A couple of years ago Colorado experienced what was described as “rain and flooding that was biblical in proportion.” It felt like the rain would never stop and then the floods came. Some towns were basically destroyed and after the rains finished we were left with the cleanup.
Louisiana Just Experienced Something Worse
I tend to wonder about the collective ambivalence to the situation in Louisiana. Were we too focused on the Olympics to care or just dealing with a collective sense of “not another sh$tty thing” fatigue after what I can only describe as an epically stressful year. Let’s be blunt, 2016 has been in many ways…awful.
So, when I hear about flooding that basically rivals to some degree the damage of Hurricane Katrina I have to ask myself why aren’t more people talking about this situation? And, why do we seem to be completely oblivious to what’s going on?
But, this is a personal finance blog and I began thinking about the different things that you could be doing now to ensure that if you find yourself in a catastrophic situation such as the one in Louisiana, that you are organized and prepared so that you can get your life back.
Financially Preparing for an Emergency
Do you have a secure digital file with copies of your most important documents? I realized that I don’t and that’s a problem. If something were to happen and I had my computer-I would be able to access all of my account information. However, if something were to happen and I was away from my computer, I would have a difficult time accessing everything and it would be really stressful organizing my paperwork-especially during a stressful time.
Do your due diligence and research the different places you can securely store your personal information “In the cloud.”
Your Credit/Debit Cards
I hate to admit this but I don’t have a place that has my credit card information. I do have a filing cabinet with my different account information but I don’t have a folder that I could grab if I had to run out of my building. Again, the emphasis is on security, how can you do this in a way that a burglar would not be able to figure out your system.
Cash
Do you have some emergency cash in your house? Preferably smaller bills that would be helpful when getting out of your home as quickly as possible. People in the flood zone are dealing with no electricity which means that they can’t withdraw cash from ATMs-which use electricity.
Cash Transfers
Do you have a Venmo or Paypal account so that family members/friends/ or work can transfer funds to you easily in the event of an emergency? Does the person that would be transferring money to you have a Venmo or Paypal account to transfer money to you? Are you familiar with Western Union? And is there one close to your family member’s home?
My mom refuses to sign up for digital transfers even though she has no problem getting paid that way LOL! So, she would have to send me money via Western Union.
Communication
How will you communicate with people if you have to leave your home? Many people are dealing with phone connectivity issues because the systems are down. Do you have access to Google Voice so that people can leave you messages?
Where Will You Go?
If the town you live in is destroyed by a natural disaster where would you go? Have you thought about that? If Denver was destroyed I would probably go to Portland (even though I need more sun) or into the mountains. Yes, I think about these types of things.
What’s Your Plan?
My final question to you is simple-What’s your plan in the event of an emergency or a natural disaster? Have you talked to your family about what you would do? If you live in a state where there are tons of fires every single year, where is your emergency suitcase with everything you need so that you can get the hell out as quickly as possible.
I don’t ask you these things to freak you out, I ask you these things because we’re human and we get busy and distracted by life. Spend some time figuring this out so that you have an action plan in the event that tragedy strikes.
Keeping Things in Perspective
Even though I’m not as happy with my finances as I would like to be I realize how fortunate I am not to have lost everything. You may be dealing with some financial fallout or just not satisfied with where you stand financially but you still have a home. Sometimes things need to be thought about in terms as basic as that. You still have a place to live, some food to eat, and a work to do.
There are entire cities in Louisiana where the entire infrastructure will have to be rebuilt. Homes will need to be demolished and lives basically starting over from scratch.
Wow
Things might not be perfect but they could be worse. I will pray for the people in Louisiana and look for a good organization to donate to.
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