Where to stash cash at home

With the recent stock market horrors, you might be tempted to stash what’s left of your bankroll inside your mattress. Probably not a good idea.

Still, having a modest cache of cash at home can be a convenience and save you endless visits to the ATM. You might also hide at home any not-terribly-expensive jewelry you use frequently, as opposed to in a safe-deposit box.

But where? In the refrigerator? Inside your rolled-up socks or at the bottom of your underwear drawer? Smart thieves know to look there.

Other possibilities: The space behind your medicine cabinet. Inside a ceiling light fixture you don’t use for light. Inside a waterproof bag taped to the top lid of your toilet tank (or actually in the water). Inside a chair or sofa cushion—scoop out some of the filling.

Or, how about behind acoustic tiles in the ceiling? According to the book “Hiding Your Money” by Jerome Schneider and Allison Hope Weiner, “The beauty of acoustic tiles is that they always look broken, moved and dirty.”

I used to keep my modest emergency cash supply at home in an old book by John Aubrey, called “Brief Lives.” It was buried in a bookcase containing maybe 200 or 300 books. A thief would become fairly well educated, I figured, just trying to find my spare money. —Warren Boroson

Guest contributor Warren Boroson is the author of more than 20 books, including “How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett” (J.K. Lasser).

Comments

[Paul]

Ceiling Tiles? I thought that would be one of the worst places. I know if I was a crook that's one of the places I would look first.

It seems like on the movies and on TV everyone from Tony Soprano to the whiz kid in "21" hides their loot in the ceiling tiles or the air vents.

[JamesM]

I think the important thing is that it's hidden someplace other than the obvious, AND that it's someplace that won't get forgotten, lost, or thrown away. I could see myself doing something like that.

I think most thieves are trying to get in and out in a hurry. They won't be searching like the FBI on the trail of a terrorist, so it doesn't have to be the most unusual hiding place.

[bex]

On this matter, I defer to Michael West:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/2905/burn-notice-ask-a-spy---burglar-proofing#s-p1-st-i1

Any place out of sight will stop the amateurs. However, the pros will systematically go through every room, every book, every toilet, very ceiling tile, until they find what they want.

If you want to REALLY hide something, you need to put it behind your drywall.

[Paul]

Why not just put it in a fireproof safe that is secured to the foundation of the house? Everybody should have one of those...not just for cash and jewelery, but for important paperwork, etc.

By the way, I don't have a safe:)

[steve]

I agree with john, a safe is not just for valuables but also for important stuff thats a sod to replace if lost / stolen. Imagine the hassle you have trying to replace passports, credit cards, bank books not to mention things like your car log book, your marriage certificate, the list goes on and on.

[Eriks]

I keep it inside my bass amp.. inside tha amp there is alot of empty space... the theif see an old dusty bass amp and dosen't want to check...

[Chris]

@Eriks - Unless they steal your bass amp, of course.

[Usr2008]

The fdic insures deposists up to 250k. If you have more than that in one bank, I suggest opening another account somewhere else. Why hide what you've allready paid taxes on?

[Ric_]

"I keep it inside my bass amp.. inside tha amp there is alot of empty space... the theif see an old dusty bass amp and dosen't want to check..."

Where do you live? ;)

[mdebusk]

What great ideas. It's a good thing thieves never read blogs.

[Javi]

I saw a security expert on TV saying: "Think of any possible place to hide your money. Thieves have already thought about that. So please, keep your money in a bank"

So, if I had any money, that's where it'd be. Since governments (at least Spanish will) will cover personal accounts if any bank closes, there's no better place.

[Joseph]

put in a whole in the backyard, and mark the spot with a little cross with the words "Fluffy" on it...

[bp]

I also stash my cash in my guitar amp...

[Jon Thysell]

Seriously?

Read all the suggestions here:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/03/01/twenty-places-to-hide-money-at-home-besides-under-your-mattress/

Then, read the comments where former thieves laugh at how they've already thought of a million more places than you ever could.

Don't hide large amounts of cash at home. Anywhere. If you want $100 just in case the ATM is down and you need groceries, fine, but don't be stupid, and don't waste your time hiding it somewhere "clever".

[Guy Fawkes]

I hide my money in my mortgage payments. A thief might burn down the house, but he'll play Hell trying to steal the whole thing.

[Monica]

In addition to hiding cash I keep in the house, I convert some of the cash to Traveler's Checks for the normal protection provided if stolen or lost. I can still use it at most places the same as cash when needed.

[Clever]

How about in an old broken (cracked tube) console tv? You know.... one of those old Tvs that are just too large to move so some people put the new tv on top of the old one.

[Moe Rubenzahl]

One place you want a little cash is in your disaster kit. ATMs may not be in service when you need it.

And make sure someone else knows where it is. If something happens to you, what a shame if your family sells that lamp with $200 taped inside. At an estate sale. For $3.

[Andy Dubya]

stashing money? what money? How can you stash a negative net worth? I wish I had money to stash. If I had money, I think I'd buy non perishable food, automatic rifles, and live in my bunker until rapture was over. Then I'd go get the stuff all the chosen ones left behind. Oh wait...that sounds paranoid; so does stashing your money away on the chance that panic causes banks to freeze people out of their bank accounts.

[nicole]

I guess a girl could hide it in an empty lipstick tube if she wears makeup. You could fit a little into a Pez dispenser as well. Or sew a little pocket into a curtain between the lining and the actual curtain.

[aver]

I know because of my line of work that wealthy people have 2 save boxes. One more or less visible and full with reasonable valueables and other very hided as under the tiles under the refrigerator, with the real valued stuff.

[Michael Glatz]

The perfect place for me to hide cash has been with my wife. Once I give the cash to her it is effectively hidden forever even from me.

[Kaushik]

Thieves would read this article before robbing

[CJ]

Why hide it in the first place?? Take an opened bill...put a few $100 traveler checks made out to yourself in it (with the statement), write needs to be paid by the 5th (or whatever) on the envelope and put it on the fridge door with a nice magnet.

The best hiding place is RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN!

[jester]

If you have a desk or any piece of furniture that has a plastic or screw on cap pry it off and most times its hollow first cram some tinfoil in as a stopper so what ever you put in there isn't lost