Why You Should Have a Secret Stash of Cash

wallet with money, lucky penny, and an aventurine heart

Do you have a “hidey-hole”? (If you read that and did a double take, get your mind out of the gutter… That’s not where I’m going with this, haha.) How about some “mad money” set aside? Or a “cash stash” perhaps? For some reason, my family refers to this as their “hidey-hole” money. In short, it’s cash that they have squirreled away in some hiding place only they know about, in which they dip into on rare occasions (usually for some kind of splurge or treat). As far as I know, my whole family does this – aunts, uncles, cousins, my mom, my grandparents (when they were alive) … everyone. And so naturally, I do as well. My husband thinks it’s weird, but maybe that’s because I won’t tell him where I’ve hidden mine, haha. And if you don’t yet have a stash of cash, I’m here to tell you why you should start one.

It’s simple, really. The beauty of it is that it’s a whole other sort of saving, in which the objective is to set aside money for something fun that can be used free of guilt. And that right there is the key: guilt-free spending. You can splurge on whatever you want. And yet, at the same time, if you’ve been saving for a while, you’re not likely to blow it all on an impulse buy. It’s reserved for things you REALLY want. Also, if you’re married and/or have kids, maybe you feel weird about saving money for just you. I understand; though I personally feel it’s important to maintain a strong sense of self, and treating yo’ self now and then is certainly no crime. Consider it an act of self-love or self-care…

Of course, I should mention that you don’t want to add to your “fun fund” irresponsibly. But on occasion, after all the bills are paid, savings contributed to, budget set, and so on, maybe squirrel away a little here and there. Got some money for your birthday? Awesome; add it to your stash. Decided to skip the latte today? Cool; take the $5 you would have spent and tuck it away for a rainy day. You’d be surprised how quickly it adds up.

While I still contribute to my cute little wallet whenever possible, my “hidey-hole” just recently got an upgrade. Now, in addition to my aventurine crystal (to attract prosperity) and my lucky penny, I just added a bank card to my stash. Yep; I decided to open up a bank account just for this purpose. My reasoning was simple: I’m saving up to go on a big trip. I figured it would be much easier to eventually pay for the trip through the account, and I can use the check card for expenses during my travels. I’ve got serious saving goals, and so I took myself seriously – all the way to the bank. Now I have extra motivation to beef up that account.

So, I’d like to encourage you to consider setting aside a little spending money for something special. If you already have one, that’s awesome! Kudos to you! And if you’re interested in budgeting, or doing a savings challenge, I made some super fun printables for just the occasion that you can find here. (If you’re a subscriber, check your email for a discount.) I’ve even made a cute little register to keep track of your “cash stash.”

Happy saving – and spending!

Budget & Savings Bundle.

🙂

PS: You know that trip I mentioned I’m saving for? I’m planning a solo trip to London and Paris. Want to come with me? (No joke.) If you’re interested, send me a message. I think it would be a lot of fun if we had a group of women to travel with.

PPS: Looking for more money inspiration? Check out these reads: