Quake Prep: Don't Forget The Cash

Most of us know the basic things we should have to be prepared in the event of a major earthquake (even though many of us still haven't taken the time to do that preparation.)

Things like food and water, first aid supplies, flashlights and batteries - these are pretty standard and obvious.

One thing people tend to forget about, though, is the need for some cold cash.

When a big earthquake or other natural disaster occurs, power and telecommunications will be disrupted. Chances are even if you can get to an ATM, it won't be working. And even if you can find a store that's open, most likely that merchant won't be able to accept credit cards. If cash is king in normal times, it's also emperor, president and prime minister during a disaster.

You don't need wads and wads of cash - most experts say a couple of hundred bucks should be fine. Small bills - it's not going to be easy to find someone to break a hundred in times of trouble.

And make sure you have some change, too. Cell phone service may be down, or reserved for official, emergency use, and if you have a landline, it might not work, either. Often, in an emergency, your best bet for reaching loved ones out-of-state will be a pay phone. A pocket full of change will come in very handy in that situation.
So, when you are putting together an earthquake emergency kit make sure you have enough supplies to serve you and your family for 24 hours, and don't forget the dough.