# How much cash in an "emergency" stash? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350 "2007-01-01T21:46:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/1 "2007-01-01T21:46:11Z")
I’ve never bothered to have an ‘emergency’ stash of cash in the past, but I just read a newspaper article that recommended people should have one. Because, it pointed out, if you had to abandon your house due to fire/blizzard/earthquake/whatever, it’s highly likely that the telecommunication system will go down, too, and then what good are your credit cards/debit cards/checks going to be if no one will honor them? Which I’d never thought about before. So… how much cash should it be? I’m thinking enough to cover 3-7 days worth of a motel room plus meals plus some extra for gas money/clothes/incidentals would be ample. Based on thinking that this is America, not some 3rd world country. And even after the Great Blizzard hear in the NE the roads were open and things pretty much back to normal within four days. OTOH, there’s that little incident down in New Orleans… OT3H, would cash have been of any use if you were trapped in a flooded city? Opinions? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/2 "2007-01-01T21:57:07Z")
Retailers can and do accept credit cards even when the power is down. They take impression of the card, get the user’s signature, and ask for another piece of identification if they have any doubt. Back in the Dark Ages, like the 1960s, before every retail clerk was connected to a computer, credit card transactions were all done this way, and the sales slips were sent by snail mail to the transaction clearing houses. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/3 "2007-01-01T22:05:22Z")
In a flooded city scenario like New Orleans, or any place where infrastructure is totally shut down, emergency cash is not going to keep you fed. Emergency stash of ammunition might. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/4 "2007-01-01T22:13:58Z")
Nitpick: there are certain prepaid Visa and MasterCard cards that are not embossed, and so can’t be used in the old-school imprint machines. Hmm. What’s an average hotel room going for these days? $150 a nught? That’s a lot of cash for a week stay… I think the issue of ‘how much cash’ needs to be subsumed into a question of ‘what kind of emergency survival supplies and arrangements might be good?’. If you have a tent and other supplies, and a bicycle, and know inconspicuous places to hide, that’s one approach. If you have solid social connections and a range of friends and family to shelter at, that’s another. It might come down to emergency transportation supplies as opposed to a place to stay. Maybe money for gas/train fare/whatever and a nights accommodation, plus shelter arrangements, would make sense. Back in the eighties, Dean Ing wrote a book called [The Chernobyl Syndrome](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/i/dean-ing/chernobyl-syndrome.htm), about escaping from the city if it suddenly became a Bad Place To Be. This was in the context of nuclear war or accident, but I think a lot of its lessons could be applied here, especially “keep social networks strong and make arrangements beforehand”. ---
**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:** [January 1, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/5 "2007-01-01T22:14:53Z")
What **catsix** said. But we keep $500 in twenties stashed as “earthquake” money, right next to the 9mm. That will cover the basics for the 3-5 days it would take to either get everything back to normal, or re-locate to friends/relatives/unarmed strangers houses. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/6 "2007-01-01T22:30:14Z")
Wow, that’s a lot further than I think. I feel pretty good just having a couple travelers’ checks stashed in the car for car-related emergencies (gas, towing, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/7 "2007-01-01T23:12:36Z")
I have about $200 in travelers checks and $200 in small bills with the earthquake supply crate. I also have a small emergency kit for each vehicle: $50 in traveler’s checks 2 days’ food supply for 2 adults (much of which could be eaten cold, or by a cat) Can opener Pocket knife 2 spoons 2 metal mugs Matches Small basic medical kit small container of honey a new pair of underwear and heavy socks/person silk undershirt/person bandana rain poncho emergency blanket pair gloves flashlight and batteries pad and pen 4 Ziplock bags M&Ms ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/8 "2007-01-01T23:14:21Z")
Oh–and each vehicle has a tarp and some bungies in the back. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/9 "2007-01-01T23:34:41Z")
