6 Smart Hide Spots to Store Emergency Cash

The wealthy are those who keep more money. emergency fundSome people may be curious about the best places to keep their money in their home. This is where traditional savings instruments like high-yield savings account are not appropriate. Those with excess funds should think outside the box about where to store it.

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You should consider stashing your emergency cash into some of these clever spots.

Fake Personal Products

This is an excellent tip for anyone traveling abroad or looking for hacks to protect their money at home. To discreetly stash any emergency funds, you can use fake items such as the ones below:

• A hairbrush. A round hairbrush should have a hollowed middle. You can also store money inside the brush.

• Empty lipbalm tubes You may need to keep a small amount of cash safe. It can be stored in an empty lip balm tube. If you are looking for a bigger container to save money, you can use a sunscreen lotion tube and an empty shaving bottle. Be sure to wash the tubes thoroughly before using them.

• Feminine napkins Fold money in a sanitary napkin. You can then fold the money inside and restick it. You will rarely find these items used to conceal large amounts of cash.

Remember, though: When storing emergency cash in fake personal items, keep the items tucked away in places you won’t forget.

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Bathroom

There are many places in your bathroom that you can hide emergency cash.

One of the most common is the toilet’s water tank. Seal your emergency cash into a jar or another watertight container to ensure it doesn’t get wet and store it carefully inside. A toilet’s water tank also makes for a great place to store other valuable items beyond emergency cash, like jewelry or stock certificates. (Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of storing these items into watertight containers.)

You can hide your emergency cash anywhere in the bathroom. Your toilet spring bar is a great place to stash emergency cash. Your toilet paper roll is held in place by the spring bar. It is important to carefully remove it, wrap extra money around it, and then reassemble it.

Fake Electric Outlets

It’s becoming much more popular for homeowners to construct fake infrastructure in their homes where you can hide emergency cash inside.

Consider purchasing hidden wall safes that look like plugs. Make sure to purchase a plug in the same shade as your home’s existing outlets and carefully follow the instructions for setting up a fake electrical outlet.

Empty Food Containers

Are you left with a box of frozen breakfast sandwiches that is empty? Fill it with some of your emergency savings — or better yet, stuff the money into a half-empty box so the box doesn’t lose its heft — and leave it in the freezer. You can stash emergency cash in fake food containers, such as cereal boxes, canisters full of beans, and soda cans, and store it in the fridge, pantries, or freezer.

If you are in an emergency, consider using interior spray-painted condiment boxes. A bottle of ketchup is a good choice for your emergency stash.

Buried Outside

Grab a shovel to get started digging. It is a good idea to have emergency cash in your home and some outside, so you can use it when needed.

Cash stored in areas where it can get damaged or wet should be sealed up in waterproof containers, glass jars, and even tarp. Dig enough to bury your goods, and then cover them up. You should also keep another household member in the loop regarding the buried money in case it gets lost.

In a Safe

It’s not nearly as clever as the items mentioned above, but when in doubt a traditional safe can provide emergency cash with plenty of security. You can invest in a wide variety of safes ranging from those with difficult combinations or made from materials like steel — all designed to protect your assets.

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This article first appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Smart Hiding Spots for Your Emergency Cash