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Original poster

How much cash would you keep in the house?

109 replies

Bouledeneige · 02/04/2023 16:36

I was rather surprised that a friend told me today that they keep £1000 in cash in the house 'in case of emergencies'. I don't have any more than about £50 at a time but often have none.

OP posts:
MsJD · 02/04/2023 18:29

I have got a tin of Irish pre decimal coins. I love that they have animals on them. Probably not going to be much use in an emergency.

Lovelynames123 · 02/04/2023 18:32

Between 1k-2k, although I do tend to like to use cash where possible, particularly in independent businesses so I usually carry a decent amount in my purse anyway

ChiefAdjusterOfRubensShorts · 02/04/2023 18:32

We keep £1k in cash in the safe, we’ve done it for years.

NancyJoan · 02/04/2023 18:41

Probably about £50, plus whatever the kids have squirrelled away

OzempicClicker · 02/04/2023 19:05

I've got a change pot with less than 2 quid it it, I think. Otherwise I don't keep cash on me or at home.

Ask me about my collection of dried pulses though! That's my emergency stuff.

claracluck1978 · 02/04/2023 19:18

I keep about £500 in notes in the safe
I also have the '£2 pot' that currently has about £180 and another change pot that's got maybe £100 in.

I also have a few gold sovereigns in the safe in case we ever find gold more usable than sterling. Unlikely I know but I'm all about 'portable possessions'!

NotanotherboxofFrogs · 02/04/2023 19:20

Caspianberg · 02/04/2023 16:45

we have just had a leaflet (not uk), regardless prepping for blackouts or other emergencies.
It’s recommends Min €100 per person in household as in blackout situation the supermarkets will remain closed but hand out bags of pre filled food outside supermarkets at cost. ( you also get fresh produce and bread on day 2-3 free). Places like pharmacies will also run on an emergency only but cash basis

Can I ask what country you are in? Euro?

I have about £50 in the house. It's an emergency "need a taxi to a&e and back fund".

Last used for a friend whose husband fell down the stairs late one night after returning home from a wedding, the wife went in an ambulance with him but had no cash or bank card with her so I sent her a message that whenever she needed to come back, come to mine (we only live a few doors apart so she could easily walk home) and id pay the taxi and had dinner ready for her then after a bit of sleep, she was fit to drive back to the hospital with stuff for husband as he was being kept in. She replaced it a few days later where it's untouched since thankfully,

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 02/04/2023 19:27

Hbh17 · 02/04/2023 16:37

Don't usually have any - why would I need cash?

Whole electricity/internet/card reader/whatever network goes down, for starters? Can't believe you're asking that.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 02/04/2023 19:27

I try and have about £500. Bits of it get used as and when.

there is £140 in an envelope that isn’t allowed to be touched - it’s £70 each way in a taxi to the hospital nearest my DD’s Sen school so I always have the money for that just in case there’s a problem with the car or anything so someone can go to her.

Fundingform · 02/04/2023 19:28

I struggled to find a pound coin for a swimming pool locker last week. Rarely use cash.

Smogtopia · 02/04/2023 19:30

About £150 that gets regularly used and then topped up -
Cleaner is paid in cash weekly
Window cleaner in cash, though infrequently
Tips when takeaways arrive
Village chip shop is cash only
A stash of £1 coins for charity days at school

£10 cash tucked in phone case
£10 in car
^ for cold drinks or ice cream vans etc or unexpected book or cake stalls in playground!

LadyLolaRuben · 02/04/2023 19:31

Its a good question. I was pondering this only the other day. I was thinking of putting £1,500 aside at home

Fundingform · 02/04/2023 19:32

Surely this requires a follow up thread.
Do you have a safe in your house, if so why and is it actually secured to anything or just sitting in the bottom of a wardrobe.
In my line of work the only people who have safes are usually the drug dealers

DanceMonster · 02/04/2023 19:34

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 02/04/2023 19:27

Whole electricity/internet/card reader/whatever network goes down, for starters? Can't believe you're asking that.

Show quote history

I guess it could happen in theory, but it hasn’t yet. I haven’t carried cash for around 10 years now and haven’t had a problem.

SeeWhatYouGetWhenYouAskAStupidQuestion · 02/04/2023 19:36

I've currently got £18 in my purse. Often, there isn't any cash in the house. £1000 for emergencies? It sounds as though she's got more money than she knows what to do with

taxguru · 02/04/2023 19:41

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 02/04/2023 19:27

Whole electricity/internet/card reader/whatever network goes down, for starters? Can't believe you're asking that.

Show quote history

Our town lost our electricity supply for several days due to Storm Desmond a few years ago. Cash was useless as all the shops were closed (due to no power!). A couple of small owner-managed independents opened at first, just to sell off their stock, and took cash, but that was more because they, as owners, knew the prices of things and could add up totals in their heads and work out change. The Spar, local garage, etc just shut and stayed shut as they (and their staff) relied on the till for pricing, change, etc.

cannaecookrisotto · 02/04/2023 19:42

SophiaSW1 · 02/04/2023 17:32

Well apparently my husband thinks he needs quite a lot as I recently found several k in a drawer!

Mine does this as well, in amongst his kecks.

What do they think is going to happen?!

SpaghettiSquash · 02/04/2023 19:43

I never have cash on me these days. Everything is paid online or with a card including the milkman and window cleaner.

memesndmoreme · 02/04/2023 19:47

I used to keep a couple thousand I'm the house. Reading this thread, I think I'll start doing it again.

SpringViolet · 02/04/2023 19:48

A few pence lying in the bottom of my purse and the £1 coin I keep for a trolley but other than that haven’t had cash in in my hand since the beginning of Covid.

Think DH has a load of £2 coins in a drawer he was collecting for the stamps on them though.

DramaAlpaca · 02/04/2023 19:49

I have an emergency €50 note somewhere but I can't remember the last time I used cash.

I think there's some cash in the safe as well, unless we raided it for something.

Goodread1 · 02/04/2023 19:49

Obviously having a significant amount of money on your property is not a good idea,

Obviously it's relative and subjective what is a significant amount of money means

topofbighill · 02/04/2023 19:54

A giant Bells bottle full of 1p and 2p...s

PegasusReturns · 02/04/2023 19:54

I keep a bit in a safe (which as someone asked is cemented into the floor - it was here when we moved in and is massive, goodness knows what it was used for!)

The gardener + my DCs tutor & piano teacher, the window cleaner all want paying in cash and I like to have cash for delivery tips.

I also travel a lot so I always have a few hundred in €/$/francs etc.

I think it’s a hangover from having no money in the house when I was growing up and hiding from the Avon lady!

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 02/04/2023 19:55

Only what’s in my purse, currently £45 and change. Most of my money is in my current account or side accounts/savings.