I have, normally stored in the basement: [ul] [li]Globalstar satellite phone[/li][li]fire extinguisher[/li][li]flare gun and flares[/li][li]two empty five gallon cans, suitable for gas or water[/li][li]25 gallons of water[/li][li]water distillation kit and purification tablets[/li][li]two can-openers[/li][li]one case Sterno cans[/li][li]15 pounds canned Spam[/li][li]15 pounds canned tuna[/li][li]30 pounds canned assorted cooked vegetables[/li][li]powdered milk[/li][li]powdered baby formula[/li][li]2 complete first aid kits, including syrup of ipecac and activated charcoal[/li][li]1 sting kit with epinephrine[/li][li]small collection of antibiotics and sulfa powder[/li][li]supply of batteries, rechargeable[/li][li]solar-powered battery charger[/li][li]battery-operated shock-resistant radio [/li][li]handheld CB radio[/li][li]tool kit[/li][li]six rolls duct tape[/li][li]waterproof matches[/li][li]candles[/li][li]Coleman lantern and fuel[/li][li]Mosquito repellant[/li][li]compass and handheld GPS[/li][li]toilet paper and moist towelettes[/li][li]tampons[/li][li]three sleeping bags[/li][li]rain ponchos[/li][li]work gloves and work boots[/li][li]utility and hunting knives[/li][li]shovel, pick, spade[/li][li]12 ga. shotgun and shells - buck and birdshot[/li][li]10 Canadian 1 oz maple-leaf gold coins[/li][li]10 US Golden Eagle .10 oz coins[/li][li]$1500 cash[/li][/ul] On this year’s purchase list: gasoline or diesel generator. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/10 "2007-01-01T23:42:14Z")
I have absolutely nothing, except for a couple fistfuls of change. But even if the mother of all blizzards hits or a war starts or something, I can get several cities away or to another country, on foot, in a matter of hours, so if civilization is still functioning enough that money would be any help I’ll be all right. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/11 "2007-01-02T00:04:40Z")
Wow, a fella could have a pretty good time in Vegas with all that stuff… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/12 "2007-01-02T00:24:38Z")
For those of you with Significant Emergency Supplies stored away… medicines age, duct tape goes all gooey, moist towelettes dry out, etc. How often to you have to replace parts of your supplies? ---
**Author:** ![microbubble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@microbubble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/microbubble)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/13 "2007-01-02T00:36:34Z")
In the garage: 1 Honda CRX, fuel range 500 miles at 55 MPH, maps of every state in New England as well as Ontario and Quebec. The strategy is to “get gone” as soon as the earliest warning of the impending disaster is given; the best way to have survived Hurricane Katrina was to have been in St. Louis or Dallas when it hit. The maps are there so I don’t get stuck on the “evacuation routes” that’ll get completely clogged almost immediately and can instead follow the back roads out of here. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/14 "2007-01-02T00:41:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] For those of you with Significant Emergency Supplies stored away… medicines age, duct tape goes all gooey, moist towelettes dry out, etc. How often to you have to replace parts of your supplies? [/QUOTE] Once every three months I rotate fresh supplies in where required – I target the nearest weekend to the solstices and equinoxes (equinoices?) as arbitrary convenient points to jog memory. ---
**Author:** ![microbubble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@microbubble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/microbubble)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/15 "2007-01-02T00:41:54Z")
In the event of a disaster big enough to take out normal commerce and credit over an area greater than the entire Northeast, dead presidents will be about as useful as Monopoly money. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/16 "2007-01-02T00:51:53Z")
Everything is on a replacement schedule. For example, this morning I took a bunch of MREs (actually, Canadian IMPs) that were due for expiration and scavenged the non-perishables out of them. Usually we manage to use up the older rations camping and the like, but this year we had a few left over. Also on the schedule for this week are: weapons cleaning/oiling, replacement of all batteries in all flashlights (home/truck/classroom), and an update of all medical information on the cards in the kits. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/17 "2007-01-02T00:53:56Z")
[QUOTE=microbubble] In the event of a disaster big enough to take out normal commerce and credit over an area greater than the entire Northeast, dead presidents will be about as useful as Monopoly money. [/QUOTE] Which is why ours is stashed next to the 9mm. If I can’t buy it, I’ll take it. But any disaster big enough to render cash useless means there will be enough fools to scavenge from that the pistol won’t be needed much. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/18 "2007-01-02T01:21:17Z")
We also rotate the supplies at the solstices if we haven’t already used them camping. The older but not expired supplies go to the local food bank and shelters. Socks are forever. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/19 "2007-01-02T02:19:16Z")
Where does one get useful anti-biotics w/out a prescription? ---
**Author:** ![iano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@iano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iano)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350/20 "2007-01-02T02:30:06Z")
Has a wide portion of society ever had use for these apocalyptic survival kits replete with weeks of food and generators and all this? It all seems a bit silly to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-in-an-emergency-stash/386350.md?page=2)