r/preppers • u/SebWilms2002 • 8d ago
Prepping for Tuesday $400 EDC Cash reasonable? (Gas, provisions, favors)
In the event that debit/credit/POS/internet goes down, having some cash on hand can be a life saver. Many businesses aren’t even equipped to handle purely offline cash only sales, unfortunately, but some are. The amount will of course depend on individual needs and circumstances, but for me I’ve arrived at a flat $400. It is not so much money that I’m afraid of losing it or being robbed, but enough for a full tank of gas, emergency provisions, and any small service/favor I might need.
- What is your current EDC cash amount, and what do you think is ideal?
- How do you carry cash? All in the wallet, or some concealed?
- What is the ideal denomination split?
- Lastly, other than emergencies, what are other reasons to carry cash? For me, I can’t pass by a garage sale. I gotta stop every time. I also very much prefer to tip in cash, even though I pay with card.
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u/FrontHome4792 8d ago
My wallet holds maybe 60 bucks on a good day, the rest is in a zippered pocket inside my bag flattened out of sight. I keep it mostly in fives and tens because nobody ever has change when you actually need it. Garage sales and cash tips are the only reason I still carry any physical money at all
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
Fair, I always assume any cash transaction might need to be exact change. So I try to keep a a decent split of smaller bills.
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u/pbmadman 8d ago
I have $50 stashed in each vehicle, I get $100 out of atm each time I dip below $40 in my wallet. At home I have several hundred dollars in $5’s.
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u/Swamp_Baron 8d ago
$500 in hundreds and fifties in my wallet. Enough to bribe a tow truck driver to something sketchy to recover my car or to convince almost anyone to give me a lift.
Emergencies away from home 95% of the time involve getting yourself home.
If cash is uncertain, a roll of Franklin Halves in the truck to help seal the deal.
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u/dachjaw 8d ago
I would be interested in a roll of Franklin halves but I doubt many Americans would appreciate their value.
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u/Swamp_Baron 6d ago
Franklins because they are different enough and easy to explain silver content. 1964 Kennedys don't look different enough and walking liberties look too different
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u/TheDev1ce 8d ago
I have two kids in high school. My cash disappears as fast as I pull it out...
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u/MyLollipopJam 8d ago
Don't pull it out.
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u/billy_bob68 8d ago
I always keep a couple hundred bucks + on me. Two hundreds and usually eighty to one twenty in smaller bills. I'm a self employed plumber and go to the dump a lot and paying in cash with the exact amount gets me out a lot quicker. I've been in situations where credit cards weren't working and having cash for diesel or gas has made the difference between getting home or not. I also like to keep 5-10k in my gun safe at home with at least 2k in small bills. 2008 was a hard lesson for people like me.
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u/Only-Location2379 8d ago
I would say 1000 bucks would be enough to do quite a lot though if it's edc then I wouldn't feel comfortable with much more than 200 on me. It's statically more likely you'll get robbed than a cash only emergency that you need more than 200 bucks for
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
I’m surprised! I don’t carry hundreds. I carry two 50s, and a bunch of 20s, 10s and 5s. I assume, if using cash, that there will not be perfect change so there will be rounding up or down. Carrying two 50s isn’t much more inconvenient than a single 100 so I can’t justify carrying a 100.
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u/PhantomNomad 8d ago
To many places in Canada don't take 100s. They don't want counterfeit bills and 100s are the most common.
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u/Rubic13 8d ago
Same here in America, including the 50. I don't even bother with those bills to be honest. Though I only carry 200ish cash for w/e and emergencies.
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u/PhantomNomad 8d ago
I almost never carry cash any more. I took out 300 this morning but we are going on a trip and I always like to have some cash on me.
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u/TriggerAlter 8d ago
Depends on financial situation.
When I was 'up' I would carry nothing less than a £1k on me at all times.
Nowadays I'm carrying £0 - £20 cuz I'm broke.
Cash is king and will save you a lot of headache in grid down scenario.
Regardless carry what your comfortable losing on EDC. In SHTF its different scenario altogether (meaning you cannot afford to lose them notes so stash it on your body/clothing properly).
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
1000 GBP seems excessive, what was your reasoning?
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u/TriggerAlter 8d ago
Just incase I ran into any issues with paying via card back then as I had huge issues with my personal banking and mostly relying on other people to pay via card for me in card only places (I would slide them cash after they tapped card for me).
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u/CCWaterBug 7d ago
400 is plenty. .however...
