Disaster Tip of The Week: Keep Cash On Hand

During disasters, power outages are almost guaranteed. In addition to causing the obvious problems at home, prolonged power outages present additional problems, such as ATM's not working, and some retailers may not be able to conduct business, except through cash only exchanges.

This leads us to our new and first: Disaster Tip of The Week: Keep Cash On Hand.

The saying, Cash Is King holds true especially after a disaster, and having the cash to buy items of immediate need may be your only way to purchase these items.

How much cash will you need? That all depends on several factors from the type of disaster that is taking place, how many family members or other people you will be with, if you have to travel and how prepared you were to ride out the disaster or evacuate to another area.

Some things you want to consider in helping you making the decision on how much cash you should keep on hand are:

• How much would it cost you to feed your family (or yourself if alone) for two weeks?
• How much would it cost you if you stayed at a motel or hotel for a few days up to two weeks?
• Will you have to pay for transportation? Buy Gas, or pay tolls? (power may not be out everywhere)
• Consider that during a disaster prices will go up
• Consider that whom ever you buy goods from may not have or provide change

These are just some of the many questions you will want to ask yourself to figure out how much cash you will need. You will also want to carry only paper money, no loose change (too heavy and no one will want to count it). Make sure you have plenty of small bills, try for a few hundred dollars or all of it in small one dollar denominations. You may want a few higher dominations if needed but do not expect change. Carry cash in more than one place or pocket if you can. Also hide some if you can.

There will not be time to bargain hunt, and first come first serve will apply, but you may be able to bargain, and do not tell anyone how much money you are carrying.