Do you keep cash at home?

[AlanStache]

I wonder how much of a costal thing this is, ie people in in the east/south with huicanes and people out west with earthquakes see the utility of some cash in even of a natural desaster.  Where people in Kanses just dont have events where half (or more) of the state coudl be without power or basic services for several days. 

[Zikoris]

My boyfriend keeps a bit, but otherwise no - we have plenty of food in the house, including lots that can be eaten without cooking - bread and peanut butter/jam, nuts, dried and fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, canned food, leftovers, drinks.

[regulator]

I wonder how much of a costal thing this is, ie people in in the east/south with huicanes and people out west with earthquakes see the utility of some cash in even of a natural desaster.  Where people in Kanses just dont have events where half (or more) of the state coudl be without power or basic services for several days.

Presumably a fair fraction of them worry about tornadoes, an EMP, terrorist <fill in blank>, or the start of the End Times.

[Rural]

I wonder how much of a costal thing this is, ie people in in the east/south with huicanes and people out west with earthquakes see the utility of some cash in even of a natural desaster.  Where people in Kanses just dont have events where half (or more) of the state coudl be without power or basic services for several days.

Presumably a fair fraction of them worry about tornadoes, an EMP, terrorist <fill in blank>, or the start of the End Times.

Ice storms.

[MoneyCat]

I have around $20 in change.  I need to get around to rolling it.

[Norrie]

We had an ice storm in Oklahoma that knocked out power in pretty much the entire city of Tulsa for 7-14 days. I've never seen anything like it. Wal-Mart and McDonald's were closed, because they were without power too. Finding enough food to keep a family of four fed without being able to cook was a challenge. We had cash on hand, but nowhere to spend it.

We deal with ice storms, tornadoes, and now, more earthquakes than California, so I should probably put more thought into our emergency stash.

[Slowdown]

20 € in my key case and 50 € in my car.
I often need some of the money in my key case because I am used to going to work or on a walk without my wallet (which is just to big to be carried around in my pocket, and I do not like handbags).
I never needed the money I have hidden in the car so far, but one of my nightmares is, that one day for sure I will forget my wallet and drive far away - too far, to fill up the empty fuel tank and drive back home with just the 20 € or so that I find in my key case.
I often forget wallet, keys or other important items at home, so a little cash reserve here and there cannot be wrong.

[Syonyk]

We had an ice storm in Oklahoma that knocked out power in pretty much the entire city of Tulsa for 7-14 days. I've never seen anything like it. Wal-Mart and McDonald's were closed, because they were without power too. Finding enough food to keep a family of four fed without being able to cook was a challenge. We had cash on hand, but nowhere to spend it.

We deal with ice storms, tornadoes, and now, more earthquakes than California, so I should probably put more thought into our emergency stash.

You really should consider such things.

It doesn't cost that much money or space to store some food & other supplies to ride out a few weeks (aim for a month or two and you should be good for pretty much anything, with excess to help out neighbors if needed).

Some food, water, heat, and light will make a huge difference in a moderate term emergency.  A lot of people I know keep some rocket stoves around for cooking without power.  The Biolite stoves will also generate electricity in the process, and charge phones (they also use it to run a circulating fan to significantly improve combustion and reduce particulate emissions).

For a decent sized family, you should be able to do all of this for under $1000, and probably closer to $500, depending on what you have - a lot of the stuff is more or less interchangeable with camping gear, so if you have (for instance) a propane camp stove, you've already got a way to cook without power (assuming you keep a few fuel canisters around).  If you're already a flashlight snob, you're probably good on lighting for... oh, about a year. :)

Look at the likely situations you'll deal with and have plans for them.  As you note, Oklahoma can get some truly Biblical ice storms with significant consequences, and being able to ride through those comfortably is probably something worth doing.

A deep cycle lead acid battery or two in the garage and a set of car chargers for electronics can also be worth keeping around - let the batteries live on a charger (or throw a small solar panel up to keep them topped off), and you can charge phones/flashlights/etc for weeks with the power in them.

[irishbear99]

I wonder how much of a costal thing this is, ie people in in the east/south with huicanes and people out west with earthquakes see the utility of some cash in even of a natural desaster.  Where people in Kanses just dont have events where half (or more) of the state coudl be without power or basic services for several days.

Presumably a fair fraction of them worry about tornadoes, an EMP, terrorist <fill in blank>, or the start of the End Times.

Ice storms.

Nowhere in the US - or arguably, in the world - is free of natural hazards. (If you live in the midwest and don't know what the New Madrid Seismic Zone is, Google it.) It's only good sense regardless of where you live to know the risks in your area and keep an emergency kit with several days of food and water, along with medicines, batteries, cash, etc., just in case.