I've been through the eye of a Category 4 hurricane — here are 7 things you should do to protect your money before and after by Hillary Hoffower on Sep 12, 2018, 3:25 PM Advertisement
 - Hurricane Florence, a Category 4 storm, may be the most powerful storm to land north of Florida in history.
- I used to live in Florida and have a few Category 4 hurricane experiences under my belt that left me with a few lessons learned along the way.
- Here's what you should know when it comes to protecting your money during a hurricane.
Hurricane Florence could be the most powerful storm to ever make landfall north of Florida. It's currently a Category 4, which the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale defines as a storm with winds running 130 to 156 miles per hour. As someone who grew up in hurricane territory — otherwise known as Florida — I can tell you this much: A Cat 4 hurricane is nothing to take lightly, especially when it's heading for an area that isn't usually faced with storms of that force. I've been through two Category 4 storms myself. The first, Hurricane Charley in 2004, was a beast with winds of 145 mph — and the eye passed right through where I was taking shelter. The second, Hurricane Irma in 2017, was hard to avoid and I was forced to evacuate; after much debated prediction about which side of Florida it would land on, it hit the west side of Florida. I was taking shelter on the east coast, but the hurricane was so monstrous that I still experienced the effects from the right-front side of the storm, where the strongest winds are. As a hurricane veteran, I've picked up a thing or two on how to prepare for and deal with the aftermath of a hurricane, particularly when it comes to the most important and vulnerable aspects — your finances. Here, seven things you should know about financially preparing for Hurricane Florence. SEE ALSO: 'Disaster is at the doorstep': Hurricane Florence is churning toward the Carolinas, bringing life-threatening storm surge and rainfall DON'T MISS: Residents in the Carolinas and Virginia are rushing to prepare for Hurricane Florence — here's what it looks like on the ground Manage bills and paychecks in advance  First things first, set up automatic payments for your bills and direct deposits for your checks if you don't have them already — there could be mail delays or you may not have Internet access to pay online. You don't want to become "seriously delinquent" if you fall behind on your mortgage payment in the hurricane's aftermath, although some companies and financial institutions may extend grace periods or defer payments considering the circumstances.
You'll need cash  In addition to having an emergency fund, you'll also want backup cash in small bills — when the power is out, there will be no other way to pay for supplies or gas (if there's any available), and you won't have access to an ATM for withdrawals. There's no rule of thumb on how much money you'll need; it's up to your discretion. But after my first hurricane, my neighborhood was without power for nearly three weeks — it's better to overestimate.
Don't safeguard important documents in the dishwasher  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the trick floating around the Internet about storing your valuables and documents in the dishwasher during a hurricane isn't one you should heed. If flooding occurs, a dishwasher won't keep things dry. You should have photocopies or electronic copies of your personal, home and property, estate, medical, and financial documents stored on a flash drive or on a cloud. Think things like Social Security card, stock and bond certificates, home deeds, passport, and estate planning paperwork. But if you're down to the chase and don't have time, you should put all documents and cash in tightly sealed Ziploc bags to be placed in a grab-and-go lock box. If you've evacuated or are taking shelter away from your home, you may not be able to get back for days — and you'll need these things on your person.
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