Checking accounts and debit cards are not common here...this is still a cash based society, although in the 7-11s and AM/PMs you can swipe your cell phone to pay. We typically get about $3000-4000 from the bank each month depending on expected expenses that month. About $1000 goes into an account to pay utilities, cell phones, gym fees, etc, that are automatically withdrawn. About $1000, goes into an envelope marked "costco" for the once a month trek, and the rest is for everyday expenses. We each keep a $100 bill and its local equivalent as emergency money, tucked between the photos in our wallets. We also have a piggy bank into which all $5 equivalent coins go (about $600 in there right now) for special purposes. I also have several hundred Euros, several hundred swiss francs, 20 or 30 british pounds, some Singapore dollars, Hong Kong Dollars, etc, hanging around because I travel alot. I also "time the market" to buy dollars for our trips. I have about $3200 tucked away from January or so when the exchange rate was 90 yen to the dollar (it was 98 yesterday, so it was good timing).
When we move back to the states, I intend to have several thousand in various hiding places around the house that I will make sure DW and at least one of the kids knows and knows not to touch except for in emergencies. I am also beginning to prepare an "in case of death" file, which will be kept in a safe or safe deposit box at a bank, that will have the locations and amounts recorded. The bills will be small, $20 and less. Another poster said that only the un-prepared needed cash (during the hurricane or whatever). I have made a bit of a hobby studying emergency preparedness and I would counter that if you do not have any cash, you ARE NOT prepared. If you only have large bills, you are only prepared to pay big bucks when a lot less would be sufficient.
Just my two cents.
R
