How can I hide my money at home?

Why would someone want to hide money at home?

There are a few reasons why someone may want to hide money at home:

• To keep cash savings out of the banking system – Some people don’t trust banks and prefer to keep their savings in physical cash that they control.
• To hide money from the government – People trying to avoid taxes or other government tracking may try to hide money at home.
• To hide money in an emergency – Having a hidden cash reserve can provide a sense of security in case of unforeseen circumstances.
• To hide money from family members – People in abusive relationships may try to hide money so they can eventually escape.

In most cases, keeping significant amounts of cash at home is not recommended for safety and security reasons. But there are some people who still prefer keeping money hidden at home for various personal reasons.

Where are some hiding spots in a house?

Here are some common places in a house where people try to hide money:

• Inside furniture – Hollow furniture legs, inside couch cushions, underneath drawer liners
• Inside appliances – Behind fridge, under stove, inside microwave, back of freezer
• Inside the walls/floors – Under floorboards, behind electrical socket plates, inside air vents
• Buried outside – In the yard under trees/plants, underground safe boxes
• Attic/basement – Inside boxes and storage items, under insulation
• Inside books – Cutout space inside books, dictionaries, albums
• Bathroom – Inside toilet tank, medicine cabinets, under sink pipes
• Bedroom – Inside mattress seams, pillow cases, back of picture frames
• Kitchen – Inside jars/cans, cereal boxes, underneath drawers

The most clever hiding spots take advantage of existing hollow spaces inside furniture, appliances and walls. But almost any location that is out of sight or requires some disassembly can be used.

What are the best ways to hide different amounts of cash?

The best hiding methods depends on how much cash you are trying to conceal:

Less than $1,000

For relatively small sums, some easy spots include:

• Inside books, albums, directories
• Behind drawers, furniture, appliances
• Buried in plant pots or yard spots
• Inside containers like jars, boxes, cans

$1,000 – $10,000

Medium amounts require more creative locations like:

• Inside furniture legs, cabinets, headboards
• Inside air vents, hollow walls/floors
• Buried in PVC pipes in the yard
• Inside appliances like stoves, refrigerators

Over $10,000

Large cash savings are best hidden in very secure spots such as:

• Under house sub-flooring
• Inside home safes bolted to the floor
• Buried in concealed underground bunkers
• Inside complex hideaways like fake walls/stairs

The bigger the amount, the more effort required to find very sneaky hiding places that only you know about.

What are the risks of hiding cash at home?

While hiding money at home may sound foolproof, there are some risks:

• Theft – Having cash in the house makes you more vulnerable to theft via break-ins or visitors/workers finding it.
• Damage – Water leaks, fires, pests can all damage and destroy cash hidden in walls or appliances.
• Forgetting spots – It’s easy to forget where you hid money years later or if you become incapacitated.
• Lack of access – Needing to physically access money makes it hard to use for purchases, bills or emergencies.
• No insurance – Cash kept at home is typically not insured like bank accounts, so it could be lost forever if damaged or stolen.

Unless you take substantial precautions, hiding cash long-term poses risks of loss. It’s generally better to keep money in insured bank accounts when possible.

What security measures should I take?

If you do decide to hide cash at home, some security tips include:

• Avoid obvious locations that could be easily discovered by others.
• Use creative hiding spots that only you know about.
• Store money in sealable plastic bags to prevent damage.
• Split up cash in multiple locations in case one spot is found.
• Keep a coded list of your hiding spots in case you forget later.
• Hide a small amount to divert people from finding your bigger stash.
• Add home security system, cameras, motion sensors.
• Consider a diversion safe visible to burglars with a second well-hidden safe.

Taking measures to properly conceal, record, and secure your cash can help mitigate some risks. But generally, there are still advantages to keeping money in the bank rather than hidden at home.

How should the money be stored?

To maximize longevity when hiding cash, it should be stored:

• In a cool, dry location if possible.
• In plastic, waterproof containers or bags.
• With silica gel packets to absorb excess moisture.
• With archival paper or fabric to prevent direct contact and friction.
• In small denominations – large bills deteriorate faster.
• Rotating paper currency from top to bottom in a stack to evenly distribute wear.

Avoid hiding cash anywhere with direct exposure to water, heat, or humidity which will significantly shorten its usable life. Take care to replace notes that show excessive wear and tear over time.

How should I keep track of the locations?

To avoid losing track of cash hiding spots, you can:

• Create a coded list of locations and keep it somewhere secret.
• Store GPS coordinates if buried outside and keep the list secured.
• Take photos/videos of the hiding places for later reference.
• Make a cryptic map of locations around the house.
• Write reminders and place them in locations you will see later.
• Commit the most important spots to memory.

As long as your records are kept discreetly, they can help ensure you don’t lose track of your cash over time. Update records anytime you add/remove cash from a hiding place.

Conclusion

Hiding cash at home can seem like an easy way to keep money hidden and accessible. But unless done carefully, it poses risks of theft, loss, and forgetting where money is stored. For most people, keeping money in a bank account and using other privacy measures is more practical than hiding cash at home. If you do hide money, take precautions to conceal it cleverly, prevent damage, and keep careful records of locations and amounts. With prudent security steps, cash hidden wisely at home has its uses, but also has vulnerabilities to be aware of.