# Windfall - advice sought **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582 "2013-08-07T13:45:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/41 "2013-08-09T14:51:21Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Heck, if civilization as we know it crumbles, then those little pieces of paper probably won’t be worth anything anyway. Then why not just buy gold, guns and ammo? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/42 "2013-08-09T14:55:23Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Then why not just buy gold, guns and ammo? Because I don’t think civilization as we know it will crumble. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/43 "2013-08-09T15:07:51Z")
I think the reason that **Trinary** suggested putting the money under the mattress (actually in a lockbox) was because the “last savings account he/she had was nearly depleted by the bank’s never ending series of fees” and not because of some irrational fear of a collapse of civilization. I think if he/she keeps a few thousand dollars deposited in a bank or credit union, he/she shouldn’t be charged any account maintenance fees. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/44 "2013-08-09T15:09:24Z")
Right, I think chargerrish was just pointing out that there was virtually no good reason to put it under the mattress. I was only trying to support that sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/45 "2013-08-09T16:03:25Z")
But gold, guns and ammo are investments that could increase in value. Lot’s of people who don’t trust traditional institutions do use them. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/46 "2013-08-09T22:19:45Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Well, that’s not true either–there’s no universal rule that one “should NOT” pay off debt in that situation. There are other things to consider, such as (i) the amount of risk and work associated with obtaining the 5% return and (ii) any potential feeling of well-being and avoidance of hassle from simply not having the debt. You’re missing the biggest one rich people forget to consider- cash flow. Paying the 2% loan frees up paycheck space. You _could_ get the 5% income and use it to pay the 2% loan every month, but then transaction fees eat you alive. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/47 "2013-08-09T22:54:39Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Then why not just buy gold, guns and ammo? Why did you omit MREs? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582/48 "2013-08-10T13:18:47Z")
Because with the basic staples of gg&a you can barter, hunt or convince people to give you food. The KISS (keep it simple sir) rule applies here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windfall-advice-sought/665582.md?page=2)