When we were hit by a hurricane cat 4... I had just under 2k in cash at home, by the beginning of day 3 I needed more. (Debris cleanup and downed trees were costly)
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u/PetroInvest3 8d ago
$200 in small-ish bills. If all you have is big bills and nobody can make change, a $50.00 for a loaf of bread might be all you can do. Plus, some rolls I of coins at home. If I think things were going to get bad I would bump all those numbers up even though I'm sure others would try to do so as well. That is one place being a hard core prepper gives each of us a big advantage - less need to scramble to make it thru a short-term emergency.
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u/Fancy_Sun_1585 8d ago
EDC? $10 gas money. I think $1k cash on hand in the house is a good idea.
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u/dachjaw 8d ago
Long ago I gave my daughter $10 for emergency gas money but today that buys only two gallons. You should at minimum have enough to fill your tank.
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u/Fancy_Sun_1585 8d ago
2 gallons is 40+ miles that’s more than enough for my day to day to get me home.
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u/LastEntertainment684 8d ago
I settled on having at least one month of expenses in cash available.
Somewhat arbitrary, but financial planners often recommend keeping 6 months expenses in savings, so I figured:
-one month cash
-one month gold/silver
-at least 4 months in a HYSA
Obviously it’s a your mileage may vary kind of thing. Even a few hundred dollars squirreled away probably puts you ahead of the average person nowadays.
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u/Artistic-Salary1738 8d ago
I’m worried about losing it, so I don’t exceed $60 in my bag, but do keep a garage sale fund in the house since I don’t use Venmo or anything like that which doubles as cash flow emergency. I may adjust up if I’m going somewhere I expect doesn’t take card.
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u/DeafHeretic 8d ago edited 8d ago
When I go into town, most of the time it is with a money belt that has mostly $100 bills in it, and sometimes $20s. I also have one or two $100 bills inside my phone case, maybe a $100 bill in my wallet and smaller bills ($20 & $5). That usually amounts to $1K or more.
These are for emergencies when I am away from home - if the grid goes down and I have no internet access, all of my bills will be paid automatically via credit card or bank transfer. If banks can't communicate via internet/etc., then trying to pay cash won't work anyway - the only thing cash will be good for will be POS purchases, not for paying my mortgage or other bills.
The on hand cash is also for when I want to buy something in person from a non-retail seller; e.g., used car parts, or whatever that somebody has advertised on FB MP or similar forum. I usually get that cash from an ATM, but sometimes the total exceeds what the ATM will dispense per day. I sometimes use Zelle or even a wire transfer (I bought a pickup two states away with a wire transfer once I had flown to the location, checked out the PU and agreed to buy it).
If SHTF so bad that cash is useless, then that is whole other scenario (which is why I am setup with shelter, spare food, water and fuel).
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u/Oldandhalfdead 7d ago
Sweden is more or less cashless so its hard to use bills but i usually have 1000kr on me its about 100 US dollars.
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u/K_A_irony 8d ago
It varies. I keep enough for a full tank of gas in each car. When we travel we do more and we honestly have used $400 once when we had to go all the way to plan D once on vacation (Plan A plane and shuttle bus to our rented cabin, Plan B rental car when plane arrived late, Plan C taxi to cabin when no rental cars, Plan D cash when taxi couldn't swipe our credit card due to a signal issue).
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u/User_225846 8d ago
Usually carry $100 or so, and keep another 50 or 100 tucked away in one of the more hidden pockets of wallet for emergencies. Have used it a few times for when the gas station card reader is down, or when I stumble on a good deal.
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u/Panthean 8d ago
To be that's a good amount.
While the common wisdom is to not carry much cash, to me it's worth it to carry some just incase. I spent many years very broke, and over those years there were many times where I dearly wished I had cash on me. It has come in handy more than a few times.
I like to keep some smaller bills for change/smaller purchases, 5 $20s, and at least 4 $100s.
I'm the type of person who does not lose my wallet, so really my only risk is getting robbed, though I'd be more upset about having to replace my cards and ID than losing the cash.
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u/Suspicious-Agent8932 8d ago
It’ll take a while for people to take cash, anytime we’ve lost power no one can do a thing about processing to even open drawers. Many clerks simply can’t do the math without the scanner or pictures.
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u/saposguy 8d ago
My family and I were stuck in Baja after a hurricane. We needed cash, luckily I had paid my sister my share in cash. Literally saved our lives. Now I carry a couple hundred in 5s, 10s, and 20s. There is another 2 grand hidden.
