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How much cash do you have on hand? You will need it!

12K views 81 replies 42 participants last post by  FLPrepper 
#1 ·
As part of our preps, we have elected to have a fairly large amount of cash in our home safe. The reason is simple.

If the grid goes down, or we are subject to an EMP, or massive CME, the ATM's won't work, the banks will be closed, and cash registers won't work.

Stores will immediately demand cash vs checks and credit cards, and nothing else. They will CONTINUE to accept cash for as long as the store owners believe that the power outage is only temporary. After than, all bets are off.

That gives those who have prepared, and have an ample stash of cash an opportunity to be able finalize buying the last few items that may be available for some time to come. Most people don't have more than a couple of hundred dollars at most in cash at home. They will not be able to buy much with that, and there is also the potential for greedy store owners to price gouge, further reducing buying power.

Having a large stash of cash may provide the opportunity to fill in those missing items, and add to their existing stockpiles for the last time. There is no guarantee that gold and silver will be accepted in the near term.

Realizing that many cannot afford to keep much cash at home, as a prepper, it is imperative that all attempts to squirrel away as much as can be possibly afforded may be critical when the SHTF. It needs to be spent in its entirety as quickly as possible after the grid goes down for any other reason than a thunderstorm, tornado, earthquake or hurricane. Virtually any other cause is going to be catastrophically long term.

My wife and I have already mapped out the stores we will immediately go to and fill our SUV with supplies in the event that any of the potentially long-term situations occurs. That is an important part of the prep as well.
The mapping should be from FAR to NEAR...meaning you go as far out as you are willing and work your way back to your home or bugout location, stopping at the stores you have identified as having the items you will likely need.

For us, that means starting at Home Depot and Lowes, followed by our local gun store, Walmart, Dollar Stores, and Publix...with a few smaller in between. The plan is to arrive home without a dollar in cash to our name.

Good luck with YOUR plans.
 
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#36 ·
In college I was a member of a fraternity. I learned early on just how important a cash slush fund hidden away in the house was. Oh the 3:00AM problems it solved! Bail money, tow money, cab money, hospital money, 100 club money. Apologies and forgiveness are nice but nothing shows sincerity like cold hard American cash.

Back then we kept about $3Kon hand. That was 20+ years ago. Now, with inflation I'd think $5k would be enough to solve current world problems and if the SHTF, prices could go up significantly. Somewhere between $7K and $10K should be about right.

Only problem is I can't let that kind of money sit in my house not earning interest. Even though I know better, every time I get a couple hundred that isn't being spent on something, I take it to my investment guy and stick it in the nest egg.
 
#42 ·
Hope you are right, however many here fear your access to YOUR cash in financial institutions could be inaccessible as deemed by a government in a crisis. If that's the case, your stocks, 401k, social security, etc..... would also be commandeered by a self serving government.
 
#38 ·
My home and land has been paid off for 30 years.
Part of my cash reserve is for property taxes, Have 10 years on hand based on current rates.
Any monies held by banks or other investors, I consider lost for SHTF, that is why they are limited in scope.
A long time friend of 30+ years, a VP at Morgan Stanley handles the only invested money management. He is not a friend because of his position.
The primary investments are in collectable guns most of which because of their value have a dual purpose.
 
#39 ·
If the power goes out I'll probably only focus on filling barrels of water.

But if that's not the case, there will always be SOMETHING you want to top off.

Maybe your car is on 3/4 of a tank & you want it full...or you are almost out of bread.

Just a little cash on hand could make all the difference!
 
#40 ·
We always have some cash "on hand" simply because we don't prefer to use cards for everything... but I assure you that when the walls come tumbling down, the last thing we're interested in is shopping. We're prepared enough that there's nothing out there worth the hassle of fighting the un-prepared.
 
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#44 ·
As part of our preps, we have elected to have a fairly large amount of cash in our home safe. The reason is simple.

If the grid goes down, or we are subject to an EMP, or massive CME, the ATM's won't work, the banks will be closed, and cash registers won't work.

Stores will immediately demand cash vs checks and credit cards, and nothing else. They will CONTINUE to accept cash for as long as the store owners believe that the power outage is only temporary. After than, all bets are off.

That gives those who have prepared, and have an ample stash of cash an opportunity to be able finalize buying the last few items that may be available for some time to come. Most people don't have more than a couple of hundred dollars at most in cash at home. They will not be able to buy much with that, and there is also the potential for greedy store owners to price gouge, further reducing buying power.

Having a large stash of cash may provide the opportunity to fill in those missing items, and add to their existing stockpiles for the last time. There is no guarantee that gold and silver will be accepted in the near term.

Realizing that many cannot afford to keep much cash at home, as a prepper, it is imperative that all attempts to squirrel away as much as can be possibly afforded may be critical when the SHTF. It needs to be spent in its entirety as quickly as possible after the grid goes down for any other reason than a thunderstorm, tornado, earthquake or hurricane. Virtually any other cause is going to be catastrophically long term.

My wife and I have already mapped out the stores we will immediately go to and fill our SUV with supplies in the event that any of the potentially long-term situations occurs. That is an important part of the prep as well.
The mapping should be from FAR to NEAR...meaning you go as far out as you are willing and work your way back to your home or bugout location, stopping at the stores you have identified as having the items you will likely need.

For us, that means starting at Home Depot and Lowes, followed by our local gun store, Walmart, Dollar Stores, and Publix...with a few smaller in between. The plan is to arrive home without a dollar in cash to our name.

