Invisible Privacy | Online Privacy

If you’ve been following the Q&A forum on my Web site, you’ve seen the results of carrying—or not carrying carry—extra cash whenever you leave home.

The bad news is seen in post #7100: Robert, 43, from Baltimore, Maryland. Topic: Western Union Warning.

He writes: “ … a friend called and needed a small amount of cash due to an unforeseen emergency.” Unfortunately for Robert, he failed to put into practice what his mother had taught him as a youth: “Failure to plan on your part does not create an emergency on my part."

Thus, Robert responded by going to Western Union to send his friend some money. You can read what happened next in Robert’s long and detailed post.

The good news is in post #7101: Dave, 54, from Orland, Florida. Topic: Personal Identification. He writes:

“Being a passenger of friend operating an older vehicle, radiator failed and a tow was necessary. Stating my insurance coverage also could envelope assistance for a car I was traveling in, we used this service (we were about 10 miles from a shop where we could get this repair). About an hour later, my glowing favor turned to a shade of gray when the tow driver, in completing paperwork (under my LLC), needed information: my drivers license! Uh, thinking to myself, this isn't going to work. Saved myself from the noose with quick thinking because, as we know, money talks …”

In SKIP COLLEGE: Go into business for yourself, I write in detail about the advantages of always, always carrying extra cash. The information about that subject alone is worth far more than the modest $17 price of the e-book.

How much extra cash should you carry?

Take enough cash with you for whatever you think you’ll need for the day, plus three $100 bills. The three bills are only for an emergency. If used, they must be replaced with all possible speed. Men, carry the bills in your left from pocket. Ladies, pin them inside your bra.

“What if I don’t have an extra $300 to carry around?”

In SKIP COLLEGE, I recommend a minimum of $1,000, but to some, that seems overwhelming, so I’ve temporarily lowered the bar just to get you started. As for putting aside $300, I quote from SKIP COLLGE:

“Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, make a vow not to spend anything for nonessentials until you get that backup money put together. No eating out, no buying sodas or beer, no movies, no cable TV, no unnecessary trips around town, no newspapers or magazines, no lattes, no presents for anyone no matter what the occasion, no tithing, no nothing—nada en absoluto. Do not tell me it cannot be done, especially if you are living with one or both parents or can go back to doing so. I know Mexicans working two or three jobs at minimum wage who send $200 or more to their wives or parents back in Mexico every month."

A firm prediction for the future:

If you do as I say, there will come a time when you’ll look back at this advice and be grateful that you followed it, because when an emergency occurred, you had the cash to solve the problem.