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u/AmosTali Realistic prepper 8d ago
Stash Cash? $50 in small bills (1’s & 5’s) in my truck along with $20 of change (mostly quarters). In left wallet (main) a couple of $100’s folded behind ID, right wallet (cards - yes I carry 2 wallets) 4-$50’s folded behind secondary ID. Right wallet is also “money wallet” so there’s usually $150-$250 cash there (in addition to stash). I still use mainly cash - and am selective on what gets carded. In Gun safe there probably $2500. In the other safes there’s probably an additional $7500.
In the event debit/credit/POS/internet goes down cash prices will likely go up — OP’s $400 will likely become $100-200 of buying power….
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u/PricedOut4Ever 8d ago
We keep about $5k in small bills. Last time I counted it was around $4,500. Prep is for major power/grid/internet outage. Also stories of how inaccessible cash was during 2000 in Argentina.
I don’t use cash that often, but any time I break a $20 all the change goes into that bag. It also “helps” that we use Schwab for checking. So, we don’t have any atm fees to withdraw worldwide but we also don’t have a way to deposit cash.
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u/theskipper363 8d ago
I always carry at least 100-200$, when I get to 100$ I pull out another hundred.
Keeping cash at home is a much safer option
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u/Don_Q_Jote 8d ago
About 100 in my wallet most of the time. 150 stashed in the car in a safe place. 500 in a grab-and-go bag at home. Small bills, mix of 20-5-1’s.
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u/Maleficent_Mix_8739 Prepared for 2+ years 8d ago
$400 would barely cover a tank of gas, a carton of smokes and two meals on the road for me, so no.
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u/bagmorgels 8d ago
How big is your tank!?!!?
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
To be fair my vehicle has a 27 gallon tank, so in a world with Iran/Russia bullshit it can be expensive to fill a tank. For me, current worst case is like $120 for a full tank, which still leaves me $280. But $400 not covering gas, smokes, and two meals is pretty insane. Not sure what the guy is on about.
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u/Maleficent_Mix_8739 Prepared for 2+ years 8d ago
2005 Ford Excursion 4x4 turbo diesel…..40 gallons.
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
So how much is your ideal? I don’t, personally, consider a carton of smokes as emergency provisions. Likewise I wouldn’t consider a bottle of whisky a necessity. But if that’s your need, thats your need.
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u/Maleficent_Mix_8739 Prepared for 2+ years 8d ago
I don’t leave the driveway with less than $2k.
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u/4Yk9gop 8d ago
I don't leave the driveway with less than 50k, what if I need to buy a car when I'm out and about?
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u/DeafHeretic 8d ago
Wire transfer is the safest way - that is what I use. I am not going to be carrying that much cash; LEOs/TSA love it when they discover large amounts of cash like that; they confiscate it and they you have to sue to get it back.
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u/Ryan_e3p Salt & Prepper 8d ago
Oh, you poor, pitiful commonfolk. Carrying anything less than enough to purchase a yacht, I don't even get out of bed for.
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u/TSiWRX 8d ago
The amount will of course depend on individual needs and circumstances....
^ This, +1 all day.
What's needed for someone who lives in a major metro area where the everyday necessities can cost a little bit more will be quite a different from someone who lives in an area where the costs aren't so high.
Ditto considerations for whether if that person is single, or has a family (and what reserves their partner/spouse -or adult children- may bring into the equation, too). And onto this is layered any special concerns: e.g. are there medications that must be refilled from time-to-time? how about the same for your pets?
There's not really a set amount, I feel, that anyone *should* have. Rather, they should review what the needs are based on their own situation, and prepare accordingly.
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u/Dacklar 8d ago
1,5,10 dollar bills
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u/dachjaw 8d ago
1, 5, 20.
Each denomination should be 4-5 times larger than the next smaller.
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u/DeafHeretic 8d ago
I rarely carry ones (I have a couple in my car); they don't even buy something from the dollar store anymore; everything there is at least a $1.25 now.
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u/no_id_never 8d ago
I lean in a little harder and keep a lot of cash in small bills. I do this because my blended family has a lot of kids, and they specifically do not carry cash. I remind them that some cash in the car is essential, because stuff happens. Baby steps. If the financial systems go off line due to power, or some attack, I keep enough cash around to run my house, and theirs too. Personally, when I travel for work, I always carry enough money to convince someone to drive me all the way home. 9/11 shut down every bit of our airline travel. I have not forgotten that lesson. Everything came to a halt. All my preps are pointless if I cannot get home to them.
