How much cash do you keep on hand and not in a bank?

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    I've been getting my expenses paid back in cash for about a year and now I have some cash that I don't feel comfortable with having around. I had been thinking it was good because I could maybe buy something quickly if it popped up on offerup or whatever, but now I'm thinking.... what if my place burns down?

  • GG. keep that cash! Get a really good small fireproof safe, and then keep your cash bills in a fireproof bill folder inside the fireproof safe. These days and in this world environment where so many things could cause a power/banking disruption where you can't use your cards at all for purchase or withdrawals, having currency is of paramount importance. I'd consider getting some silver and/or gold using some of that cash GG, as if there is even a temporary disruption, paper cash will quickly become useless after a week or two. You can ALWAYS trade silver/gold. Or ammunition - on that note, did you ever get a firearm GG? If not, you should. If we're down in Cali in August I can stop by and help hook you up on that score. Look at the ice storms that happened up here in Quebec a decade or so ago, it was 15 days of no power for a large area, and people were just at the tipping point when they restored power - people without cash had to trade stuff for insanely deflated amounts just to get food/fuel/medical/etc. There are lots of interesting articles about that whole thing if you want to google and read about it. The big lesson out of it was HAVE CASH, as well as fuel in jerry cans, water, food, ammo, and if possible some silver and gold.



    Anyhow, we usually keep an emergency slash slush fund in one of our fire proof safes at home, usually around $10k, but that can fluctuate a fair bit depending on how much the missus shops. We have silver and gold too, but that's a different deal/story.


    I find now, since about the early 2010s, that people in retail really give you the stink eye if you pay with cash. Here in Canada any use of more than $10k is an automatic report to the government agencies, be it at a store or a bank. I've been questioned/harassed by bank tellers I'm not familiar with about $5ish k deposits - I always just tell them "the crops came in", and then laugh. I've never gotten a call from the Canada Revenue Agency about it...So we don't use cash for purchases nearly as much at retail places as we used to, but still do for in person transactions for a wide variety of things - everything from PC parts to lawn mowers to bicycles.

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    Hi Gman!


    I know I'm going to keep some cash on hand but not as much as I've got right now. I just don't like the idea of this place burning down or something, and I'm not sure if even a fireproof safe can protect it for sure right?


    But you're right. I mean we could have a massive earthquake at any time and be without power and water and whatever.


    I did not buy the gun. I'm not sure I even want one. Well, I do want one but I don't want to pay a lot of money to have a gun that's going to basically sit. Even though it's a good insurance policy it's still something that I will probably never use.


    However that could change if California is forced to loosen it's concealed carry because of supreme Court decision. But I'm sure that California will pass a bunch of restrictions just like New York did the other day. Make it so that there's so many small little rules and places you can't carry that it's not even worth it to try to figure it out.

  • Yep, I thought the New York commies were well prepared to counter that decision by the SC. They threw so many hoops to jump through out as obstacles that, in effect, nothing will change.


    Those hoops will lead to more lawsuits that will take years to work their way up to the SC again from the lower courts. I'm sure the commies figure they'll have the SC expanded and packed with fellow commies by that time.


    Still, Gina....you should get yourself a decent handgun. Again, I'd go revolver as you are not into guns and likely won't shoot it much. You don't need tap/rack/bang drills with a revolver. In your case, I seriously doubt you need 15 rounds either.


    A old school Colt Cobra or Agent (6 shot) snubbie or a S&W snubbie (5 shot) in .38spl will be fine. There's tons of Smiths around at reasonable prices and there are a few Colts at higher prices. The Colts just continue to increase in value. My Colts have pretty much double in value in 4-5 years.


    Oh and as for having cash/gold/silver. Sure, you bet. But remember what Irwin Corey joked "You get a lot more from a kind word and a gun than from a kind word alone." It may have been a joke but as always there's a lot of truth there.

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    And I'm the same way. The only reason why I have this cash is because we have a customer that pays a lot of money in cash so when I get my expenses paid they like to pay me in cash if that's what I want, and I do like that. I like to have cash out of the bank available..


    So it's not a huge sum of money. It's $7,000 or almost $8,000. I'm going to put about half of that in the bank I think.


    I also like to have cash on hand in case a killer deal comes up on something that I can snap up really quickly on offer up or whatever.

  • I have the lead situation covered myself too, I have over 100k in just .22 alone, and more 556/762/handgun than I'd ever need myself. If we still have rifles to shoot it with is another matter, but I'm confident that a gov change here will happen shortly and reverse any new firearm law stupidity. That and I have transferred most of my affected assets to our companies list, and we have exemptions and a destructive device permit for military and l/e testing. I won't be able to use them anywhere by our 1 range, which sucks, but at least I won't lose them in the interim.


    GG, if I'm down there I'll set you up, Toad gave you good advice, you really should have something even if it never leaves your home. If you have time a day of professional training can make a huge difference in your capability and confidence level as well. I'm sure we could find a local range that would accommodate that.


    Ammunition would be as great a commodity as silver/gold in a disruption - arguably better IMO - same with h20 and certain types of food stuffs. Medical as well. So if you seriously consider accepting a firearm GG, putting some of your $ into ammunition/water/food is a good option too IMO, in terms of long term value added items.


    I wouldn't wrap your mind around a fire that much - you've survived this long without one, and the odds are extremely low you'll have one. There are safes that have been proven to keep cash from igniting (there are YT videos of this being tested, I'll find some and link them later).

  • And I'm the same way. The only reason why I have this cash is because we have a customer that pays a lot of money in cash so when I get my expenses paid they like to pay me in cash if that's what I want, and I do like that. I like to have cash out of the bank available..


    So it's not a huge sum of money. It's $7,000 or almost $8,000. I'm going to put about half of that in the bank I think.


    I also like to have cash on hand in case a killer deal comes up on something that I can snap up really quickly on offer up or whatever.

    Take a bit of that cash and buy a small fire safe to keep the rest in. Hide it in a good place.

    A real man loves his woman every day of the month