1. The Freezer: Wrap your cash in aluminum foil and stick it in a ziplock bag.
2. Picture Frames: Slice apart the cardboard backing and insert the cash.
3. Under Heavy Things: Place the cash in an envelope and slide it under the corner of something heavy, like a piano or entertainment center.
4. Soup Cans: Why buy one of those fake-bottom cans when you just re-use one of your own?
5. Fake Plants: Put the cash in a ziplock bag and bury it in the fake soil of one of your fake plants.
6. Books: Improve the worst book in your collection with a knife. Hollow out the core and hide the cash inside.
7. Toys: Hide the cash in an old toy your kids don't use anymore, and bury the toy at the bottom of the toy chest.
Of course, any household location can work just fine. The real trick is remembering which hiding place you chose. Send yourself an email with the location—if the thieves have broken into both your email accounts and your home, then really, all is lost.
Seven Secret Places To Hide Cash In Your Home [Frugal Dad]
(Photo: fazen)
1- They always check the freezer, and usually come away with bundles of cash. I don't know why this is supposed to be a good hiding place, but odds are that it's just as common with thieves as it is with people suggesting good places to hide them.
2- They always give the people a safe, bolted to the floor of a closet, and then chastise them about not leaving the combination on the safe.
]]>@bwcbwc: Inland.
]]>When I used to have a cat, I would put money in a ziplock baggie and slide it under the plastic liner in the litterbox.
]]>When I used to have a cat. I'd put money in 2 ziplock bags and then slide it under the plastc liner in the litterbox. A great hiding place!
]]>I mention this because without electricity an ATM is not going to give you any cash.
Not to mention that in a true emergency it's possible the atm will be emptied by hoardes of people desperate for cash.
I have a nice safe hiding spot for $400 just in case.
and I'm not telling you where that is.
Mainly because I don't remember where that spot is.
/s
]]>Damn if only there was a building with trained professionals, electronic records and a big vault. Where you could put your money and basically no cost to you.
Anyone know something like this?
]]>This discussion is starting to go off the deep end.
I think the initial topic dealt with storing small amounts of money to be used in case of an emergency - not what to do in the event the FDIC shuts down.
Homeowners' insurance may cover small amounts of cash (typically $500) in the event of burgularly, subject to your deductible. In contrast, money in a bank or Credit Union is insured up to $250,000.
$100 or so laying around is enough for gas and food for a few days. If I sense a greater risk (such as a hurricane watch being issued), I'll grab a few extra hundred from the ATM.
]]>@SujataEldred:
If you had my cat you'd think twice: It'll eat anything.
If you think catnip is expensive, wait until kitty starts coughing up green hairballs with pictures of dead presidents.
]]>@onereeves:
Lucky you. My bank requires large amounts of coins to be rolled prior to deposit.
What people searching for things tend to watch for is the thing out of place. The shelf with only one book, the cupboard with only one can of soup, etc. Make your stash look like part of the normal clutter and it'll be much safer. Watch out for places that leave traces when you access them - the drive bay cover with much less dust than the others or the TV stand with scratches where the TV has been moved frequently will attract attention. Skip those "fake cans" that are sold as secret safes - the thieves have seen those too and recognize them on sight: they're not identical to the real product.
And don't think that the common places will be ignored. The toilet tank WILL be checked, as will "under the mattress". Dresser drawers and closets will also be checked. Plants too - especially if there's just one. The freezer always gets checked so this isn't a very safe place to hide things unless your cash packet looks just like fifty other packages in there.
The best places will almost always be in plain sight and absolutely normal looking. If you've got a file cabinet full of files, an envelope with cash inside can sit in the bottom of one of the folders. If you have a large CD collection, a surprising amount of cash can hide in a CD case.
Remember that your thief is thorough, but he's also in a hurry. This is where hiding things in collections works in your favor. He'll probably check the one or two CDs you have out - but the 300 in the rack would take more time to go through than he can afford to spend.
And you might find it useful to put a small (but not tiny) amount of cash under the mattress or in the toilet tank. It's entirely possible that when the thief finds it he'll figure he's got your hidden stash and get out of there before he gets caught.