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u/Helpful_Implement642 8d ago
I keep a portion of my emergency fund in hard cash, and part of that is in a go-bag. It’s more than $400. enough to get a plane flight anywhere in the country (or out of it), or to purchase a means of self defense, or a week in a crappy motel. I don’t keep it on my person though, considering how bulky it would be to carry, and how easy it would be for a mugger to run off with it. If I’m far enough away from home that I might reasonably need get-home money, it’s either in a go-bag or in my luggage, depending.
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u/Agitated-Season-4709 8d ago
...a dingy looking Altoids tin in the glove box, under the car manuals and registration/tag junk, will hold enough...
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u/krustyy 8d ago
20 years ago we used to keep $200 in cash on hand in an emergency piggy bank. Every few years we have briefly dipped into it just because we needed some cash that day and didn't want to go to the bank yet. Maybe 7-8 years ago we upped that to $1000 because of economy and having kids.
We also have $1000 in a bug out bag.
I normally have at least $100 on me but that kind of varies based on how many facebook marketplace deals I've gone through hocking my old shit to clear up the house. I rarely use cash so it kind of accumulates.
And, of course, we have our emergency fund, which we've been dipping into for an entire year at this point due to unemployment and a shit economy.
If some crazy emergency came up and I needed to survive for a week without using credit or digital currency, I'd probably need $100 in gas, $500 for a cheap motel, and maybe $100 for the cheapest food available. If we had to leave without clothes and needed a wardrobe change that would pretty much use up $1000.
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u/getapuss 7d ago
If you live near the borders of Canada or Mexico it does not hurt to keep some of their currency on hand, too.
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u/Efficient_Wing3172 7d ago
I have some money in my wallet, some in my pocket and some in my phone case. $400 is a good amount, just don’t keep it in one place.
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u/TattoodDad256 7d ago
Any cash is better then nothing. I have 3 to 4 grand in mostly 20s but a few hundred in fives and 10s. I worry I don't have enough, and at times take cash out of my stash since I live a few hrs from my bank. Like I had wood delivered today and he only took cash so I took 800 out of my stash and I'll put it back next time I'm near the bank. It's hard to put a number on it because it all depends on what event happens and the time it will take to recover. Generally speaking the worse the event the more cash you'd need. I also have a ton of stuff to barter because if the event lasts long enough then it'll be useless and barter would be the better currency. Bottem line is put away whatever you can afford and try to create redundancy with other items or skills you could learn.
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u/Adorable_Dust3799 7d ago
I have a cash box with a bundle of each type of bill and a roll of each coin. It's come in handy many times.
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u/Dismal_Purchase_3324 7d ago
My wife and I both each carry $111 in our wallets. Mostly use it to pay for things at the flea market or yard sales, etc. but we refill it immediately after every use because it's really meant for when there's a short power outage in our area that takes down the Internet. Our area has the utility company right next door, but the infrastructure is pretty old and it storms often here, so there's very frequent power outages that get restored pretty quickly. The $111 isn't meant for a SHTF scenario because I don't think money will help you much in that kinda situation, and instead I stay prepared by always having my go bag on me at all times, and my car always has supplies that will help me get by for a few days if need be, just enough to slowly make my way home in an emergency
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u/The_Brightness 7d ago
Day in and day out, I keep $1, $5, $10, $20 and $100 in my wallet and another set of the same in my truck. I also keep one roll of quarters in my truck and one in my desk at work. The scenarios I keep cash for are: if I need/want something from a vending machine; for a tip if I don't want to put it on a card for some reason or if someone else picks up the check and I can't leave the tip on a card; to buy a full tank of gas; to pay for a meal for our family of 4. The quarters in the truck came from times when I was scrounging for tolls or parking meters. Might not be necessary anymore but I like having them.
We keep a money box "full" and refill out of that as needed. I'd dip more out of that if something came up that caused me to need more.
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u/Bulky-Pineapple-5639 7d ago
Good topic! San Diego lost power years ago. The utility used electricity to pressurize the gas lines, with no back up, so once the pressure went low, generators failed including the hospitals.
Gas pumps didn’t work or any banking service.
I was fortunate enough to have cash in small denominations so I grabbed what I could from the grocery store and saw many people that didn’t understand why whey couldn’t use their card. I heard some places took a check but I don’t know who it was.
