How much cash do you usually carry with you?

[ZLoth]

I was watching the towing videos by both TowTrucker and EveryThing Auto when I came up with this topic. WIth both parties, if you are in a "non-consensual tow" or "illegal tow" situation, you have to pay by ca$h only to get your vehicle released. The reasons are clear: You can place a stop payment on a check or challenge a credit card charge, and most of these non-consensual tows result in extremely unhappy people.

Which leads to my question... how much money do you carry with you for an emergency like this? I know the drop fee is at least $100 per TowTrucker, and the fee is usually blanked out for Everything Auto. I usually carry just $20-$40, but then again, I park legally. When I park in a handicapped slot, my mother is nearby (e.g. I dropped her off at the entrance, then found a place to park), but never when I'm driving solo.

[hotdogPi]

I withdraw $400 at a time and pay for pretty much everything with cash (except those that can't be, like Uber). I will use my card for extremely large purchases like a new laptop.

[gonealookin]

None for an "emergency" such as you describe.  Over 45 years of driving, zero involuntary tows.  There would be an ATM somewhere between my point of wailing about my missing car and the tow lot.

I almost never use cash any more.  I haven't been to an ATM since last October.  I do receive a little bit of cash every few months when I drop off my cans at the recycling center, and literally that covers most of my cash needs.

There's a local taqueria I go to occasionally that doesn't take credit cards.  For a multi-night stay at a hotel I usually leave a five dollar bill on the bed each morning for housekeeping...if the hotel even does daily housekeeping (always ask at the front desk upon check-in, and frequently the answer is "only if you request it" which I don't unless my stay is at least 4 days or so).  An occasional tip for something else like a shuttle bus driver.  Everything else, no matter how small, goes on the card, even things like parking meters which are usually "pay through the app" now.

[SEWIGuy]

I have $6 in my wallet right now. That is $6 more than I usually have.

[MikieTimT]

I usually carry none.  When I do have some, it's essentially being carried for my wife as she doesn't typically have purse or wallet in tow, thus helps herself to my wallet much more frequently than I do myself.

[1995hoo]

I usually have more than $100, but not for purposes of worrying about towing. If I'm about to travel, I go to a bank whose ATM dispenses $5s so that I can get a supply of $5s for tipping hotel housekeeping. I also always pay, and tip, the barber in cash, but I just changed barbershops and I don't remember how much the new place charges.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I'll typically have cash for two specific reasons:
-the Minnesota State Fair
-when I go to Grand Marais to tip the motel as well as if I want to eat at the cash-only greasy spoon there (which I don't always do)

I'll also keep a couple hundred bucks of emergency cash hidden on a road trip.

[hbelkins]

Typically between $5 and $150.

[Bruce]

Almost none, since cash is unrecoverable in the event of theft, destruction, or other potential circumstances. Carrying an extra thin wallet also helps deter would-be pickpockets, especially in a dense mass of people.

[epzik8]

$0

[formulanone]

$10-25. I could go months and never need cash, but I like a little for impulse small-store purchases, donations, or in case of an outage.

[1995hoo]

... Carrying an extra thin wallet also helps deter would-be pickpockets, especially in a dense mass of people.

I got a Ridge wallet (I assume you've seen their ads) for purposes of travel and going to sports events and occasional other places where I want the smallest possible wallet. I saw a guy had one at a hockey game this past spring and I was amazed at how small it was, so I asked him about it and he highly recommended it. It's not perfect and I prefer a conventional wallet most of the time, but for situations where I want the smallest thing possible it works pretty well. Cash goes under a strap or in a money clip.

[Max Rockatansky]

$40-$100 since a lot of gas stations around me still charge credit/debit fees.

[Rothman]

Usually none.

That said, when I travel, I do bring some cash just to cover cash-only businesses that I've researched beforehand.  Even if I run out and for some unlikely reason need more, ATMs abound.

[vdeane]

$60, an amount which has increased over time.  I pay pretty much everything with credit cards, but it's around just in case, which does happen from time to time.  Used to $20 in high school/college, increased to $40 my senior year because I went to a hair place that only took cash and the cost was a bit over $20, increased again to its current amount because of inflation and because both restaurants for the Philadelphia meet wouldn't split checks and I had to be very conscious of how much my food cost on the second day because I didn't have much left.

[ClassicHasClass]

Usually around $100-$200. I prefer cash for most things.

[jeffandnicole]

Usually it's $0.  I have a phone with a case that holds 4 cards:  Visa, AmEx, Drivers License, Building Pass.  That, and my car key, is usually what I carry. I don't even have a house key much of the time; using a lockbox instead.

But I do bring cash for several reasons:  If I plan on going to a restaurant/bar, sometimes I bring cash with me for tips.  I usually have some cash in my car as well.  I have a small stash of cash at work in case people are putting in for lottery tix or a gift. 

In the case Valerie described above:  If there's a group of people, I'll bring cash to be ready to put in if the check can't be split, and the bill payer doesn't accept Venmo.

[JayhawkCO]

$40 in my money clip.

[Scott5114]

When I was in easy visiting distance of my bank, I would get $100 out every time I ran out. Here lately, I just get $40 in cash back from the grocery store (getting a whole $100 from them seems like it would run the risk of being disruptive, and the grocery store is busy enough that I don't want to do that to everyone else).

Once I establish an account with a local credit union I'll probably go back to getting $100 out again, or perhaps more.

I used to be in the habit of carrying a $50 bill with me, in a separate compartment of my wallet, for emergency use. I haven't done that in a while though.

[DandyDan]

No more than $60 unless I am going to the casino.

[mgk920]

I no longer keep banknotes below $10 in my wallet, "Too much bulk, not enough buying power" ( inflation ... <grumpy> ).  Smaller bills I keep folded up in my pocket.  Otherwise I normally carry enough cash to get me through my usual day without using 'plastic'.

Mike

[DTComposer]

I'll keep $20 or so in my car along with some change (for quick stops at parking meters that still take coins), but don't ever carry any with me unless it's a trip-specific purpose.

The last two times I remember taking cash was going out to dinner after my birthday (used cash that a relative gave to me) and buying last year's Christmas tree.

[hbelkins]

I've seen a few people comment on running low on cash when traveling. If I am going to take a multi-night road trip, I will generally get at least $200 (if I have it to spare) from the ATM prior to traveling.

A friend/coworker forgot to withdraw cash on a cross-country trip and his home bank suffered an outage that affected his ability to access his bank account via ATM. His solution was to stop frequently at Walmart, make small debit card purchases, and then take the maximum amount of cash back that was possible (I think Wally World's max is $100.)

[1995hoo]

I usually have more than $100, but not for purposes of worrying about towing. If I'm about to travel, I go to a bank whose ATM dispenses $5s so that I can get a supply of $5s for tipping hotel housekeeping. I also always pay, and tip, the barber in cash, but I just changed barbershops and I don't remember how much the new place charges.

My wife was just giving me crap for having $100 bills (the ATM dispenses them, and I like $100s and $50s for reasons of wallet thickness). She says they're too hard to use. I don't agree with that because it's quite easy just to go to an automatic checkout at the grocery store or wherever, buy something small, and pay with a $100. Unlike a human cashier, the machine won't complain. I think my wife was more annoyed that she wanted to borrow $10 and all I had were $100s and $20s.

[Hunty2022]

Usually all of it. Today for lunch was an exception, I just took a $20 bill with me and came back with the change.