Good luck with YOUR plans.
I have seven bucks. Is there any hope of requisitioning essentials from the populace as the pandemonium continues? Looks like they should be willing to donate to the cause huh?
 
#45 ·
I've got mine where it isn't in my house but is easy to get. What I have at home is scattered in different places, none of which are obvious.
 
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#50 ·
Well... we may not want to go shopping when bad things happen... but we may want to head down to the local pub for some beers... For that we keep a few extra bucks on hand.

 
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#51 ·
Chances are that a collapse will not happen overnight, and having a supply of cash, outside of the banking system will be prudent. I expect bank holidays, bail-ins and outright confiscation of accounts of 'folks who don't really need that much', and say goodbye to your 401k.....get ready for a cashless society too. Oh, And I double lid my mason jars and double dip the top 1/3 in hot roofing tar.
 
#53 ·
Plus having cash on hand can save you money in the long run. Let's say you find a deal that's too good to pass up...having the cash on hand makes it that much easier to acquire!!!
Example I was kinda looking for a firearm...one day I ran across someone that was in dire need of cash. I made a offer and told them I would be back with cash in 20 minutes. We agreed on a price and I saved $300 off of his asking price which was about $800 off of retail!!!
 
#54 ·
Lucien is dead on!! Liquidity gives you power - always have cash on hand for good deals. This is particularly true at the end of the month when people don't quite have enough to make it until they get their next check. I talk enough about having silver coins as part of your overall prepper supplies, but good old greenbacks are also an absolute necessity.
 
#55 ·
Enough cash to pay 1 yr property tax, one mad run at the closest small grocery store, and another mad run on the way back to the closest gas station driving like a bat from hell.

Then I'm a totally broke bastard munching Doritos watching the end of life as we know it.

hope it never happens
 
#61 ·
I read all the time on various prepper websites about paying off debt.

Why would you want to pay off a debt if you believe there will be a economic melt down ?

People make no sense.....

Borrow all they will let you. Spend it. When the collapse occurs, pay them back with worthless money you find laying in the street.
 
#70 · (Edited)
The original assumption that lead to this thread is that the federal government would be too dysfunctional and far away to provide any useful security to the average citizen during a SHTF situation and too far away to make creditable threats that they can enforce if you refuse to do what the Federal government dictates.

Basically the federal government is to far away to help or hurt you so income taxes which are 90% federal will be much less of a threat.

Local government (county or city level) may attempt to force people to work or provide stuff the area needs (donate your extra food instead of cash to pay property tax) by threating tax foreclosure since property taxes are generally dictated by the county and city you live in. Since the local government is close enough to affect you it is a much more creditable threat to your freedom in a SHTF event.
 
#72 ·
As part of our preps, we have elected to have a fairly large amount of cash in our home safe. The reason is simple.

If the grid goes down, or we are subject to an EMP, or massive CME, the ATM's won't work, the banks will be closed, and cash registers won't work.

Stores will immediately demand cash vs checks and credit cards, and nothing else. They will CONTINUE to accept cash for as long as the store owners believe that the power outage is only temporary. After than, all bets are off.

That gives those who have prepared, and have an ample stash of cash an opportunity to be able finalize buying the last few items that may be available for some time to come. Most people don't have more than a couple of hundred dollars at most in cash at home. They will not be able to buy much with that, and there is also the potential for greedy store owners to price gouge, further reducing buying power.

Having a large stash of cash may provide the opportunity to fill in those missing items, and add to their existing stockpiles for the last time. There is no guarantee that gold and silver will be accepted in the near term.

Realizing that many cannot afford to keep much cash at home, as a prepper, it is imperative that all attempts to squirrel away as much as can be possibly afforded may be critical when the SHTF. It needs to be spent in its entirety as quickly as possible after the grid goes down for any other reason than a thunderstorm, tornado, earthquake or hurricane. Virtually any other cause is going to be catastrophically long term.

My wife and I have already mapped out the stores we will immediately go to and fill our SUV with supplies in the event that any of the potentially long-term situations occurs. That is an important part of the prep as well.
The mapping should be from FAR to NEAR...meaning you go as far out as you are willing and work your way back to your home or bugout location, stopping at the stores you have identified as having the items you will likely need.

For us, that means starting at Home Depot and Lowes, followed by our local gun store, Walmart, Dollar Stores, and Publix...with a few smaller in between. The plan is to arrive home without a dollar in cash to our name.

Good luck with YOUR plans.
I don't see how you got that vvvvvvv down there from ^^^^ up there.

The original assumption that lead to this thread is that the federal government would be too dysfunctional and far away to provide any useful security to the average citizen during a SHTF situation and too far away to make creditable threats that they can enforce if you refuse to do what the Federal government dictates.

Basically the federal government is to far away to help or hurt you so income taxes which are 90% federal will be much less of a threat.

Local government (county or city level) may attempt to force people to work or provide stuff the area needs (donate your extra food instead of cash to pay property tax) by threating tax foreclosure since property taxes are generally dictated by the county and city you live in. Since the local government is close enough to affect you it is a much more creditable threat to your freedom in a SHTF event.
 
#79 ·
Cache's of cash and other documents are for unnoticed untraceable evacuation. (Field-craft 101) A pocket full of local cash can be useful for negotiating a release. Buried Mason Jars with funding to remain in place are to vulnerable, Old paper US Savings Bonds (sufficient to pay 12 years worth of property taxes at a 17% rate of increase) are useless to plunder's but must be accepted at a minimum of face value by government agencies.
 
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