Don't keep your money in your mattress

Her mother must be furious! I would be.

But, no worries - - in my case, my money that isn't invested is stuffed into a money market account instead of into my mattress. It earns about the same interest (nearly nothing).

Actually, I have been thinking of taking out some cash to keep around the house since I have none, at present. That way if someone breaks in and demands my money I would have something to give him, so that hopefully I would not be shot dead for holding back. Kind of a gruesome reason to keep money around the house, though. Crime here is just over the top.
 
Talk about not sleeping well the rest of your life. If another 9-11 were to occur the banks could be out of commission for several days and ATM's would not work. Cash is King in times like that and a small stash of cash might get you and the family/loved ones to safety. Food, water and fuel might be at a premium. Last week I stashed $1500 in the bsmt rafters, small bills, just for such a scenario. W2R you will find Mo much quieter, slower, and safer. There are still places in the US where you can leave the door unlocked and keys in the car although I don't live in one of them.
 
I think we should keep cash representing at least 2 months of our usual cash usage in our homes to cover for usual expenses paid by cash. Having seen runs on banks where the ATM's have run out of cash or have too long queues, I think making sure you have some spare liquidity stashed somewhere is important. Also, I've experience where I forgotten my ATM passwords and have to stretch my dollar over the weekend until the banks open. It happened only once but sometimes it just take one time to learn a lesson.
 
A Problem with Stuffing Money in the Mattress

Tel Aviv search for mattress containing $1M life savings - CNN.com

A woman in Tel Aviv, Israel, gave her elderly mother a new mattress as a surprise gift, throwing out the old tattered bed her mother had slept on for decades. The gesture ended up bankrupting Annat's mother, who had stuffed her savings of nearly $1 million inside her old bed for decades,
 
Want2retire said:
Crime here is just over the top.
Click to expand...

Just another occasion for a song...
Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun

Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain

Folk Ballad - Anon. Author - Popularized by The Animals
​
YouTube - The Animals - House of the Rising Sun (1964)


​
 
ratface said:
Talk about not sleeping well the rest of your life. If another 9-11 were to occur the banks could be out of commission for several days and ATM's would not work. Cash is King in times like that and a small stash of cash might get you and the family/loved ones to safety. Food, water and fuel might be at a premium. Last week I stashed $1500 in the bsmt rafters, small bills, just for such a scenario.
Click to expand...
There's a big difference between having a hidden stack of $20s to help you get through (potentially) a period of social upheaval (if it's not enough to cause extreme pain if lost, stolen or burned up in a fire) and a million bucks in the mattress.
 
Want2retire said:
Actually, I have been thinking of taking out some cash to keep around the house since I have none, at present. That way if someone breaks in and demands my money I would have something to give him, so that hopefully I would not be shot dead for holding back. Kind of a gruesome reason to keep money around the house, though. Crime here is just over the top.
Click to expand...
I've actually done that with some of our valuables and collectibles. I have a fairly well-hidden safe where most of the stuff is, but I have just enough (a few hundred dollars worth) in an unlocked drawer that if a burglar found it, they might assume this is all of it and leave the rest alone.
 
Moscyn said:
I think we should keep cash representing at least 2 months of our usual cash usage in our homes to cover for usual expenses paid by cash. Having seen runs on banks where the ATM's have run out of cash or have too long queues, I think making sure you have some spare liquidity stashed somewhere is important. Also, I've experience where I forgotten my ATM passwords and have to stretch my dollar over the weekend until the banks open. It happened only once but sometimes it just take one time to learn a lesson.
Click to expand...

Yep, I know what you mean. I also keep cash representing at least 2 months of our usual cash usage ..., but that amounts to $0.00. That's right, we don't use cash. Since I use credit cards for everything, all I have to remember is how to sign my name.

And who cares if the banks are out of commission or even if credit cards don't work? You simply drive out of the affected area to a place that all these things work. Simple.
 
LOL! said:
And who cares if the banks are out of commission or even if credit cards don't work? You simply drive out of the affected area to a place that all these things work. Simple.
Click to expand...
Assuming you get there before you run out of gas with no way to pay for more...
 
