Hurricanes are Expensive — Here are 5 Money Saving Tips to Help
Questions like “Should we evacuate? Is it a false alarm? Are the schools closed? Can I miss work?” NEVER get easier or less emotional for families. I grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas, went to school in Tallahassee (Go Noles!), and now live in Tampa. I have experienced more hurricanes and storms than I can count. In addition to the agonizing slow-motion planning of it all, there’s the reality that pretty much any decision we make is going to result in expenses we weren’t planning for.
While hurricane planning is always stressful, here are a few ideas that have saved me thousands of dollars over the past several years.
Stay in the Non-Tourist Areas — If you are dealing with hurricanes, chances are you live near the coast and rental properties can be astronomical this time of year. If you’re evacuating with pets, children, or multiple families, consider looking for rental properties in small towns that are not near a beach or a theme park. We tend to save over a hundred dollars per night by expanding our search using a map feature instead of typing in a major city.
Thousands of houses are available to rent for a few days (especially if it’s in the middle of the week) in towns you may never have heard of. Those owners are usually excited to have guests and willing to accommodate during a tough time. Message the potential host and make sure that your ENTIRE family will be welcomed and how many additional fees there will be (if any) for animals or last-minute check-ins. Also see if extending your stay by a couple of days would be possible if needed.
IMPORTANT: Some services have gotten a bit cute with how they advertise their per night prices so make sure you go all the way through the reservation process and see ALL of the charges and taxes as you compare prices.
Protect the Food — You could lose hundreds of dollars if food in the freezer spoils when the power goes out. Then there’s that not-so-fun game of wondering if the power REALLY was down long enough for everything to go bad. Turns out, there’s a life hack for this very situation.
As soon as you know a storm may be heading your way, find a freezer-safe container — preferably clear like a small leftovers container — and fill it HALF WAY with water. Now freeze it.
Once the water is frozen solid, put something on top of that new chunk of ice that has a bit of weight to it. Pennies, marbles, or pretty much anything in your junk drawer that won’t float or dissolve will work. Now put the container back in the freezer close to the meats and other high-value foods. Once power is restored, if the objects made their way into your ice block then you know the ice melted and the food has to go. But if the items are still resting comfortably on top of the ice, you may be in the clear.
Other food tips: if you have the time and energy, cook or back quick recipes using some of your meats and refrigerated items and take the food on the road if you’re evacuating. Those eggs and creams are not going to last. And a bag of ice or two on top of the items in the freezer may make all of the difference to keep things going that extra few hours.
Drive at Night — If you feel safe enough and are able to do so, try to drive the night before instead of leaving in the middle of the day. There’s a few reasons that leaving at 10pm instead of 10am could make your life much easier.
First, driving at night means less traffic. That means less time in the car, fewer traffic jams, and using less gas. Second, it’s easier to find gas without long lines or empty pumps because not as many people are on the road. We use free apps like Gas Buddy to track where gas stations are open and make sure they still have fuel.
Third, young children tend to sleep most of the trip if you are driving when it’s dark. That means less stress and fewer stops for snacks and breaks. (Make sure you have enough drivers to rotate often and ensure that YOU aren’t one of the ones getting sleepy.)
Shop Creatively — Yes you need candles in case you lose power, but do you need super special storm candles for ten bucks each? It’s wax. Make a list of exactly what you need and then think for a bit on where you might find your items that is NOT on a hurricane display.
Craft departments usually have plain candles for less than a dollar. Sports departments tend to have a ton of camping supplies including inexpensive flashlights and lanterns. A local dollar store will likely have disposable plates and toiletries, while a thrift store is a good place to check for rain gear or odd items you hope you may never need (like weather-safe boots to wade outside in).
Save money by buying things based on what you need them to do and, in most cases, do NOT buy things built to last. With any luck you most of this stuff will go in the garage or a storage bin in a matter of days.
Elevate, Cover, and Seal — This is never easy to think about, but chances are the storm will hit SOMEWHERE and it may be your home. If it’s really bad, there’s not much you can do besides stay safe. But there are so many ways to protect your sentimental and valuable items from slight flooding (like a few inches of water for a brief time) or strong winds that shake the house.
- The Documents — Start with a list of the most important things to you that CANNOT be easily replaced. Family photos, documents, passports, and other similar items should either be taken with you or stored on high shelves — preferably in a watertight storage container. (Those cheap plastic containers are about to become your favorite thing.)
- The Walls — If possible, take artwork and framed items off the walls if they seem like they may crash down and lay them flat on a high shelf like a pantry. Even better if you can tie each one in a garbage bag first to try and prevent scratching and moisture.
- The Floors — Literally walk around your house and look down. What can and should be raised up? Are there expensive speakers on the floor you can set on boxes? Are there files in a bottom drawer you can temporarily relocate? Do you have expensive tools in a tool box on the garage floor you can put higher for now? Set what you can up higher than six or eight inches off the ground because that could make all of the difference.
- The “Just Because” Stuff — Storms can make us feel powerless and scared, and that goes for everyone. Our family now has a tradition of using one or two large plastic storage bins for items that just mean something to someone. Every person gets to take turns putting things in the box that they just want to protect a bit more. Over the years those boxes have had precious stuffed animals, award ribbons, a favorite book, and small family heirlooms. The idea is to give everyone a bit of power in the situation to try and protect what matters to them.
- Literally Take Photos — Not only should you protect the photos you have, take some time and snap photos of your entire house, inside and out. If you do end up filing an insurance claim, you’ll want documentation of your more expensive items and the things you will want repaired or replaced.
Safety is THE number one priority during hurricanes, but money is a reality we can’t run away from. Do what you can to save by getting creative, protect your possessions when it’s possible, and avoid the crowds and groupthink that these situations tend to produce. If you’re reading this, I’m sending you and your loved ones love and strength until this storm also passes.
Shawna Vercher is an award-winning political media strategist and social justice advocate. Once it’s safe and you have time, you can check out her global platform, the Fearless Voice Network, or connect with her on Twitter.
