Community Forums

katydid · 08-15-2018, 01:19 PM

Do you carry extra (above your everyday stash )cash with you in case you have an emergency or maybe just groceries and cannot use a credit card or debit card? Also, do you put it in a fire safe that is in your vehicle or motor home as you travel on the roads? We have a fifth wheel and not sure I like it in the rig as we drive in case of an accident. Pretty much our entire lives we carried minimal cash and never worried about it because we were always close to our home. Now we are full-time and I worry something could happen. I don’t want it on me personally that seems too risky ( loss or theft ).

dexters · 08-15-2018, 01:22 PM

Checks?

Arch Hoagland · 08-15-2018, 01:28 PM

On trips over a week long we'll carry $400 cash and checks.

Some RV parks only take cash or check plus if the credit card doesn't work for some reason I can still buy gas.

We carry it on our person, split between us. I don't leave money in the RV.

twinboat · 08-15-2018, 01:29 PM

No cash stash to speak of, just debit cards and credit cards. Any cash we carry is from withdrawals from supermarkets.

Between the DW and I, 4 cards should get us thru anything.

We write about 3 checks a year.

If we find a deal at a yard sale or something, one of us runs to an ATM to get cash.

rrtribble · 08-15-2018, 01:30 PM

I have a fire safe in my DP which I carry a couple thousand for emergencies and those CGs that take only cash. When I towed my TT I would carry it in the center console locked.

Having said that, as I am moving toward full-timing I plan to carry a little cash, maybe a grand and maybe 5 grand in 1 grand certificates of deposit. My bank transfers money from Money Market account to checking when I call and my CC has a very hefty limit which gets paid off monthly. We live completely debt free. Normal monthly bills for utilities, insurance, etc. i have set up for auto pay on my CC which notifies me for every charge over 1 dollar by text.

I'm looking at moving accounts from current local bank to a larger national bank with branches across the states which would allow me to transfer, deposit and withdrawal money as needed with a minimum charge. Hopefully free!

Hope my planning thoughts provide some assistance in making your decisions. Have a great day - Richard

Finance · 08-15-2018, 01:38 PM

We keep some in the safe on long excursions, just as a belt and suspenders sort of precaution. It’s possible some roadside emergency could need dealt with in an area with no cellular service or credit card option. Never needed it yet.

We’ve got plastic from five different banks, so unless the whole electronic payments system fails a compromised card is merely a nuisance.

gbstewart · 08-15-2018, 01:50 PM

We carry around 600 to 1000
Just to have in case , mostly use credit card pay off at the end of the month
Once in our travels I came across a nice little flat deck trailer I guy was selling at the end of his drive way, he wanted $2500. Cash I offered him less and we did a email money transfer , took 5 mins he has the cash in the bank. Works well , At least here in Canada . We have done email money transfer to pay for a camp ground . I’m sure this method of payment will be more common in the next few years ,

momdoc · 08-15-2018, 07:28 PM

We usually carry $300-$400 in cash and use cards for everything. The cash most of the time will last us 3-4 months.

DGBPokes · 08-15-2018, 07:55 PM

It depends on how long we will be gone. We take $1000 when we leave for the winter and go south. I measured, marked, and bought a wall safe for the rear closet. Bought it from Harbor Freight, when I got it home and open the box, it was a piece of junk, sure wouldn’t have held up to the rough roads, so I took it back. I did buy a “passive” cash hiding device. It is a fake can of Desenex it sets in the Medicine cabinet with a zillion other things.

One other thing, the DW can’t go a week without going to a Wal Mart, they take my debit card for the purchase and give a $100 cash for no additional fees.

Forkyfork · 08-15-2018, 08:08 PM

I found out real fast after leaving the RV lot and heading home that checks are important to have with you if you aren't in the habit of carrying cash. Now I keep a couple checks stashed. As far as cash. We don't travel far and don't carry more than $100. I have stayed at campgrounds that require cash to take advantage of the passport America discount. Since we typically have reservations we are already prepared for this and ask if they take CC.

Old-Biscuit · 08-15-2018, 09:13 PM

When we FTd we carried $400 in our truck center console SAFE
7 yrs and never needed the hidden stash

Regardless of WHERE you go you eventually have to buy some groceries/get some fuel etc.
CASH BACK at checkout for pocket monies

Credit card for purchases

grindstone01 · 08-15-2018, 09:29 PM

We full time and have carried up to $10k cash at times, but usually it's less than half that. Cash is KING and traveling around you never know what might come up. The amount of cash you carry is really a personal choice and I always like to have options, cards, checks, or cash. I've even considered carrying a 1 oz gold bar for any super national/personal disaster emergency. Someday a tank of fuel might be worth it's weight in gold! Living in a RV is no different than a S&B house, you need financial backup plans.

BillJinOR · 08-15-2018, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindstone01

We full time and have carried up to $10k cash at times, but usually it's less than half that. Cash is KING and traveling around you never know what might come up. The amount of cash you carry is really a personal choice and I always like to have options, cards, checks, or cash. I've even considered carrying a 1 oz gold bar for any super national/personal disaster emergency. Someday a tank of fuel might be worth it's weight in gold! Living in a RV is no different than a S&B house, you need financial backup plans.

X2 we full time and have carried several grand in a fire pouch hidden away. I ran into a repair situation that was that and more and the repair was cheaper as a cash deal. ( I’m sure he reported it as taxable income[emoji6])
Most times we don’t need it but when you do...
another time I walked into a US Bank branch , my accounts are there,and wrote a 5 grand check .. they had a hard time cashing it not because i wasn’t good for it but they didn’t have it. .. I had to go to two branches. They told me in the future they needed several days for that much cash. I thought I was in a bank .. times have changed. So yes we keep some cash on hand but truth is rarely need it.

grindstone01 · 08-15-2018, 11:07 PM

My mother had borrowed our TT camper and was at CG in Canada when the 911 event happened. The borders were closed for a week and she couldn't get back into the US. She called me in a panic and I calmed her down telling her there was enough cash hidden in the camper to keep her going for a couple of months if needed. It's better to be prepared.
I believe most people carry some cash reserve with them while traveling, just not sure it's wise to advertise it though!