Want2retire said:
What if all you want is, say, a container of Tic-Tacs? :)
Click to expand...
I'm a nearly all credit card user too. My way of avoiding the little things like the above is to keep track of what I'm running out of, and get them when I make a Target or WalMart run, or if they're on sale during one of those runs, I'll stock up. With some planning and organization, I rarely make a small purchase.
 
Kronk said:
I once put a $0.69 bag of hot dog rolls on my credit card because I didn't feel like bothering with cash. Credit cards work for purchases big and small....
Click to expand...

I guess my "dying of embarrassment" threshold is a bit low... :blush: :LOL:
 
ziggy29 said:
Assuming you get there before you run out of gas with no way to pay for more...
Click to expand...

Which happened to a lot of people a couple of years ago here in Houston... but then again, the gas stations ran out of gas...
 
Texas Proud said:
Which happened to a lot of people a couple of years ago here in Houston... but then again, the gas stations ran out of gas...
Click to expand...
Yep -- I remember it well. I lived in Houston when Rita was approaching. It was nuts. By using a lot of little-known side roads, we got to Austin in less than five hours.
 
But despite being unable to retrieve the mattress and its hidden fortune, "Anat" appeared philosophical about her loss.

"People have to take everything in proportion and thank God for the good and the bad," she said.

Easy for Anat to say.

There has been no comment from her mother.

Momma is probably planning the demise of Anat.
 
Want2retire said:
What if all you want is, say, a container of Tic-Tacs? :)
Click to expand...
I charge it. So far my lowest charge amount has been 2 cents. That leaves lots of room to go even lower.
 
Texas Proud said:
Which happened to a lot of people a couple of years ago here in Houston... but then again, the gas stations ran out of gas...
Click to expand...
Since I live near Houston, I must say I had no sympathy for the folks who ran out of gas. Everybody knows to have a full tank of gas BEFORE the hurricane comes to town. And most folks know not to get stuck on the evacuation routes.
 
LOL! said:
Since I live near Houston, I must say I had no sympathy for the folks who ran out of gas. Everybody knows to have a full tank of gas BEFORE the hurricane comes to town. And most folks know not to get stuck on the evacuation routes.
Click to expand...

Katrina hit early on the morning of Monday, August 29th, 2005. At 2:30 AM on Sunday, August 28th, we hit the road.

It was great, as far as traffic goes (hideous, as far as serenity goes but that's another matter). The previous day it had been all jammed up with traffic, and the same was true by 6 AM that morning in New Orleans, but it was fine at 2:30 AM. I guess that by 2:30 AM the "night people" had already left... but the "early morning" people were not up yet. Anyway, we went at 60-65 mph, albeit bumper to bumper, all the way across New Orleans and then up 59N. Smooth sailing all the way, with contra-flow in place which also helped a lot.

We did the same for Gustav, and other storms. Leaving at 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning seems to work out really well for us. I don't like being stuck in traffic with a storm bearing down on me.

And naturally, I get gas a couple of days before evacuating (to avoid the lines at the pumps).
 
I guess I should be happy that I don't know anyone who would surprise me with a gift worth several hundred dollars
 
Money in mattress

Geez. I'm getting worried. I am going to make sure I keep the gas tanks on both cars filled and also get more cash out of the bank. Tomorrow if possible. Instead of the mattress, I will hide my hoard in the antique soup tureen in the kitchen. I have read that thieves head first for the master bedroom...that's where the money and jewelry is.
 
LOL! said:
...And who cares if the banks are out of commission or even if credit cards don't work? You simply drive out of the affected area to a place that all these things work. Simple.
Click to expand...
Ah, a person who has never experienced a Nor'easter or a state wide ice storm. :nonono:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nor'easter

In cold weather, I keep several hundreds of dollars in cash on hand. When we get snowed on, in the range of feet within 24 hours, there is no going anywhere. We keep several full 5 gallon tanks of gas on hand (outside storage) also for the generator and at least a face cord of hardwood for the 2 fireplaces. Water is easy - 2 cases of bottled water and a few gallon jugs, or melt some snow if really desperate.
 
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