Cash and a catastrophic event.

[truthteller]

 

Do you have enough cash on hand to weather a catastrophic event. For example, say there is a major conflict or catastrophy that affects your area. Several folks I talked to say they have a bit of cash and a few silver rounds to get them through, just in case. But I wonder, how much is enough? I remember the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict and the lines of people at the ATM that day. Some ATM's ran out of cash or limited to $100 withdrawal. Although that wasn't considered a catastrophic event, it was very unnerving. Say a sudden economic collapse requires trading of silver rounds for barter, will you have any? Will the local grocer take full step nickels MS68 in trade? Just curious.

 

 

 

 

TRUTH

[TomB]

I have to admit that I think the idea of using silver rounds for commerce is ludicrous. During the Y2K scare there were soooo many people hawking silver rounds as a form of protection in case computer systems shut down or limited our monetary supply. It was, plainly, stupid. Think of this question; with how mind-numbingly out-of-it many people seem to be, would they realize what a silver round was and take it at its proper value? There is just no way. Most people have never even seen an SBA, and if you try to spend a Kennedy half there are quite a few folks who swear that it's a foreign coin.

[spy88]

At the risk of reading more into the question then as proposed, here is my response and consider it germane.

 

I think I've read where many investment specialists recommend one have enough cash on hand (in whatever form) to weather at least 6 months of no income. But for many low to middle income bracket people, it's next to impossible to leave this stash intact let alone accumulate it to begin with.

 

For most of us, I would imagine this amount of cash would be at a minimum, $5000 and probably closer to 2X or 3X this. With excellent credit, I could easily amass $15,000 from CC cash advances, but with near extortion interest rates on such advances, it would be my last resort.

 

In case of a major health issue (be it accident or disease, which would preface a loss of income from not being able to work), I would definitely have to consider selling my collection were it to last past 6 months. And although repulsive to think about, it is always there should the need arise.

 

But were terrorists to blow up any casino or Hoover Dam here in Vegas (and these are considered very real possibilities), it would affect the entire local population with a loss of 90% of tourists, and their $$$ coming in. We already weathered this scenario after 9/11 in NY happened. It took time but tourism came back. It'd be very different if it happened here. Really don't like contemplating the consequences of that.

 

Everyones situation is different. And for each situation, there are other considerations as to what would constitute the need for, and amount of, ready cash. From a broken wrist (personal), a fire gutting your place of employment

(personal, but not affecting your ability to get a job elsewhere), to a nuclear attack (somewhere other then on top of you but within our borders and would affect all of us), and anything in between. Some you have control of---others, you have to go with the flow, adapting to your situation, doing whatever is necessary to maintain your level of life.

[chinook]

My cash is in the form of about 10k rounds of various ammo.

[Wihlborg]

My cash is in the form of about 10k rounds of various ammo.

 

 

John

[Leothelion]

Do you have enough cash on hand to weather a catastrophic event. For example, say there is a major conflict or catastrophy that affects your area. Several folks I talked to say they have a bit of cash and a few silver rounds to get them through, just in case. But I wonder, how much is enough? I remember the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict and the lines of people at the ATM that day. Some ATM's ran out of cash or limited to $100 withdrawal. Although that wasn't considered a catastrophic event, it was very unnerving. Say a sudden economic collapse requires trading of silver rounds for barter, will you have any? Will the local grocer take full step nickels MS68 in trade? Just curious.

 

TRUTH

 

Will the local grocer take full step nickels MS68 in trade? Just curious.

 

They might if I show them a receipt!

 

What a dig at us afixiendo's (sp?) of FS nickels!

 

I once made a joke about the guy running to catch a bus, trying to pay with pop one coins!

 

Have you ever left for work to find out you left your billfold? I did recently and I had to miss lunch! I remember when the lightening knocked out the power to a K-Mart store, just as I pulled in. They had the doors locked before I could get out of the car. If it were a catastropy what good would money,silver rounds, gold do unless someone was selling something on the street? Wouldn't there be food lines down at the Salvation Army? A better formula would be bottled water, dried foods, beef jerky and lots of TP!

 

Do you know of any good survival kit websites?