Remember, it doesn't have to be hard to get to or super well hidden - it just needs to be somewhere that prevents it from being located quickly. Professional thieves know how long it will take the police to arrive after the neighbors call in or they set off the alarm and they're done and out of there in less time than that. If you've got some tweaker coming that doesn't care if he gets caught or not then all bets are off.
]]>My mother in law stuck $100 bills in all her window blinds which she kept rolled up. We could never understand why she had roll up blinds under louvered blinds and curtains till we were cleaning up after she died.My husband pulled down a blind and thousands of dollars started raining down. She never told a soul.
]]>So... it happens.
]]>@AppleAlex: In college someone got into my dorm room and took my boyfriend's PSP, but ignored the cord for the PSP and the two laptops sitting about 6 feet away.
]]>To all the Katrina references, not all disasters are warned in advance and it is a good idea to have cash on hand. Remember the Northeast blackout!?
]]>And that's how she found out that some people actually do store important files and emails in the trash.
They're idiots, yes, but the warning not to do it with a real garbage can is a fair one.
Walgreens took a check in the ice storm in January 2007. They were open and checking people out with flashlights and calculators. I can't speak for other stores, however, who might not be open in the middle of a disaster.
]]>Better yet, get one of those large Tupperware thingys to put the pet food in, so you don't accidentally throw the bag away.
]]>I'm going home and pulling all the baseboards off!
]]>Not if I kill him.
]]>To really hide your valuables you need to get into "hidden places" construction versus this run of the mill list.
There are various books on amazon about this. Alot of them use magnet catches or nail catches which require a magnet to remove the nail
One quick one is to cut out a section of the top of a hollow core interior door and hang or drop a bag with a recovery string down there...
]]>@twophrasebark: That was the first thing I thought too...
]]>@Tijil: I will remember that one. Just make sure the plumbers know where the real clean out is or you risk giving them a large tip...
]]>Given the amount of crap on my desk, there is a pretty good chance a thief wouldn't notice it.
]]>"Dump your pocket change in it every night. It may add up to $100 or more per year. By sorting and rolling them, you won't get ripped off on CoinStar fees (.18 cents per dollar) and you can have some fun."
I dump my change everynight. Usually end up with a 100-150 twice a year.
However my bank counts my change for me for FREE. I don't get the draw of Coinstar.
Then somewhere else in the house have your real stash... or better still put it in the bank.
]]>Hide stuff in uncommon and un-noticeable places, if you're going to hide it at all and not get a good safe. And not something that will be tossed out or destroyed on accident, either.
(Hint: A lot of lamp bases unscrew, etc. The thief may knock the lamp off the table, but I would be surprised if they took the time to unscrew the base, especially since the big screen TV, computers, etc are all sitting out in plain view. But that's what renters insurance is for.)
]]>@Shadowfire: The light fixture thing worked pretty damn well for Karla Holmolka... if the cops had found those videotapes when they originally searched the place she'd still be in jail.
]]>As for that guy who is saying he is a sniper and protects his home with Smith and Wesson.. buddy.. you aren't always home. Real thieves know that and know your patterns.
But worse is the fact that it's easier to steal get your debit card information from a skimmer than it is to break in your house and rummage around.. Debit card fraud is one of the highest increases of all non violent crime... it's relatively easy compared to other things and will give them cash...
Debit is a direct link to your money... period...
If it's just a small amount of emergency cash is there really a need to hide it?
I can see if you live in an area where you get robbed on a regular basis but most insurances will cover a small amount of cash. I imagine chances are the thief would take something else as well, justifying an insurance claim.
]]>I suppose the loud dog barking behind a closed door would be warning enough that it would be pretty stupid to open that door! Perhaps a sign is redundant. Of course, if I'm not home, they could always say "there was no warning the dog came out of nowhere." I've asked the superintendent, who accompanies the workers in, to be careful not to let the dog out.
My dog has not bitten anyone before, but he is very protective of the house (barking, growling, etc.) and I think he would if I was not there to tell him to back off. That is why I keep him locked in one bedroom during this construction renovation when workmen are coming in.
]]>Depending how much you want to hide, stashing spare change efficiently is an option:
Buy a coin bank that sorts pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters (about $10-$15 at Wal-Mart or OfficeMax). Don't pay for coin wrappers, you can score these free at your bank just by asking a teller.
