Banking these days offers a variety of efficient and convenient luxuries, but there are a few reasons why you should always have some straight cash at your fingertips. Are you one of those people who hops from ATM to ATM looking for cash? Or are you the king of online banking and debit cards? I still think you're awesome . . . but get yourself some bills too, dude.

Take for example the IndyMac crisis all over the news right now. Even if your funds were under the FDIC's insurable limit ($100,000), it could take days before you have access to your account. Imagine being stranded in the middle of a bank run without even a couple of hundred bucks at your ready? You'd resort to turning 'tricks' in the local cemetery just to get your daily beer on.

So you don't screw around with keeping your money in failing banks? What are you some kind of psychic prognosticator? Well, fair enough. How about getting pick-pocketed and being moneyless and walletless? What if all the ATMs in your neck of the woods encountered a severe electrical shortage that turned them all into simple ice cream machines? Although that might be a delicious and enviable situation, it still leaves you penniless and horribly inconvenienced on the financial end.

In addition to these incredibly unfortunate doomsday scenarios, not having a wad of Benjamins/Grants at your disposal will cost you a lot more. Hear me out - are you like most people and consider spending $2.75 on a bottle of water from a vending machine a ripoff, yet you'll gladly pay an ATM fee of 2 or 3 dollars for convenience and laziness' sake? Well then, kind Sir, imagine all the money you could be pocketing if you didn't have to resort to last minute ATMs at the bar or 7-11.

I've given it some thought and $500 bucks seems like more than enough money to cover you in any scenario. $200 might even do nicely if you don't 'live large'. You've got all your expenses covered for at least a few days in the event of a natural disaster, ATM/Ice Cream malfunction, or whatever else this electronic society can throw at you.

Then again, the downside to keeping that money in your house is the liklihood of getting robbed. Maybe live in a fort? I don't know what else to tell ya.

Hit up the comments section with your suggestions and insight. We want to hear from you.