Where not to stash your cash

© 1999 Michael S. Hyatt

OK, so you've decided to stash away a little cash. Obviously, you
want to be very careful. You don't want to become a target for thieves
or other criminals. (The best way to do this, by the way, is to strictly
guard your privacy. Don't tell anyone what you are doing.)

But once you have it, where do you put it? In general you want to
apply the 20-minute rule: Go through your house and ask yourself, "If I
were a burglar with 20 minutes to clean out this house, what would I
steal and where would I look?"

There are probably a million and one places to hide your money, but,
according to experts, there at least four places you want to avoid:

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1. Don't put it under your mattress. The image of grandma tucking a
   little money away in her mattress for a "rainy day" is almost a cultural
   icon. This is one of the first places thieves look. Moreover, it's not a
   very convenient place to put money anyway, so avoid it.

2. Don't put it in your dresser. This is also one of the first places
   thieves look. People often store cash and valuables there.

3. Don't put it in the deep freeze. The phrase "cold, hard cash" came
   from this practice. Maybe at the time it was a cleaver place to put it.
   However, it is now a primary target for burglars.

4. Don't put it in a safe. The problem with a safe is that it
   screams, "Valuables inside!" Most safes that can be purchased are easily
   cracked by professionals. If you are going to get a safe, buy a
   substantial one and hide it behind a false wall or floor.

Now get creative. Where can you put your money so that it is safe
from theft? There are a number of places that an inventive mind can
discover. In the meantime, if you have a "cash stash" idea, send me an
e-mail and tell me about it.