Dump your pocket change in it every night. It may add up to $100 or more per year. By sorting and rolling them, you won't get ripped off on CoinStar fees (.18 cents per dollar) and you can have some fun.
Have a small bill or fine you owe a douchebag? Rolled pennies show how much you care and - being Legal Tender - can't be refused. Larger coin rolls can be hidden. Too many coin rolls? Most banks will accept rolled coins for deposit with no complaints.
And my favorite: "Is that a roll of quarters in your pants or are you just happy to see me?"
]]>BTW, I use a similar tactic to hide a backup of my data. I have an outlet wired into a closet, and my Time Capsule (wifi hotspot with HD attached) is plugged into it, and stuffed in a shoebox. Works fine, and I doubt a thief will take the time to dig through a closed of old computer HW, shoeboxes and gift wrap.
]]>1. The Freezer: let's hope some nosey relative doesn't throw it out while "cleaning up your mess of a freezer".
2. Picture Frames: unfortunately, that limits how much cash you can stash and runs the risk of damaging your art.
3. Under Heavy Things: this I like.
4. Soup Cans: not bad, but they do look there now.
5. Fake Plants: may not work if you have a cat ("what the hell? Get out of there!") and if there's a leak in the bag, you'll be watering your money in the worst way possible.
6. Books: an old stand-by but difficult to do and one friend sliced her thigh with a box cutter trying to do this at home.
7. Toys: yeah. All I'm saying is "yard sale find of the century".
Good food for thought, though!
]]>Got a light fixture? Pull it down, and hide cash up inside of it.
Seriously, the ideas stated in the linked article are terrible. A good thief knows where to look for hides. If you want to really make it difficult to steal, you need to make it a pain in the ass for you to get it too.
]]>@Julia789: In my area, when a dog is known to bite (has done it before, but not enough to be required to get put down), a homeowner is required to put up a "Beware Of Dog" sign. Might be good in your case. It's not admitting any knowledge of danger ... just that there's a dog and one should be aware of it. *shrug*
]]>Next time you have a spare minute, check the proportion of Christians to atheists in jails, why don't you.
]]>@sinfonian94: That may have been a little history you missed out on.
]]>@sinfonian94: It may have been a surprise to you and maybe even to the city of New Orleans. However, I don't think it was much of a surprise because the city urged people to evacuate. Why would they do that if no one suspected that the levees would have problems? There has been discussion of the inadequacy of those levees for literaly decades.
]]>Be careful clicking around there.
]]>Send all the money you want to hide to me: Occupant, POB 18031, PCB, FL 32407. I will hide it extremely well and only I will be able to find it.
]]>Fake electrical outlets.
Bought up bunch of the Fake electrical outlets at one of the home improvement stores. Installs in the sheetrock just like a regular electrical outlet. Looks just like a regular electrical outlet. But there is a metal box on the backside to hold the goodies. The "lock" is the set screw which would normally hold the outlet cover in place. Opens easily with a regular flat blade screw driver.
Installed the outlets on short walls (where the architect and building codes did not intend an outlet to exist). Looks just like a regular household outlet in a less than desirable location. A couple of them I "covered" the location with real bookcases, potted plants etc.
]]>Your comment made me laugh so hard. Thank you for that!
:)
]]>Oh man. I was eating coffee ice cream as I clicked on your "brief safe" link.
Ewwwww!
]]>@JuliB: yeah, don't do that - i work at a used book store & you know how many people we give their secret stashes back to? All of them, when I'm on shift - and it's between 10 and 15 instances a month. When I'm not on shift, who knows...
]]>@Craysh: put what ever you put in the wall within a thick tupperware box - making it easy to retrieve. My husband's favorite critter story involves a nest made of shredded 20's.
]]>@Craysh: This is correct. Our neighbours had a break-in that took place over less than 20 minutes. The thieves demolished the fridge, freezer, pantry and plants, and knocked over all of the larger furniture.
The cops said that it was because these are places that people commonly hide money.
They had even gutted the baby's room.
It was horrifying. They had to sleep at our place that night because their house was too wrecked.
