# Do You Keep an Ultra-Secret Cash Cache? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2004, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534 "2004-09-15T10:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sisyphus\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sisyphus\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sisyphus_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/1 "2004-09-15T10:06:23Z")
Have you squirrelled away, by dint of careful syphoning of available resources, a small nest egg of cash that absolutely no-one else, and I mean no-one, knows about? Is there an ‘escape’ fund that you might draw upon when absolutely desperate and destitute? I have, over my life-span, put away $950.00 that no-one knows about. These resources represent my escape clause. If things become too pressing, this is my start-up stake in a new life. I think, even though I have only academic commitments right now, that no matter what my emotional and financial commitments in the future, I will always have that cache that allows me the freedom that might be required in some indeterminate future. It is a security against possible future set-backs. Is this insane or do others do this? ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/2 "2004-09-15T10:17:40Z")
It’s not insane. While I haven’t actually done it, I’ve thought about making a little secret savings umpteen times. You know, **just in case**. Just in case **what** , I have no idea. Nuclear holocaust, American Revolution II, everyone I love being eaten by hordes of rabid woodchucks… those sorts of things, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/3 "2004-09-15T10:52:47Z")
Heh. My mom had one of these Ultra Super Secret Hideaway Cash thingies when I was a kid. I found it. Used it as my personal bank when babysitting funds were low ( I always left IOU’s and payed her back.) It was never more than $10. ( Oh to need so little…) I really miss being able to tap into quick cash like that. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/4 "2004-09-15T11:44:43Z")
I keep a moneybelt. That’s a good notion, BTW. Always keep one for travel. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/5 "2004-09-15T12:29:12Z")
I have a dime that rolled under the dryer. As I am the one who witnessed the event, no one knows about it but me. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/6 "2004-09-15T13:03:20Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > I have a dime that rolled under the dryer. As I am the one who witnessed the event, no one knows about it but me. Does that count? Sorry, but I needed that dime. I left an IOU though. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/7 "2004-09-15T13:20:33Z")
What would work better for me is if I had an ultra-secret cash cache that no one knew about. Including me. ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_D\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@Jane\_D\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_D_oh)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/8 "2004-09-15T13:24:28Z")
I am a squirreler. I have three bank accounts in three different states and put money into each one each payday. I don’t think of them as my get away funds; one is my car fund (which will eventually be the nephew’s college fund), one is my rainy day fund (in case I lose my job) and one is just in case something bad happens (a friend or family member needs a loan,). ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/9 "2004-09-15T13:25:17Z")
SS - it’s a good idea to have one and no, you aren’t insane. I have had them, in the past. A few times. All used to get out of really bad relationships. I suppose they weren’t ultra secret like you’re talking about in case of an “eventual what if”, I started them when I knew things would have to change, and then used 'em. Came in handy, gots to tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/10 "2004-09-15T13:42:22Z")
I had one when I was married. My husband was the spend-it-if-ya-got-it type; I’m the save-it-for-when-the-bad-thing-happens type. I had over a thousand dollars in a little box under the bathroom sink, mixed in with old hairbands and makeup and stuff he would have no interest in. Most of the time, I never even remembered it was there unless a windfall occurred, and I’d squirrel it away. It helped pay for my divorce lawyer. Now I’m too poor to save anything, but I’ll probably stash my cash again when I’m able. _goes off to check under the dryer_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/11 "2004-09-15T13:49:58Z")
I’ve got a few traveler’s checks handy in case, you know, for one reason or another it would be good for my health to split town for a while. Not that such a situation is likely ever to happen, but I like to believe I’m more of a Danger Man than I really am. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/12 "2004-09-15T13:50:58Z")
When I was with my very abusive exfiance it took me 3 months of squirreling away small amounts of money to get the cash to leave - I needed just enough for a week at a cheap hotel, grocery money and a bit to tide me through job hunting, about $750. I snuck money out of the grocery money, change I found in pockets, behind cushions, anywhere I could scrounge it - my biggest amount that started the cache was $250 for a fancy pastry layout for the neighbor for a tea party. [I think it was more charity on her part, as she was the neighbor who called the cops on him after he threw me part way through a wall, she wanted to help me get out.] Even while jobless, our rooommate Dragon pays his rent in cash, and I stash it for buying groceries with and gas money when mrAru’s paycheck is about used up, and have managed to just make ends meet, but when \ if I get the job that looks the most promising, it will go into a general cache and not get used at all if possible=) I also keep a ‘bail out bag’ which is a seabag that has a basic set of several types of clothing, toiletries, a couple of reading books, and limited survival type stuff that can be grabbed and taken on an evacuation. And yes, I have a small handgun and ammo in it. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/13 "2004-09-15T14:09:30Z")
I seem to naturally be a miser, so I’ve always got lots of cash sitting in my high-interest accounts. I tend to have a fair bit of cash sitting at home, but never anything excessive, because with a couple credit cards and bank accounts I’d only need to make one 10-minute stop at an ATM to load up on a stack of $20s. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/14 "2004-09-15T16:05:25Z")
I have no one to hide the money from except myself. Although a recent lost wallet episode should have (but hasn’t) motivated me to hide a few twenties in the sock drawer just to tide me over for the weekend if necessary. I do keep a couple of vestigial bank accounts that I opened for good reasons that no longer exist, but that I never bothered closing. So it’s nice to occasionally get the statement and realize that I have a few extra hundred dollars in limbo, waiting for me to spend it wildly some day. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/15 "2004-09-15T16:06:10Z")
I have 2 bank accounts, but they’re not secret. My b/f even knows the pin code for one of them. As for the other, even _I_ don’t know the pin code. I should probably find that out… ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/16 "2004-09-15T17:55:41Z")
When we closed down and moved out of our home of30+ years, I found 5$ I’d stuck behind a piece of contact paper I was using as wall border. but no. I have an account at a credit union but it only holds five dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/17 "2004-09-15T18:37:16Z")
It’s called a savings account. I always have at least $80 to 200 bucks on me at any particular time, but that is because I hate using credit cards. Just a personal thing I guess. I know it is not the safest way to go when on travel, but I do it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/18 "2004-09-15T19:23:58Z")
No, not really I can pull 6 figures in advances off my credit cards if necessary. Ready cash is sort of redundant if you have decent credit and you’re not on the lam. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/19 "2004-09-15T19:24:46Z")
Yes! I have my semi-secret stash. My husband and I share a checking account, credit cards, etc., so it’s darned near impossible to buy him a Christmas or birthday gift without his knowing _when_ I bought it, _where_ and for _how much._ I’ve started squirreling away cash when I can and using that to buy gifts. (We usually raid the ATM together, and when he runs out of pocket money before I do, I claim to be just as skint. I then squirrel away that money, $20 or so, and before you know it, I’ve got a few hundred for presents!) He knows about it now, so that’s why it _is_ semi-secret, but at least he doesn’t know where it is or how much. I find it very practical. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534/20 "2004-09-15T19:54:32Z")
I’ve always made it a practice to have “getaway” money stashed. Usually there are several stashes, each with a couple of hundred dollars in them. I’m paranoid…what can I say? But they have come in handy during times when earthquakes have disrupted normal life, during the LA riots, etc. There are times when a wad of cash is a very handy thing to have, and an ATM card won’t cut it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-an-ultra-secret-cash-cache/264534.md?page=2)