Lew, the article you linked implied that keeping more than $100-$500 on hand is nutso. These days, what would $100 or $500 get you? In the former case, perhaps a week of groceries. In the latter case, it wouldn’t even cover the rent or mortgage payment for a month for most Americans. Presumably, people keep money on hand in the event that they need to cover basic necessities (ie, food or shelter), yet they are being ridiculed if they actually keep enough around to provide meaningful insurance.

The Best of Kathryn Muratore