Do you do all your banking online?  Got a dozen credit or debit cards with high limits?   When you can't use plastic, you write a check?  Now, let's talk about how useful all those things are in the immediate aftermath of a natural disasters. 

If the electricity gets shut down in your region, you're going to have trouble getting online to do  your banking.  No one will  want to accept credit cards, because they won't be able to verify the transaction (unless perhaps you're known to the merchant involved, and they're willing to take a paper transaction--but many don't, these days ).  The same can be said of your checks...most major stores have verification methods that rely on electricity. 

Going a step further, if Hurricane Katrina just ravaged all the stores in your region and they don't have anything to sell you, the question of verifying accounts  is moot.  That's when the local economy will revert, at least temporarily, to a cash or barter economy.  Basically, you'll be trading some of your wheat with Joe down the street, in return for  him recharging  your batteries on his generator system--or whatever the case may be.  Or, you'll be having to buy goods from others with cold, hard cash—paper currency or coin.  If you haven't stored enough food/water or if your supplies were damaged in the disaster, you may well have to use that money to buy food for your family; medicines for your kids; or who knows what, right?

What was that you just said?  You don't carry around much cash anymore, because you're so used to using credit cards?  Right!!!  That's why you should be setting up an "emergency cash stash" to guard against  such situations when traditional methods of commerce have failed.

In your home or yard, protected, out-of-sight and hopefully well-secured, you should have a small amount of paper currency and U.S. coins.     

• Some folks buy a home safe and  place  it in the basement or garage, anchoring it to the concrete with appropriate bolts.    
• Others buy a small water-tight container, which they then nest within larger-size waterproof containers or small buckets, and bury it in the yard (hopefully, when no one is looking).    
• Still others go with the old "half-empty coffee can" in the back of the pantry, with the money  buried beneath the remaining coffee, tucked inside layers of Ziploc bags.   (Remember to consider the threats in your region, including tornados--you don't want your money flying around the countryside. )      
• I've known some that bury their stash several inches underground in the backyard, with a nice rock placed over it.  If you do this, you should try to ensure you can still get  it  out of the ground in about 60 seconds.  Of course, that might be harder to do if we've got three feet of snow over top of it...I think that part still needs some thinking applied to it. 

Whichever approach you choose, make sure it is something you can "grab and go" when you're "getting out of dodge."  Make sure it is on your list of "emergency to go items," but in code so you don't give it away to the bad guys running the illegal roadblock up the highway.   Call it something like:  "Derricks' Special Medication," or "Suzie's Scrapbook," only what it really refers to is your emergency cash stash.

How much money should you keep in your cash stash?  That is up to you, your opinion of the hazards you face, how likely they are in your area, and how much cash you therefore think you might need.  I think your budget also   factors in; if you can only stash $50, then just stash $50.  I've read about some folks that keep $10,000 and more in their cash stash--particularly because they plan to travel to another region to assist relatives, and might need the cash on the road.  However, my personal opinion is that $300 to $500 is a good number for most families in most situations.  You probably should break that into 1, 5, 10 and 20 dollar bills (no $50s), and at least $40 should be in coins; probably quarters, but some folks like $1 or $2 coins, or even fifty-cent pieces.  

• Including coins in your stash is a great idea for several reasons.  First, you might simply need some quarters to use a pay phone once your cell phone battery runs down.  Second, you'll want to be cautious about pulling out a wad of cash in front of folks during emergencies--coins help alleviate this problem.  Third, in some extreme situations, there might be folks that simply don't want paper currency (relatively easy to counterfeit)--but they will take hard metal coins. 
• Now, let me caution you:  there will be folks trying to convince you to stash bars of gold, gold-based coins like the Krueggerand, bars of silver, or silver-content coins.  Storing gold or gold coins is certainly possible, but most ordinary folks probably have higher priorities than shipping a few thousand dollars off to some gold brokerage ( by the way, their fees will  be high).  This is not criticizing those who have stored gold/gold coins in large amounts; those assets could be invaluable in a number of disaster situations, and I would  do it, too, if I were considerably wealthier.  The point is: most  of us need to concentrate on the basics, first.
• But, ABSOLUTELY, every family should have an emergency cash stash, with at least a little something in it.  Absolutely!!!!  Even if you only have $50  stashed, that may be the money that gets you the taxi ride to the emergency room when your husband has a heart attack a couple of days later, from working so hard at digging out in a disaster's aftermath.

Okay, it's time for our final review on the concept of "emergency cash stash" 

• Choose an amount to store consistent with your economic circumstances and perceived needs. 
• Store cash and coin in watertight, secured cash stash containers; outdoors stores such as REI carry several varieties of these.   Consider investing in an appropriate, water-proof safe (but don't let that distract from higher priorities; make do with the coffee can if you must.)That container should be hidden carefully around the house (only those children known to be absolutely trustworthy should be aware of its location   and/or able to access it ; such funds occasionally have become ice cream money, or Friday night at the movies money); 
• Make it hard to open the safe or can or storage container, or whatever:  you don't want to be tempted to pull money out for daily needs; 
• You should be able to grab it and go, quickly, in a true emergency; 
• And, need we say that you probably don't want to brag to your neighbors about the $ 500.00 you've hidden in your backyard?  

 Good luck, good storing,  and good cash stashing.   

About the authors:  Jim & Lisa Rodgers live in Colorado Springs and maintain a full years' supply of food storage. Contact them at jimandlisarodgers@comcast.net, or 719-282-0764.