]]>It looks exactly like a regular outlet.
]]>P_Smith is the one who hijacked the thread and is the one speaking garbage.
]]>If you have a large amount of money, you gently pry away the baseboard from an interior wall, keyhole a two inch by six inch slot in the drywall, throw money in slot, and replace the baseboard.
Another good one is under carpet in an unused corner of a common area.
Hiding things from myself and others was an art I picked up years ago when I smoked the doobage.
]]>Tell me about it. I hid my jewelry during recent renovations and I still haven't found it. I fear the workers did but until I really remember where I put it, I can't accuse anyone and now they are long gone.
It makes me sick but I may have lost all my jewelry.
]]>@Trai_Dep: You and I know that there is at least one of your personalities that agrees with everything I say.
The sane ones.
]]>Hide it in a Bible.
The people who open a Bible won't steal.
And the people who would steal won't think to open a Bible.
(Read this in Reader's Digest a billion years ago)
]]>@P_Smith: Also - did you see the pictures of the destruction in NO? Did you happen to notice all of those metal things on the streets? They call those "cars". Cars ruined by the water that EVERYONE knew was coming.
]]>@P_Smith: There were ways out despite their mayor's moronic decision to let all those school busses get water-logged in the parking lot. I'm betting that the hurricane wasn't a surprise to the majority of them. They only had like seven days warning.
]]>Not a good idea because tool chests are often taken when someone breaks into the garage. Tools are easy to fence or sell at flea markets. If it is a big one and/or bolted down, it might be harder to steal, but that also indicates that it has good stuff in it. The locked drawer will deter the opportunist thief that just runs in and quickly grabs a few tempting items, but the experienced house burglar knows what is valuable (and easily sellable) plus most work when you are away, so they have time to pry open locked drawers and dump out freezers, underwear drawers, and whatever "hiding places" are being sold in the magazines lately.
]]>@HiPwr: Is that you, Newt Gingrich?
What's next out of your mouth? "It was a failure of citizenship" or "the poor's own fault they don't own cars"?
Nice to know you're a civilized human being. 9_9
]]>Ah, but I'm also the sort who has emergency supplies ready year round: canned food, bottled water, radio, batteries, a gas stove, a packed "go bag", etc.
@BrazDane: Besides, most places they will want to see some form of ID with the cheques, which renders them useless w/o it - not so with cash.
Hence why I said I'm more protective of my ATM card, passport and ID. And as for TC denominations, it's mostly $50s, but $20s and $100s as well. They're leftovers from previous holidays, and since TCs don't have an expiration date, why not use them this way?
I've never seen a hotel or motel turn its nose at TCs when I pay for multiple nights. On top of that, I've usually got $50-100 in bills in my wallet at any time.
]]>A market arises of those who have for a price in cash things you want, like water, firewood, rice, and other staples. Having money in your bank isn't going to do any good when you can't withdraw.
As for stashing my emergency funds I have found using an empty tampon box in the bathroom works pretty well.
]]>That's fucking brilliant, the skidmarks are a nice touch.
]]>@ShadowFalls: You also flee the area, but how many idiots in New Orleans didn't even do that.
]]>@TCama: How much clearer can you say it?
That was a classic. :)
]]>I'm too broke to keep extra cash around.
]]>The idea with 3 is to put it under or inside something that is heavy and undesirable for thieves. Most thieves want to be in and out very quickly so will look for easy to access, light, and expensive objects to maximize their profits.
]]>Hurricanes don't just pop out of nowhere, you have advance notice. When one is coming, you go to the bank and make a withdraw?
]]>Number one is just a bad idea unless you let EVERYONE in the household know it is there. My dad did that with $8,000, and didn't tell anyone and then my mom decided to clean out the freezer. Bye-bye....
]]>Quick and easy to access.
Amazing how much stuff one can keep in there, and people generally don't open what they think are sewer pipes...
]]>Has Frugal Dad ever watched television? He made a list of all the places the thieves look!
]]>I did try the toy idea once... my son found the money and came to me and said "Look mum, the Easter bunny left me lots of dollars!!!" Yea, never doing that one again. Old or not kids like their toys.
