# How much money (paper bills) should you keep in your wallet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526 "2019-05-26T00:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/21 "2019-05-27T00:32:55Z")
I used to keep a $50 or $100 bill in my wallet for emergencies. Otherwise I keep all my cash in my pocket. That will rarely be more than $100, usually no more than $50. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/22 "2019-05-27T00:57:06Z")
No less than $200, usually $500. Saved my ass in several occasions I won’t go into… ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/23 "2019-05-27T01:15:45Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > Back in the day, they didn’t give credit cards to just anybody with a pulse. First you would get a gas card, then after a few months, maybe a store card, then some time later, if you never missed a payment, you could get a Visa or MC. Until then, you lived on cash and checks. I guess I never broke the habit. I think you’re confusing credit cards with debit (or check) cards. You don’t need to have good credit to have a debit card. All you need is a bank checking account. I try to keep around 20 or so in my wallet. It’s used exclusively for tipping waitresses and delivery folks. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/24 "2019-05-27T02:41:27Z")
I prefer to keep $40-80 in bills in my wallet but I also hide a $100 bill in there too. I use that for emergencies like if I’m somewhere that doesn’t take cards (like if I need a tow truck). ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/25 "2019-05-27T02:42:29Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > No less than $200, usually $500. > Saved my ass in several occasions I won’t go into… Drug dealers still won’t take free square payment. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/26 "2019-05-27T04:04:07Z")
Walkin’ around money. 40-80 bucks. Oddly, I have 200 on me now (I bought some stuff for my Mom, and she had me cash a check) I do pay for nearly everything with CC. It’s easier now. And I don’t have to deal with change. Pay off the CC every month and I think, I’m getting a bit of a deal in points. Two round trip tickets for my Wife and I to TX From CO with extended seats, checked and overhead bags for both for $270 total. (I still think I’m getting the shaft somehow. Nothing is free [well, I’m getting screwed because it’s Frontier Airlines, but I can manage a short hop with them]) ---
**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:** [May 27, 2019, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/27 "2019-05-27T04:25:37Z")
I generally take 60 bucks out at the ATM around once a week, and replenish when I get down to $20 or so, or if I (rarely) plan to make a cash transaction that is over my self-imposed weekly limit. I never use my debit card for anything but ATM withdrawals. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/28 "2019-05-27T05:38:03Z")
I keep $200 in my wallet as emergency money, and normally take out $40 every couple of weeks for small purchases (coffee and such). For everything else I use my debit card - it’s faster, more convenient, and easier to keep track of. My credit card is for online payments and occasional travel costs such as hotel rooms. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/29 "2019-05-27T12:06:36Z")
I keep about $20 cash in my wallet. Work lunch is automatically deducted from my paycheck. I use my debit card or checks for all other purchases. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/30 "2019-05-27T15:26:52Z")
I’m another who withdraws $200-$300 in cash and spends it down to about $50 before making another ATM run. I hate using a credit card for small purchases, and I really hate that the bank gets a 3% cut on every purchase. Also, our credit cards have been compromised many times, so the less we use them, the happier we are. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/31 "2019-05-27T15:30:16Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Drug dealers still won’t take free square payment. LOL - nope. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/32 "2019-05-27T15:56:47Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I haven’t carried cash in my wallet in about 7 years. Always use a card. I would miss my cash back rewards. So that begs the question, Where do you keep the “cash back” ? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/33 "2019-05-27T16:02:10Z")
In my wallet is maybe $3,200,000,000,000 — in Zimbabwe dollars. My US cash (maybe $10 or so on average weekdays) is folded next to my wallet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526.md?page=1)