cents don't add up to price of a cup of coffee at the end of the month. He's just being miserly.

Well, in that case I have no sympathy for him.


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[WhoDaresWins]

In most cases my experience is that is true. Nobody looks behind the cobweb-covered oil cans on a back shelf in the basement.

And you would know of course Walt based on your career in law enforcement. Hmm. I have cobwebs galore in my garage, and a couple of rusty old fishing tackle boxes that would make good containers for valuables.

And I thought my soup tureen was such a clever and unique hiding spot until disabused of that notion by REWahoo!

 

[Meadbh]

The soup tureen is great until somebody decides to make soup. The garage would worry me: too easy for thieves to break in. The bedroom is too obvious. My mother's jewelry was robbed while she and my dad were out grocery shopping in broad daylight. The thieves knew exactly where to find it.

If I kept a stash of cash at home (which I do not) I would put it in my fireproof safe, which is quite heavy. They would have to jimmy the lock or get the safe out of the building. But I prefer to keep my cash in a bank. I do have a safety deposit box at the bank for other valuables.

 

[gozer]

Unless I am on the road, I never have more than $100. Plus whatever the couch cushions and coin trays in the cars can hold.

With cash back credit cards, I have begun doing everything with plastic. A long time ago I was embarrassed to use a CC for anything less than $20. Today, I would use the card for any amount without a second thought.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

The soup tureen is great until somebody decides to make soup. The garage would worry me: too easy for thieves to break in. The bedroom is too obvious. My mother's jewelry was robbed while she and my dad were out grocery shopping in broad daylight. The thieves knew exactly where to find it.

If I kept a stash of cash at home (which I do not) I would put it in my fireproof safe, which is quite heavy. They would have to jimmy the lock or get the safe out of the building. But I prefer to keep my cash in a bank. I do have a safety deposit box at the bank for other valuables.

Oh, I never use the antique soup tureen! I prefer to keep it perfect for when my son donates it to Goodwill after my demise (along with all of my other pretties).

I have not had a safety deposit box at the bank for years. Unless things have changed in PA, a bank box is locked for an audit for tax purposes after the demise of a person unless it is co-owned by a spouse.

 

[Meadbh]

Oh, I never use the antique soup tureen! I prefer to keep it perfect for when my son donates it to Goodwill after my demise (along with all of my other pretties).

 

[prudent_one]

Oh, I never use the antique soup tureen! I prefer to keep it perfect for when my son donates it to Goodwill after my demise (along with all of my other pretties).

I have not had a safety deposit box at the bank for years. Unless things have changed in PA, a bank box is locked for an audit for tax purposes after the demise of a person unless it is co-owned by a spouse.

PA eased up on the regs a few years ago. The state and the bank must be notified 7 days in advance of entry, but the state doesn't send anyone to witness. And it is no longer necessary for any bank employee, lawyer or CPA to witness it. An inventory must be provided in writing to the state within 20 days. A personal representative of the decedent can access the box and generate the inventory by him/herself. I would imagine if there is a non-spouse co-owner, it would be smart to have that person there as well. If the co-owner is the personal representative of the decedent, I guess it's a one-person operation.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

PA eased up on the regs a few years ago. The state and the bank must be notified 7 days in advance of entry, but the state doesn't send anyone to witness. And it is no longer necessary for any bank employee, lawyer or CPA to witness it. An inventory must be provided in writing to the state within 20 days. A personal representative of the decedent can access the box and generate the inventory by him/herself. I would imagine if there is a non-spouse co-owner, it would be smart to have that person there as well. If the co-owner is the personal representative of the decedent, I guess it's a one-person operation.

Thank you, prudent_one. It still sounds like a PITA to me. I will likely die a resident of PA, but I can very well understand why people with income/assets over a certain level take up residency in places like FL.

 

[Redbugdave]

Credit cards are convenient but leave a record for anyone having access legal or not to follow...cash does not...

 

[Car-Guy]

A couple times a year I have to load up on cash for my gambling trips. I do not like the feeling of having so much cash at home. But the feeling has been mitigated substantially since I purchased my "personal home protection device" along with several loaded clips.


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Wow, this sound so much like me it's scary.

 

[Mulligan]

Wow, this sound so much like me it's scary.

Well unfortunately as you know Car Guy, Vegas loves dealing in cash! I wish the sports books would take credit cards so I could lower the 10% vigorish with 1% cash back by using my CC....Well on second thought maybe not. When Im dealing in cash I am fully cognizant how much it's gonna hurt if I lose.


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[Toocold]

I carry less than $50 all the time. I prefer using the cc to track everything.

 

[tuixiu]

I keep about 5000 usd cash at home in a buried spot in the Back yard too. I like cash.

Okay so have you had the temptation to draw a map with an X on it and hide that somewhere too?

Like maybe put the map in an antique Limoges soup tureen.

 

[tuixiu]

S
I was affected by hurricane Sandy. Cash did no good because roads were blocked by trees, gas stations were not manned, and no power for quite awhile. What did good was being prepared with food and water, so that one could shelter peacefully in place for a few days. That's pretty typical in a natural disaster.

I was thinking about this one day and took stock, I think we could probably go a couple weeks from our cupboard. We buy on sale so almost always a ton of canned goods jammed in there, along with stuff like big bag of rice, pasta, boxes of instant whatever. Also usually plenty of fruits/veggies in the fridge that could be salvaged and be good for awhile.

Water would probably be a bigger concern after a few days, maybe get from nearby lake and boil on gas grill.

 

[brewer12345]

Water would probably be a bigger concern after a few days, maybe get from nearby lake and boil on gas grill.

It is pretty easy to have a stash of water. Buy single gallons when you grocery shop, or get something like the 55 gallon water storage drums that Costco sells.

 

[tuixiu]

Yep we buy the gallon sized, that is why I was thinking probably good for a few days if no more water. I read somewhere the fridge runs more efficiently when full so usually 3-4 gallons of water in there, unless heavy beer drinking friends coming over and need the space.

 

[LitGal]

Checked my wallet: $24 and some change. That's pretty typical.

I pull about $100/wk. from the ATM for errands, gas, etc. Usually left with just a few bucks in my wallet.

That's driven my husband crazy for 35 years; he says I'll never be ready for an emergency. But I've gotten better. Before we got married, I ran around with about 2 bucks.

(During the school year I never had time to spend any money, other than writing some checks at the grocery store.)

(It was a habit that just kind of "happened" in my twenties, when I wanted to save $ for traveling in the summers. Most savings went into traveler's checks. I'd come home with enough $ for a month, and waited for the first paycheck of the school year. Then I'd start the 2 buck habit again, prepping for the next summer's trip.)

 

[gozer]

Yep we buy the gallon sized, that is why I was thinking probably good for a few days if no more water. I read somewhere the fridge runs more efficiently when full so usually 3-4 gallons of water in there, unless heavy beer drinking friends coming over and need the space.

Remember, beer is mostly water. So you can kill two birds with one beverage.

 

[Walt34]

Remember, beer is mostly water. So you can kill two birds with one beverage.

Plus, it's more efficient if you can stack the cans on top of each other and fill the space as here or lie bottles on their sides as here.