Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Cram
http://www.ready.gov/
This link came through office email last week.
While reading through their recommendations, I noticed one thing missing; then I realized that I had seen no mention of it on this thread…
(red wheat doesn't count)
In the situation where the power is out and phones are down…
Where are you going to get your CASH? ATM’s wont work, Credit/Debit cards are almost useless, unless the store still has the hardware to RUN a card by hand.
How much cash should you have in your KIT?
And it what form should you have it?
Just a thought. 
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I would say that it is prudent to have two month's expenses in cash locked away at home (or as much as you can afford), and I always tried to have enough cash in my wallet to get home from wherever I was. In Latin America, that was usually $1,000 or so.
I prefer US currency with at least $500 in twenties or less.
Too few people know the value of gold and silver (or will not acknowledge it) to make it useful in the US. Forget diamonds. Cash is king.
If you want barter items, in the short term, fuel, alcohol, or food are probably good bets, if you are comfortable that you have extras. Batteries, ammo, first aid supplies, hand cranked radios/lights, fishing gear, etc., could also work in a longer term situation. Pretty much anything with a long shelf life, compact, of significant value or utility, and hard to come by after a disaster should work.
TR