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u/txanarchy 6d ago
I keep a $100 on me as emergency "I forgot my wallet" money. I know I should carry more but it flies out of my account faster than I can earn it.
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u/Remarkable_Ad5011 6d ago
I usually keep 25-150 in my pocket. And two $100 bills folded up behind my ID in my wallet. Rarely keep any other cash in my wallet.
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u/PushyTom 6d ago
$100 in each get home bag (2), $150 in each car (2), $2,500 in the house, for a total of $3,000.
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u/monetteb2 6d ago
It's probably worth owning a decent amount of silver or gold bullion as well, to be honest.
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u/Deserteach 5d ago
Large bills will not be useful. Whatever amount you have it should be in small bills. In the US nothing larger than a twenty.
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u/bardwick 5d ago
Everything about this question depends on the amount of time you're talking. A day or two, maybe. Not sure "live saver" is the right phrase, since it would only solve mild inconveniences.
If you're talking more than a couple days, then actual money would have very little if any value.
The "why" of this question is extremely important. If there is no internet, then there is no information. There's no cell services, no news, little policing, all logistics cease meaning that fuel, food, etc all become exceedingly limited in a short span of time. Without internet, hospitals would be immediately overwhelmed since they couldn't access patient records, send prescriptions, or admitting without using a paper process. A couple days.
"the internet" being down for an extended period is a nightmare scenario that I think is oft under estimated. Everything stops.
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u/paulflies 5d ago
Man you guys are light. $400 does not seem like enough to me. Think about what a taxi would cost to get home from work, then think about that on a day it is hitting the fan.
Maybe I’m nuts but I keep a paycheck worth of cash in my pocket. I also have nice broken in walking shoes in the get home tub.
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u/Obvious_astronaughty 3d ago
Food for thought. A few decades ago I was young and with my mom and grandma at the time about an 1.5 from home maybe a solid 40 miles and a blackout happened. The gas station and all surrounding areas already had been full of people trying to get gas. We were below below the red zone on e. The only thing we could get was a gallon of gas for $80. And that was nearly 20 years ago. I keep that in mind for if something goes down and I need cash on hand these days.
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u/rmesic 2d ago
Generally recommend enough to fill your vehicle tank twice and put up in a hotel and buy food for three to five days.
Bonus if you have enough for a shopping trip to get a coat and some fresh clothes and other supplies depending on the circumstance - you might want to get repair or clean up supplies on the way back, but credit cards may be working by then.
Best if you top out at $50 bills because some places won't take larger - except you can probably pay hotel in $100s. Basically load up on $5 bills until space is a problem then go with $20s for the rest.
Best to keep your funds in separate containers so you don't risk theft of all at once. Like once you start to move out, put some in the wallet, some in the inside jacket pocket, some in the front pocket.
But yes, $400 is reasonable if you can make that stretch for 3 to 5 days.
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u/Sel_drawme Bring it on 8d ago
Like $20. I’m not crying more than that on my person.
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u/SebWilms2002 8d ago
Why $20?
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u/Fancy_Sun_1585 8d ago
Don’t carry more than you’re ok getting mugged for
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u/Hoplophilia 7d ago
This, but $100 in 20s. Generally. It fluctuates obviously but I don't feel comfortable with much more or less. Like others have said, my SHTF money is somewhat dispersed, and still not a fortune.
I'm admittedly not prepared for the situation where not having more than a hundo is the reason I can't GH.
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u/nakedonmygoat 8d ago
I wouldn't take more than $50 with me for normal daily activities, if that much. But I don't have a lot of daily activities that require spending money. I see no need for more than $100 overall.
I've been through three hurricanes, two major floods, numerous shorter-lived floods, and a multi-day ice storm. Never did I have a need for cash. You can't go anywhere while a disaster is ongoing. In the immediate aftermath, nothing is open. Once places start to reopen, most would rather you pay by card because until the banks reopen, they can't replenish their tills to make change.
It's better to spend your money on prepping so you don't need to go to a store.
Gas pumps run on electricity, so if the power is out, you're not getting gas. If a gas station has working pumps but isn't taking cards, have enough cash to top off the tank until you can get where you're going. That amount will vary by person. But in an evacuation scenario, the place you're going should be all systems normal. $100 in mostly 5s, 10s and 20s should be sufficient upon arrival. Hotels don't take cash, so showing up with hundreds of dollars would be pointless.