I hide my money in the garage, in my husband's tool chest of all places. Since I am the only one with a key to that particular drawer no one but me can access it.
]]>I keep $500 in emergency money as travellers' cheques in my bedroom desk. I can get the money back if they're stolen, so I don't worry about thieves.
My more immediate concern is keeping my ATM card, ID and passport safe for everyday use. I can always access more money as long as I have those.
]]>Actually, a couple of rooms have double jacks (the size of two side-by-side electrical outlets) in them, with two network and two phone jacks in them, but nothing plugged into them anymore -- it'd be really easy to take out all the wires (freeing up even more space) and you could put whatever you needed in there.
]]>"Nice bark" most dogs all they have is their bark. It really isn't a deterrent as much as you think it is. I have been around some really big and barky dogs (junk yard and warehouse dogs) and most people are fearful of them yes... but the bigger pictures is one knee will take them down in an instant. There are more ways to protect oneself from an angry dog and I bet that some thieves know the tricks of the trade.
]]>@crabbygeek: And what if a "Katrina" situation happens and all the ATMs are down and the banks closed in the vicinity? What if you need a small amount of cash to get to the next town where you can get more later?
]]>I like the freezer idea. I was planning on keeping about $100 on hand in case of a natural/man-made disaster.
]]>I keep my money in the bank.
]]>The best place to hide money is in a safe. Period. The overhead cost of a safe that bolts to the floor will easily be made up for by the decades of use you'll get out of it for everything from financial documents to birth certificates, and everything in between. What I wouldn't suggest is a non-bolted safe, since it could easily be picked up and carted off (unless it's enormous; think gun safe enormous).
]]>@Craysh: It Takes a Thief was a great show. I know as soon as I own anything worth protecting, I'm getting a bolted-down floor safe.
]]>What if the piano get stolen?
"Hey, this piano comes with extra cash!"
]]>It would be painfully disappointing to repeat the experience of this woman:
[Woman mistakenly junks $1 million mattress]
And again, a bank or US treasures makes a decent choice unless you have problems with IRS.
]]>Does anyone have Frugal Dad's address?
]]>However, I would note that a good majority of thefts are not the breaking and entering kind. Many thefts are done by visiting nurses aides, cleaning companies, service tech people, maintenance workers, landlords, etc. The key here is being around when people are in your home.
For me this is hard. I live in condominiums that are undergoing major interior and exterior renovations. Our super has a key to every unit and various workman are coming and going as they please. During this construction, I've also had to keep my dog locked up in a bedroom so he doesn't go after the workmen. When I do so, I put all the valuables in the same room as the dog, with a large warning sign on the door. "Do not open, dog will bite!"
]]>- toilet tank (ziplock and tape either right behind it or on the lid after you lift it up)
- cold air return vent
- dummy electrical socket
- inside a pot light (slide it out and toss cash behind it, put back light)
and that is about all i can come up with
]]>I'd have one if I had something to put in it. :)
]]>Even though I know where the money is, just looking at the bookshelves overwhelms me. Yes, I follow some organizing and clutter blogs.
]]>@Tvhargon:
Well, the point is, what if you need it quickly? Like, in minutes? What if something happens at the bank (like a fraud hold on your debit card or something) and you don't have access to your checking account? This isn't for storing a million dollars of retirement like that lady and her mattress in Israel. This is emergency cash for people that don't have credit cards or multiple bank accounts.
]]>@EllenRose:
Lol beat me to it
it's much safer than all of your archaic money hiding locations.
Wasn't there a story about this lady that hid her money in a box of crackers, and then took the box back to the store because the crackers were stail, but she forgot that the money was there. She did end up getting the money back. I did a quick google, and couldn't find the link.
]]>Put it on the bottom of your hamper. It'll keep out even the most determined thief.
]]>But seriously I use one of the suggestions above (i'd tell you but then... well you know)
I like the freezer and fake plant idea's, and will have to give them a try as I have two freezers and lots of fake plants.
But I'm thinking the best way is to use a safe that is bolted down to the floor. Because if a thief finds a stash odds are they will trash your house (more than they would have normally) looking for more. (I used to watch "To Catch a Thief" on Discovery, loved that show)
]]>