A few years ago, I had a house fire. Luckily, no-one was home, and no-one was hurt, but we lost everything, including all of our important papers. It took forever to replace them, and it was so inconvenient! So now we keep everything in a safety deposit box at our bank. What sorts of things should you keep in there? Here’s my list of the 9 items to keep in your safety deposit box, or a fire-proof box at home, just in case…
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It’s a great idea to keep some cash in your safety deposit box. It doesn’t have to be much, just a month’s worth of expenses, in case of an emergency. You could use this if you can’t get into your regular bank accounts, to pay your expenses until you can.
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While it’s not terribly difficult to replace the deed at your county offices, it’s still a hassle you won’t want after a house fire or flood. So keep your deed, and related documents, in your safety deposit box.
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Definitely keep the title to your car, and everyone else’s car who lives with you, in your safety deposit box! Here in Michigan it’s cumbersome to get a new copy, and it costs up to $30!
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If you were born out of state, it’s difficult to get a copy of your birth certificate, and you’ll need that for so many things! Keep an original copy of your birth certificate in your safety deposit box, or in your fire-proof box, just in case.
Passports take more than two months to replace, and who wants to deal with taking another passport photo anyway? Stash your passport in your safety deposit box, and only take it out for travel. Be sure to put it back when you get home!
If you have a house fire or flood, there are a few possessions you’ll never be able to replace, like photo albums and your great-grandmother’s wedding pearls. Keep your heirloom jewelry in your safety deposit box where it will be safe.
Of course, your attorney will have a current copy of your will, but what if it’s misplaced, or he has a fire? Keep an updated copy in your safety deposit box, and make sure everyone knows it’s in there.
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You ought to know your Social Security number by heart, but your card ought to be kept somewhere safe. What could be safer than keeping it in your safety deposit box? If you do lose it, you can replace it for free at your local Social Security office, but that can take hours of waiting…
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If you collect baseball cards, comic books, stamps, and that sort of thing, you’ll want to keep the more expensive, rare pieces of your collection in your safety deposit box. These are things your insurance company isn’t likely to want to replace, and besides, they’re hard to find…
If you keep all of these items in your safety deposit box, you’ll always know where they are, and if you have a fire or flood, you won’t have to worry! Do you have a safety deposit box? What do you think everyone needs to keep in there? Please let me know!
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