Page 9 | To ask how much cash you have?

Member786488 · 2023-12-12T22:09:49+00:00

For various reasons I’ve been thinking that I need to be able to have cash to hand in case of emergencies… usually in my house we have about £20 or so between 3 adults… how much cash could you actually lay your hands on tonight if the banking system went down?

gamerchick · 13/12/2023 21:01

Usually about 300 quid, it's probably double that atm. Just stashed away in the house.

I still remember blackout on C4. Gave me the proper heebies how much we rely on the grid.

OneMoreMyWay · 13/12/2023 21:05

I keep 50 in the kitchen drawer - that's my emergency taxi to the hospital if one of the DC have an accident.
I don't usually carry much cash but right now I have 100 as MIL visited this week and gave it to me to buy DS some new clothes as he's grown out of everything!

GnomeDePlume · 13/12/2023 21:28

It's all very well holding cash in the event of a crisis but if systems go down shops will stop being replenished. They dont hold many days of stock of staples.

A lot of shops might actually not want to take much cash over the counter because they wont be able to deposit it.

juice92 · 13/12/2023 21:42

Probably about £15 in the car for parking, maybe another £5 across handbags in odd coins. If the banking system went down tomorrow we have enough food and stuff that we'd be ok for a few days until it came back up.

Shuggie1234 · 13/12/2023 21:45

Might have a couple of £1 coins in my car for shopping trolley other than that €70 left over from trip to Italy in the summer in the house somewhere

Flavabobble · 13/12/2023 21:57

I have about £300 just in case some bank system goes down - I've worked in supermarkets where some card or other hasn't worked and they've had to revert to the old click-clack machines. That's not an option with contactless.

Essie274 · 13/12/2023 22:05

Exactly £18.50; normally would be £20 (kept in my phone case in case for emergencies) but I had to use it today to get the bus home with DS after my phone died so I couldn't call DH to pick us up! My emergency cash finally came in handy

Londonrach1 · 13/12/2023 22:07

Enough for a food shop. Cash is king.

SoMuchOfEverything · 13/12/2023 22:14

So many people with locked boxes of cash! Hope you all know where the key is!

I have about £70 in the house right now which includes some money sent in Christmas cards from relatives. I'm supposed to use the money to get Christmas presents for the DC, but perhaps I might use it to buy a lockable box... 🤔

Kazzyhoward · 14/12/2023 08:27

GnomeDePlume · 13/12/2023 21:28

It's all very well holding cash in the event of a crisis but if systems go down shops will stop being replenished. They dont hold many days of stock of staples.

A lot of shops might actually not want to take much cash over the counter because they wont be able to deposit it.

When the electric supply to our entire city went down due to storm desmond, supermarkets etc closed. Cash was of no use as their lighting, heating, tills and security were all down so they closed. Same with most smaller shops too - a few independents stayed open to sell off their perishables but closed after an hour or two. Power was off for 3/4 days and then it took a couple more days for them to clear the mess of defrosted food, re stock, etc. Cash isn't useful if shops aren't open to buy stuff!

NonSequentialRhubarb · 14/12/2023 08:41

I don't generally have any cash at all. I get £10 a month out to pay for playgroup but other than that never really use it. I have about £70 in my bag right now because my FIL gave us cash as a Christmas present.

daffodilandtulip · 14/12/2023 08:47

Sometimes my clients pay me in cash and it drives me mad. It sits around in the house because I forget to take it out then I'm always wondering why there's less in my bank than my accounts say I've been paid.

GnomeDePlume · 14/12/2023 08:48

Kazzyhoward · 14/12/2023 08:27

When the electric supply to our entire city went down due to storm desmond, supermarkets etc closed. Cash was of no use as their lighting, heating, tills and security were all down so they closed. Same with most smaller shops too - a few independents stayed open to sell off their perishables but closed after an hour or two. Power was off for 3/4 days and then it took a couple more days for them to clear the mess of defrosted food, re stock, etc. Cash isn't useful if shops aren't open to buy stuff!

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Exactly!

Far more useful would be to hold a small rotated stock of back up food. Especially food which can be eaten without re-cooking. Add to this some candles and torches plus keep a reserve power bank charged so that phones can be re-charged.

You don't need a full prepper's bunker just enough to get through a few days.

User2856948 · 14/12/2023 08:52

I'm always prepared though with several credit cards and bank accounts, a couple of months of food, it would be weird not to have cash as well, I have had to use my cash before but not that often

Girasoli · 14/12/2023 08:56

Probably about £20 in coins between DH, me, and DS1s tooth fairy money. I like to always have a bit of change for church tea and coffee and last minute charity things at DS1s school.

jaundicedoutlook · 14/12/2023 09:18

About £10 in brown coins and other shrapnel in a jar in the hall; DDs usually have some cash - at a guess £20-30 each, I might have another £5 in coins in the car for emergency parking charges, and a fair bit in euros, dollars, and yen in a travel wallet with the passports, which probably wouldn't come in that handy...! Never really get cash out from the bank these days.

sunshineandrain82 · 14/12/2023 09:31

I honestly wouldn't have a clue.
We have money in a safe which we add to at random times.
A pot we call our emergency £50 fund.
I currently have £45 in my purse from selling things.
I found £15 in a random drawer over weekend. Probably more drawers like that.

We always have £40 in £1 coins in a pot (3 kids school age, those pesky donation days)

Oh works with cash so I never ask how much he's got.

We move house soon and will be doing our let's see how much cash we find hunt.