 

Leo

[truthteller]

"What a dig at us afixiendo's (sp?) of FS nickels!"

 

You know what, when I wrote that, I didn't even realize it was a slam at FS nickel folks. But it made me laugh when you pointed that out. Maybe an unconscious Freudian slip.

 

 

For me, I live in a very rural area. Most folks do without the major big cities luxuries and headaches and will be able to get by with not a lot of cash. I stock up on supplies when I can, but not cash, silver or gold. I figure about $500 will pull me through for a month, any longer, then I would worry a bit. The only drawback is if there is a super, major catastrophy in Los Angeles, then the city folks will come up here and take over.

 

 

TRUTH

[Hoot]

"What a dig at us afixiendo's (sp?) of FS nickels!"

 

You know what, when I wrote that, I didn't even realize it was a slam at FS nickel folks. But it made me laugh when you pointed that out. Maybe an unconscious Freudian slip.

 

 

"afixiendo's (sp?)"

 

aficionado - a word that makes sense but does not belong in the English language.

 

Hoot

[Leothelion]

"What a dig at us afixiendo's (sp?) of FS nickels!"

 

You know what, when I wrote that, I didn't even realize it was a slam at FS nickel folks. But it made me laugh when you pointed that out. Maybe an unconscious Freudian slip.

 

 

For me, I live in a very rural area. Most folks do without the major big cities luxuries and headaches and will be able to get by with not a lot of cash. I stock up on supplies when I can, but not cash, silver or gold. I figure about $500 will pull me through for a month, any longer, then I would worry a bit. The only drawback is if there is a super, major catastrophy in Los Angeles, then the city folks will come up here and take over.

 

 

TRUTH

 

Loved it myself but forgot the laugh-face icon!

 

Yeah, that bites! The city and some big corp comes in and tells everyone we're building a new Hyvee store here so uproot and move out!

 

The way I see it, if something major happens around here, we'll either pull together and rebuild or rob and kill each other! It really depends on how bad it really gets. The world really caved in for many folks in NY and the nation! It still seems like yesterday on that castastropy. How long does it take to get a F-15 figher in the air?

 

 

Leo

[CarlWohlforth]

We keep a few hundred around. Cash probably wouldn't matter much in some scenarios. I was naturally good at rifle shooting when I was young and keep planning on seeing if I still can do it. We also have loads of canned food and a large bag of rice and a good garden and fruit trees.

 

We are in the suburbs at the very edge of San Jose, CA. In one direction there are millions of people. In the other two more streets then 50 miles of dry, empty, grass covered hills.

 

I guess I never worry too much. I figure I'd be able to talk my way into some barter/group situation where the neighbors band together and help each other out. I guess I am an optimist...

[truthteller]

" In the other two more streets then 50 miles of dry, empty, grass covered hills"

 

 

Morgan Hill or Blossom Hill?

[CarlWohlforth]

I live on the eastern edge of San Jose, just north of the road (130) that goes up to the top of Mt. Hamilton. This about 30 miles north of Morgan Hill and 10 miles east of Blossom Hill.

 

I walk to Alum Rock Park daily. There you can follow the creek up to the end of the park. It is closed off now but there used to be a trail marker that read "Livermore: 50 miles". Once over the Mt. Hamilton range there is an isolated valley with one road: Mines Rd. That road goes in to Livermore. If you follow that road the other way it joins up with 130 which goes back up to Mt. Hamilton or Rt. 5. That valley is pretty remote and empty considering how close it is to a major population center.

[jom]

For us in California it is MUCH more likely an event such as an earthquake could knock out ATM's. I have some spare cash laying around since 1992 when we got hit was a few quakes here in So. Cal. I thought maybe the "big one" was coming. That hasn't happened...yet...but I still have those same bills still in a box somewhere just in case.

 

If some sort of war happened I'm not so sure things would be stable where cash would be worth much. I mean, who knows?

 

jom

[big_steve-migration]

I've been through 2 riots -- Detroit in '67 and here in LA in '92.

 

I keep my get-out-of-town kit in a backpack on a doorknob.

I put a .45 with ammo, a rope, knife, a small handful of Mexican 2 peso gold pieces

and $600-800 cash in it.

 

Big Steve