*Paper currency in circulation has a lifespan of 7-23 years, depending on its denomination, due to wear and tear, according to Life Hacker.
To combat this degradation, the Federal Reserve constantly destroys cash and replaces it with fresh bills. But what about the cash you keep on hand at home? Do you know how to properly store it?
Pests such as mice and terminates will eat away at the cash you’ve got stashed away in the drawers, cupboards, sofas, and buried in the ground.
“If you bury your cash like they do in the movies, you’d better wrap it up really, really well, because there are even more bugs and other things that would love to eat it—and your stash would be gone in about 5-10 years,” per lifehacker.com.
Below are some tips from lifehacker.com on how to prolong your physical cash:
How to properly store cash
- If you store your cash properly, it should last longer than you: as long as 100-150 years. The key is that “stored properly” business. Cash needs to be kept dry, away from the sun, and protected from other elements. If you’re aiming for the upper range of your cash money’s longevity, you need to store it in a climate-controlled space (like a safe) in double-wrapped plastic or Mylar sleeves.
Pests that can destroy cash:
- Silverfish. If you have cash in your house and see some silverfish scurrying about, worry. They will be attracted by the starch and happily munch on those bills. Your first sign will be some random, uneven holes in the cash.
- Termites. Termites don’t just eat wood—they’ll make a meal out of anything with cellulose in it. That includes that cash you stacked up in the walls like a drug lord.
- Mice. If you’ve ever suffered a mouse invasion in your home, you know that these rodents will eat anything. If some mice stumble over your cash hoard, they will totally eat it.
Mold can also destroy the currency you keep tucked away at home. Read more about it here.
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