It's also nearly impossible to pay your bills in cash. You can't just knock on the door of your mortgage holder or the power company and hand them a wad of bills. Anything other than credit cards or electronic bank transfers requires its own network of communications and transfers. And if all of that is working, doing it the usual way is probably going to work too.
What I do think is useful though, is having one's money in more than one bank, and maybe also a credit union and other fund sources one can draw from. That way if there's a problem at your usual bank, you can still access other funds while the mess at the first bank gets sorted out.
But if it's the end of the world and all comms are down everywhere, no one is coming to foreclose your house, no one is coming to shut off your nonexistent power, and absolutely no one wants your little pieces of paper.
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u/flobbley 8d ago
I try to keep $40 on me but often end up using it and forgetting to replace it. I'm having a hard time imagining a scenario where I'd need $400 on my person, certainly the scenarios you talk about are reasonable but I keep ~$1000 cash at my home for that.
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u/gitfid21 8d ago
Imagine you live in the areas of SE USA during and after hurricane. Imagine no electricity, debit or credit cards working for days. I’ve lived it, so easy to imagine. All it takes is another telecom failure/hack, and a few hundred dollars is an awesome thing. Also imagine having to outbid someone else with cash for the last item, that you need.
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u/flobbley 8d ago
Yeah I can imagine that but like I said that's what I have cash at home for
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u/gitfid21 8d ago
I pray you’re always able to make it home. Impacts like that also come with traffic backups and running out of gas in line or traffic. I hope you always keep your tank well above half.
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u/Mountain-League1297 8d ago
Enough for a tank of gas, maybe a smidge more. Carrying more than that invites theft.
Think about it. I am at the gas station and pull out my wallet to pay the teller with my debit card. I leave. Guy behind me sees the fat wad of bills and casually puts down the energy drink, like he decided he didn't want it, and follows me out. I get robbed and I'm out $400.
We have cash at home for emergencies and a tank of gas will get us as far as we need to get to our cash. You can put a stash in your bug out bag too, but please don't, especially in a city, carry a large amount of cash on you!
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u/Dmau27 8d ago
This is the best answer. Keep $500-$1,000 at home and keep $80 on your person. The $80 will get you what you need to get home and $1k should be plenty to keep you going in most bad situations.
I think it comes down to what you can afford too, I keep silver amd cash at home in a hidden safe but honestly if I could afford it and it didn't affect my savings or budget I'd love to keep $10,000+ in silver/gold so I'd feel more secure in case things get really shitty.
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u/DeafHeretic 8d ago
Keep your big bills in a money belt. If you usually pay with a card, there is little reason to keep cash in you rwallet.
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u/Mountain-League1297 8d ago
I had to look up what a "money belt" was. Here in Minnesota, USA we call them "fanny packs", lol. It looks like some are quite concealable. Keeping your cash separate is a good idea. I might add that to my list of EDC. But it still may not be ideal in all situations, especially if a thief knows what to look for.
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u/DeafHeretic 7d ago
My money belt looks like a regular belt. It has a zipper on the inner side lining - you fold a bill and stick it into the space between the inner and outer lining. If you do it right, and the belt is made properly you can insert 10-20 bills into the belt and it is not easy to discern that the belt is a money belt with bills stuffed into it. I can fit about $1500 into mine if I use $100 bills - but I usually use several $50s & $20s too (I carry smaller change in my wallet).
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u/Mountain-League1297 7d ago
That might be useful! Do they have any that would work for conceal carry too? I'm getting my CCW soon.
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u/JRHLowdown3 8d ago
The number is going to be different for everybody...
The folks crying about getting mugged as a reason to not have some cash need to reconsider their location, and of course these are likely the ones screaming 'community' all the time- yet obviously have a very low trust level for folks in their area.
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u/TankiesAreWeird 8d ago
$400 all the time seems like a bit much.
I do have 3 $50 billed stored in different items. I want a slim wallet so don't really want to have a lot of bills.
If I'm going some place with the intention of paying in cash or needing to tip I'd have more reasonable denominations. Not that worried about needing to break the $50 for emergency gas or something. I don't really drive around and stop into random garage sales.
At home have more on-hand in case payment processors are down for longer durations or something.
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 8d ago
I agree. Cash can be the most useful tool you carry. I don't want to make myself a target, but a always carry a couple hundred in my wallet. I keep more in the car. There's also some in the get-home bag. I keep a lot more at home in a safe. You can always put cash into a bank. Getting it back out is sometimes the tricky bit.