'Do you have ‘secret’ cash in your wallet/purse?' blog discussion

Amimarsh

Anja wrote: »

I have £1 in a middle pocket in my purse especially for those annoying supermarkets that need a coin for their trolleys!:mad:

I keep £40 in my purse and 2 pound coins in every coat and jacket I am likely to use while shopping! In my town, you even have to put £1 coins in trolleys in M&S.

belfastgirl23

I've got a hidden fiver I'm wondering whether it's an 'outside London' thing that £5 seems like enough to get you an emergency taxi or whatever. Mostly I use it because I'm in a shop and realise I've run out of cash, but I do replace it fairly quickly.

In light of this discussion though I'm wondering about upgrading it to a tenner

datostar

lilian1977 wrote: »

I don't have it in my wallet but I do have $20, 10 Euros and £5 in my passport just in case my plane ever gets rerouted anywhere weird, or I've forgotten to allow for bus fare home from the airport!

A German friend of mine was in the habit of keeping 50 Euros or so in his passport until he got a serious telling-off from a UK Border Agency official at Dunkirk Port.
1. It could be taken as an attempt at a bribe.
2. It could fall out without being noticed while being scanned. This could mean an allegation of theft against the official, or if found in the booth after he ended his shift there would be an enquiry as to how it had got there.
Valid points, we thought, and he's found another spot for his little stash.

Incidentally, when I worked on Police Traffic Patrols in the 1960's/70's, in the days of the old book style Driving Licences, it wasn't unusual for there to be banknotes tucked in the back of the licence when it was handed over. I was never in doubt that this was often an attempted bribe, and there was usually something wrong with the car or the documentation. I used to give them the money back and say something like, "You must have forgotten about this" and carry on with the check.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but take care if it's still in there when officialdom wants to inspect the Passport. In some countries it might just disappear (although that might speed your progress too).

GraciesGran

I have a small purse that hangs on my key ring with my 'emergency' (4 x £5) money in it. Its saved the day more than once.

debtdesperado

I keep £50 for emergencies tucked in a book at home... I started it after I hurt myself once and realised I would have to go out and find a cashpoint, before I could get a taxi to get to hospital (it wasn't serious enough for an ambulance). I keep it in tenners and fivers. £50 is also enough to get a taxi to my parents house (the quickest way of getting there) because I don't have a car and just in case anything happened to them and I needed to get home really fast. It would also be enough to pay a taxi with if I lost my purse (assuming my key didn't go with it...but then I keep a spare key at work and some cash there too). Over cautious, moi?! :-)

I sometimes dip into it right at the end of the month when I completely run out of money, but I always make sure I replenish it when I get paid.

billinge

I keep all my change in a little leather pouch (saves loose change in my pockets falling through or creating holes). In the pouch, there is a little pocket in which I generally keep a few coins, 2-3 pound coins and some 20's or similar. It's mainly there in case I need to pay for parking or really need a drink or something similar. I don't like the idea of leaving cash in the car.
For other emergencies I generally always have my credit card, which is paid off in full every month and earns me Tesco Clubcard points.

anonymousie

A bit of cash at home- enough to taxi to the childrens hospital in town with a sick/injured child that wasn't ill enough to 999. Drove DS there as a 3yr old when he'd had a nasty back to his face, and, even as a cool headed professional used to dealing with this sort of thing, when it's your child it's damn hard to drive safely under those circumstances.

THe kids always "should" have an emenergency £5to get them home from anywhere, but as they tend to keep it with their phone and wallet it isn't a great deal of use!

janash1

My husband has had a 'secret tenner' in his wallet ever since I have known him - 27 years. I thought he was odd, maybe I was wrong!

moneyballs2

I used to keep £1.50 in the car in the event that my dartag ever ran out and I was stranded at the Dartford Toll Booths without any monies to get through! (as I generally do everything on my card)

It's not there anymore, I had to scrimp together to get some petrol so I could make it home, where I had left the card! Oh dear...

MaryMay

I always have a blank unsigned cheque in my wallet as my bank card is always in there, very useful at small shops in markets and the like who dont take cards. I also have a pound size coin on my car key ring which you can buy for £1 from charity shops for shopping trolleys.