Emergency cash
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Keep $50 to $100 in your car for taxi fares.
A $20 bill is often insufficient for a cab ride today.
one person who lived it
Stash $20 to $50 in your car's glovebox for emergencies like gas or tolls.
It allows you to pay for essentials when card readers are down and ATMs are unavailable.
- Avoid this if you live in an area where cars are frequently broken into.
2 people, independently
- Keep small bills ($1, $2, $5, or $10) in your emergency or vehicle kit.1
- Keep a folded $20 bill behind your driver's license in your wallet as a permanent emergency reserve.2
Immediately place holds on all cards if you lose your wallet or purse to prevent theft.
This makes the cards unusable to a thief.
- Do not leave the cards active.
one person who lived it
Pay with cash to avoid merchant card fees or receive discounts.
Merchants may pass card fees as high as 3% to customers or offer 5-10% discounts for cash payments.
one person who lived it
Keep a $20 bill rather than a $50 bill in your car for emergencies.
Some gas stations and convenience stores refuse to accept bills of $50 or higher.
one person who lived it
Keep an emergency bill under your driver's license in your wallet.
It has helped resolve minor jams.
- It will not help if your wallet is stolen.
2 people, independently
Store tightly rolled $20 or $50 bills in small capsules attached to your keys to keep them secure.
It prevents the cash from being left unsupervised.
one person who lived it
Keep enough cash at home for two weeks of meals.
It avoids the need to visit the bank every weekend.
one person who lived it
Keep a car emergency kit containing cash, water, non-perishable snacks, first aid supplies, and essential tools or clothing.
These items can be life-savers if you get stuck in remote areas or during emergencies.
- Rotate medications out every month.
2 people, independently
14 more on this
Always carry enough cash on your person to pay for a bus or taxi ride home.
One person reported being stranded in town and needing this money to get home safely.
2 people, independently
Wear a money belt under your clothing while traveling to keep valuables safe from loss or theft.
It is nearly impossible to lose, and robbers may not take the belt even if they rob you.
one person who lived it
Place $20 bills in coat pockets after dry cleaning so you have change when wearing them again.
It provides money for small purchases like cider or pumpkins in the fall.
one person who lived it
Carry a decoy wallet with fake cards and small amounts of cash when traveling to hand over if demanded by robbers.
It allows you to retain your real wallet with ID and cards.
one person who lived it
Keep a cash reserve for scenarios where you must evacuate or when financial access is restricted.
To cover costs while services are restored or when money access is blocked.
one person who lived it
Check every pocket of clothing twice before donating it to avoid losing hidden money.
You may have forgotten money in the pockets.
one person who lived it
Test the concealment of hidden items by having a friend try to find them in 3 minutes; if found, move them to a more clever location.
A friend finding the item indicates the hiding spot is too obvious.
one person who lived it
Keep cash on hand for vendors at flea markets, farmers markets, or unexpected garage sales who may be cash-only.
Cash-only vendors are still common in these settings.
one person who lived it
Do not fold large bills too tightly before storing them.
money detectors may not validate them if they are folded
one person who lived it
Bring cash on dates to avoid humiliation if your card is declined or the payment machine fails.
Cards can be declined for reasons other than lack of funds, and servers may hint at machine issues.
one person who lived it
Carry a small aluminum tube battery pack instead of a bulky case.
It is cheaper and less bulky than other options.
one person who lived it
Keep cash on hand for situations where card machines are down but stores remain open.
Card systems can fail due to technical issues or power outages, leaving only cash transactions possible.
2 people, independently
If you live outside the US, keep emergency cash in local currency since USD may not be accepted anywhere except exchange offices.
USD is often not accepted for general transactions outside the US.
one person who lived it
Rely on cash for payments during power outages or when digital payment options are unavailable or untrusted.
During power outages, systems may revert to cash-only; additionally, not everyone accepts phone payments or trusts strangers with digital transfers.
one person who lived it