Last couple years my bank has said if I don't use my ATM card they will discontinue it. So now I use it to get $20 here, $40 there so they keep renewing it. Don't do debit cards.
cut you off to access your money if ... the power grid goes down because of some natural calimity(hurricanes, floods,ice storms, tornadoes....... )
I would recommend both supplies and cash because every one will be trying to stock up. I Remember Yk2000 and I,m living up in Northern Alberta Canada where temperatures are usually -20 to -40 Celsius with two little children and my wife that is over domesticated. If the power grid was to go down what were we to do so I went and bought a cheap wood stove and pipes that I would of plumbed out a basement window(looking like hillbillies) until they figured every thing out before it hit the year 2000 because our local hardware stores would of had a run on every thing. I remember my Dad & mother who lived through WW2 in Holland under German occupation and was self educated mostly who really believed in self reliance. He really enjoyed his wood stove he placed in the basement and built a shroud over it and plumbed it into the cold air intake to direct heat into our home in Southern Ontario. They had a terrible ice storm one winter and the power was out all over the place from 1-4 weeks depending where you lived, cities were hit hard also which have a priority over rural areas in most cases. They survived well and fed a lot of the neighborhood and he was a firm believer in small amounts of cash on hand because you can barter better to survive.Yes but ...
... in that sort of circumstance the downing of the power grid and/or the underlying catastrophe will make it impossible to withdraw money from the bank as well. Which limits one to cash on hand. Which means stockpile in anticipation.
I’d rather stockpile the actual supplies I need to get through the disaster than cash I can use to buy those supplies at disaster-inflation-pricing ... if they can be found at all.
living up in Northern Alberta
Oh yes, surrounding communities were also under a lot stress to help out folks fleeing from Fort McMurray Northern Alberta on that one. I think they are still healing from that fire years later. Last year 2019 it was High level Alberta area that went through some terrible fire storms.(very dry springtime that made it worse IMO.)You probably remember the Fort Mac fire. That's a good example of no choice but to flee ... and gasoline is the essential thing to have.
I would recommend both supplies and cash because every one will be trying to stock up. I Remember Yk2000 and I,m living up in Northern Alberta Canada where temperatures are usually -20 to -40 Celsius with two little children and my wife that is over domesticated. If the power grid was to go down what were we to do so I went and bought a cheap wood stove and pipes that I would of plumbed out a basement window(looking like hillbillies) until they figured every thing out before it hit the year 2000 because our local hardware stores would of had a run on every thing. I remember my Dad & mother who lived through WW2 in Holland under German occupation and was self educated mostly who really believed in self reliance. He really enjoyed his wood stove he placed in the basement and built a shroud over it and plumbed it into the cold air intake to direct heat into our home in Southern Ontario. They had a terrible ice storm one winter and the power was out all over the place from 1-4 weeks depending where you lived, cities were hit hard also which have a priority over rural areas in most cases. They survived well and fed a lot of the neighborhood and he was a firm believer in small amounts of cash on hand because you can barter better to survive.
People might think don't be so doom and gloom but that is reality that it will happen over and over in time where they use to live because of natural weather patterns.
Folks who live in Hurricane prone areas have a whole set of different issues to deal with also with natural weather patterns.
There is a large Island off of New York state(I can not remember which one) where they lost a power generator for the Island and were with out power for some time and locals had to ferry to the mainland just to do electronic banking because island banking systems were down, so some cash could of helped out. There is no doubt there are a lot of these stories to how vulnerable electronics systems can be to our modern day living.
Interesting , Dad was from Groesbeck and Mother was closer to Nijmegan area if my memory is correct.Whereabouts in Holland? My parents were of similar vintage and experience, which I have now acquired. Dad was from Wervershoof and Mom from Hooglanderveen (which was absorbed by the expanding Amesfoort).
This is me lately. I used to be a cash guy all the way. I would keep just enough in the bank to pay the bills. My piggy bank was getting fed daily.
But lately I've succumbed to the electronic lifestyle. Apple Pay is pretty darn cool and convenient.
I like to keep a little cash on me though. Never know when ya might need it. Girl Scout cookies, or something of the like.
Other than 20-40 bucks it's all debit card.
I spend just as much though, weather I have cash only or using the debit card. Makes no difference. It's gone before I know I have it.
I don’t need the man, or my wife, tracking every transaction