Cash at home

**NikoSan999** · 01-11-2012, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by justpeachy92

It might be easy to go one day without buying anything. But in the event of a natural disaster electronics can be down for several days. The town I lived in while in Fl. in 2004, businesses operated out of a cigar box for almost 2 weeks. The only gas stations selling gas were ones with the old fashioned pumps and then you needed cash to pay for gas.

Same here. Nothing here worked and gas was limited to $20 and cash only. No gas cans to be had so if you wanted gas for a generator and you ALREADY had cans, you had to go to a town an hour away with the gas cans and put gas in car to fill up. Luckily we had cash at home.
We keep cash. The more the better. I hate banks.

**mndtrp** · 01-11-2012, 06:23 PM

I imagine it would depend on where you live. Colorado doesn't have much in the way of natural disasters. The closest we have might be a giant blizzard, but I wouldn't be getting out of the house to spend money anyway.

In the past 14 years, since I started using credit cards, there has not once been a time I needed something that only accepted cash. There is one concert venue that doesn't take credit cards when purchasing tickets, one restaurant that doesn't take credit cards, and that's it for the places I go. Neither of those places are on my "gotta be prepared in case of emergency" list.

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-11-2012, 06:53 PM

If the power is out, everything is closed. There are no old-fashioned gas pumps here. No electricity = no gas, period. Nobody operates without power.

If there is a hurricane or major winter storm they call a state of emergency and you don't leave your home. Again, there would be nobody anywhere to take your money.

I don't have a generator, so I wouldn't be driving to another town to get gas. If I did drive to another town to buy something, that would mean that they had power, which means my card would work and/or their bank would be open.

**NikoSan999** · 01-11-2012, 07:06 PM

Before the power came back on the stations had generators. No, no gas at that point but they carry water, ice, food, milk etc to sell. When it came back on and the pumps worked they had a $20 limit on the gas. Cash only. Cash only for the food/water.

People here have generators. Alot of people do and yes the card works in the other town IF you have a debit card. We didn't. We just got a debit card a few months ago for the first time ever. But it was still several days before anyone here would take credit or debit. Don't know why. Since it didn't apply to us since we had cash we didn't ask cause we didn't care.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-11-2012, 08:33 PM

I survived the 2004 Hurricane Season. Took two direct hits in less than a month with devastation in all directions. Was without power for three weeks during Frances, got power back for just about a week and was immediately hit by Jeanne and was without power for another week and a half. I didn't need to purchase anything because I was prepared but friends and neighbors weren't. Cash is King during a disaster or emergency...Natural or otherwise. Just make sure it's small bills as "change" can be hard to come by.

**danni** · 01-11-2012, 09:17 PM

We have about $150 in $5 dollar bills, and almost $50 in toonies. Whenever we get either from cashing in pop bottles, change from groceries,whatever we stash it in the safe. So that way it is constantly building.

**mndtrp** · 01-11-2012, 10:12 PM

Besides, from watching (and reading) many post-apocalyptic stories, it seems that coffee and booze are the best currencies. I'm stocked on one, but the other keeps disappearing.

**lisaflex** · 01-12-2012, 08:19 PM

mnd - your post made me crack up! i know...i buy wine buy the case...and it is gone...buy some grey goose...its gone...lol

**Palooka** · 01-12-2012, 08:27 PM

mndtrp has his priorities straight!

**greekislandgirl** · 01-13-2012, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by mndtrp

Besides, from watching (and reading) many post-apocalyptic stories, it seems that coffee and booze are the best currencies. I'm stocked on one, but the other keeps disappearing.

Yep! In preparation for when Greece leaves the Euro, I have crazy amounts of chocolate stockpiled - I'm expecting to be able to wield great power, at least among the female population of my town.