Imagine this, a tornado tears thru town. Your home is unsafe to stay in and you need to find shelter for your family. Or they are evacuating the whole town and you need to fill up your tank with gas. How would you pay? If there is prior warning at all, the ATM machines will be cleaned out by the companies (to prevent theft & money loss). By the time you are aware of what is happening, there won't be time to find loose change.
I will never forget the most heartbreaking story from the evacuation in Houston, TX a few years ago. The night before the hurricane was to hit, the ATM's were cleaned out, the credit card/debit card machines weren't working. NPR was interviewing people waiting in line to buy gas, and the man next in line had RUN OUT OF GAS while waiting to get some. He had no money on-hand, and no way to pay. He sold his ROLEX watch for $20 for gas money to help his family escape.
If a worst case scenario is happening (which is the point of 72 hour kits), there will be no money. And no one will be offering you change for your $20. I know people who gather $10 - $15 a paycheck and put it aside, either a $5 & (5) $1's or a $10 and (5) $1's. So they have free cash for hotels, gas, or other necessities as they arrive.
If you are able to place a larger amount of money aside, please do until you feel you have sufficient for the 72 hour kits. But $10 - $15 seemed like a great, feasible way to gather your money for your 72 hour kits.
No comments:
Post a Comment