My favorite local radio station asks listeners a “call-in” question every morning. Today it was: “Where do you hide your money?” One caller said he had hidden $1,000 in a DVD to surprise his wife for a Disney trip… but she sold the DVD at their garage sale before he could surprise her! Another fellow called and identified himself as a “senior citizen.” He said he hides money in different places and for a variety of reasons… only problem is he can’t REMEMBER where. What was the most he’d ever hidden? He said it was $2,000 he’d stashed in a shoe for a home remodeling project.
The DJ nicely said, “Hey, it doesn’t just happen to senior citizens!” Well, at 58, I do not think I’ll call myself a senior citizen for at least 15-20 years (unless I can get an “over 55” discount somewhere for it), but I can sure identify with stashing money so safely I never find it again. The other day I found $60 in an old wallet I took out to put in the Goodwill box. I got the same rush as I did last summer when I won $7 on the penny slots in Vegas. Yeah!
Actually, I mostly use the bank for keeping my money, so when I “find” money, it is more about having forgotten it was there to begin with. One thing I have done for the last 20 + years: I keep a $100 bill folded behind my driver’s license in my wallet. This is my DIRE and IMMEDIATE emergency money. I’ve had to break it out only three or four times over the years… and it gets replaced if I use it.
Each time I’ve had to use it, I’ve been somewhere that takes only cash but I didn’t pay attention until it was too late. Out of the blue, my pedicure place stopped taking CCs and had just placed a tiny sign by the cash register. Another time, DH and I had taken my DSS to a Basque restaurant for his birthday and while we sat enjoying our meal, I spotted a sign on the door that said “Cash Only.” The restaurant was out in the boon-docks, with no ATM or bank open. The look of horror on DH’s face told me he only had his usual $40-80 on him. It was great to say, “Don’t worry, I have some cash.”
Well, I will add the $60 I found to my $20 Challenge:
Balance Forward = $155.43
8/25
NSD = $3
NDD = $4
Forgotten but Found $$ = $60
New Balance = $222.43
My goal by December 31, 2008: $2,500
Where Do You Hide Your Money?
August 27th, 2008 at 05:12 pm
August 27th, 2008 at 05:25 pm 1219854307
Wow, that's funny, though I'm sure it's not funny to him.
August 27th, 2008 at 07:02 pm 1219860126
When we bought our house, I was cleaning the bathroom cabinet and putting shelf paper in when I found a large bag full of old coins. I was amazed that someone could leave valuable old coins--worth thousands in the bathroom cabinet. Despite my evil angel telling me keep the cash, we called the owners who'd completely forgot about the coins.
August 27th, 2008 at 08:37 pm 1219865827
August 28th, 2008 at 08:13 pm 1219950818
There are a lot of stories around about savings bonds in coat pockets, etc. Emergency money too well hidden is useless.
August 29th, 2008 at 02:27 am 1219973258
March 18th, 2019 at 12:25 pm 1552911901
April 3rd, 2019 at 10:04 am 1554282271