How much emergency cash to keep on hand?

[K Frame]

Interesting, short article.

https://lifehacker.com/here-s-how-much-emergency-cash-you-should-keep-at-home-1850048816?utm_source=pocket-newtab

I've always kept some cash on hand, but I'm way guilty of dipping into it and not replacing it. I've not looked in awhile, but I wouldn't be surprised if I were under $300.

[bedlamite]

even as little as $200 can be useful. More than that is probably overkill—the money would be better off in a bank where it will be insured and earn interest.

 A couple tenths of a percent bank interest is essentially useless, and FDIC just barely survived the crash 15 years ago and currently has 1.3percent of the funds needed to cover what they think will happen this year.

[Kingcreek]

Enough for a couple fillups at the gas pump and some groceries
IOW about $6000. That’s $1k in cash at home and $5k cash in the bank safe deposit box.

[HankB]

At least several thousand dollars.

I also keep a couple grand in a second wallet I can grab when I'm on my way to a gun show, "just in case" I come across something I really want.

[French G.]

Before my little one arrived I had finally managed to keep a grand in the safe. Long time to get to that. I have lots of other readily convertibles as in I can pay the house note awhile by selling ammo or other shiny stuff. My emergency cash is low now but the coffee cans of change are probably at least 300.

[K Frame]

Enough for a couple fillups at the gas pump and some groceries
IOW about $6000. That’s $1k in cash at home and $5k cash in the bank safe deposit box.

Better double that if you want a dozen eggs.

I generally keep between $500 and $1,000 on hand in my safe, but that has dropped considerably since COVID.

I need to bulk that back up.

[Tuco]

More than I should.  Cashed in about 7 years worth of rolled coin last April. It was enough to cover a week long road trip to Cooke City MT with a big loop through the heart of Wyoming for me and my 17 y.o. daughter.

[Hawkmoon]

Enough for a couple fillups at the gas pump and some groceries
IOW about $6000. That’s $1k in cash at home and $5k cash in the bank safe deposit box.

The bank safe deposit box is only viable if the bank is open for business ...

[Lennyjoe]

One months take home pay.

[Nick1911]

Couple grand.  It's been handy to score "I can show up right now with cash" deals

[MechAg94]

At least several thousand dollars.

I also keep a couple grand in a second wallet I can grab when I'm on my way to a gun show, "just in case" I come across something I really want.

I would have that.  But things I "really want" come around too often.

[MechAg94]

One months take home pay.

I think that is a good plan.  I have maintained a decent emergency fund for several years now, but not in cash.  Keeping a portion of that in cash (where you can access it) is likely a good idea.

[MechAg94]

And with this crowd, I probably don't need to mention that this cash is something you don't talk about.  I think most people treat it that way, but you never know.

[RoadKingLarry]

I got a coffee can full of nickels.
 

[cordex]

And with this crowd, I probably don't need to mention that this cash is something you don't talk about.  I think most people treat it that way, but you never know.

Except to strangers online.

[MechAg94]

Except to strangers online.

My cash is all in pesos.   

[K Frame]

My cash is all in pesos.   

I've got a gold 2 peso piece from the 1920s.

[HankB]

I've got a gold 2 peso piece from the 1920s.

And today it probably has more or less the same buying power it did back then.

[Kingcreek]

The bank safe deposit box is only viable if the bank is open for business ...

The $1K is to get by on until the bank is open.
In the case of a prolonged shutdown due to natural disaster or civil unrest or zombie alpaca lips, I can likely still access it because of certain “connections”. (Not trying to be dramatic but it’s a small town and we have small town relationships.)

[French G.]

My cash is all in pesos.   

I got the pistols so I’ll keep the pesos.


Down to my cans of change, unloaded what little I had in the safe to get a straight truck worth of future firewood dropped in the yard

[230RN]

The prudent amount seems to be going up at about 10% a year.

[JTHunter]

Enough for a couple fillups at the gas pump and some groceries.  IOW about $6000. That’s $1k in cash at home and $5k cash in the bank safe deposit box.

Uh, this may be a dumb question but, in the event of a natural disaster (hurricane/tornado), who says the bank will even be open?

I use credit cards very sparingly, mainly because I don't like them.
And, in reading that article, I am way over what they seem to believe is "appropriate". 

[Kingcreek]

Uh, this may be a dumb question but, in the event of a natural disaster (hurricane/tornado), who says the bank will even be open?

I use credit cards very sparingly, mainly because I don't like them.
And, in reading that article, I am way over what they seem to believe is "appropriate". 

See my second post #18 above.
And for sake of discussion when I say “small town relationships” I mean something like being on the board of directors for the financial institution where said safe deposit box might be located.

[JTHunter]

See my second post #18 above.
And for sake of discussion when I say “small town relationships” I mean something like being on the board of directors for the financial institution where said safe deposit box might be located.

In all likelihood, over 95% of the public is not so "connected".  It is much easier to find a used safe company and buy a fairly sizeable one that can't be hauled away with specialize equipment.

[BobR]

Because I don't have a branch of my credit union locally or even an ATM in their name I will usually keep about 1500 dollars in folding money stashed in the safe. I just replenish it as needed when I go to the big city.

bob