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Outage Depot

Scenario

Your money is there. You just can't get to it.

In this scenario your account is fine, but you can't use it. The banking app won't load, ATMs are offline or empty, and branches are closed or have long lines. The households that manage are the ones that already have some cash at home and know their account details without an app.

A document pouch, an envelope of cash, a notebook and a pen on a desk
On this page
  1. What stops working
  2. What usually keeps working
  3. First 24 hours
  4. Days 2 to 7
  5. Before an outage
  6. Buy / Borrow / Skip
  7. What to buy
  8. Sources

What stops working

  • Banking and payment apps
  • ATMs, especially after the first day as cash runs low
  • Online bill pay and transfers
  • Automated phone banking

What usually keeps working

  • Cash you withdrew before the outage
  • Your deposits. In the US, FDIC and NCUA insurance protects covered deposits even when systems are down.
  • Paper records of your accounts and bills
  • Branches that open with limited service

First 24 hours

  1. 1Use home cash for essentials and hold off on everything else.
  2. 2Write down your balances, due dates, and recent transactions if you can still see them.
  3. 3Don't line up at every ATM. They often run empty fast in a widespread outage.
  4. 4Look for official updates from your bank, not social media rumors.

Days 2 to 7

  • If bills are due, contact the company once systems return. Some companies waive late fees after a widespread outage, so ask instead of assuming.
  • Keep receipts and a written log of cash spent.
  • Watch for scams. Real banks won't call or text asking for your PIN or password.

Before an outage

  • Keep a cash reserve at home in small bills. How much is a personal decision based on your household's weekly spending.
  • Keep a paper sheet with your bank's phone number, your account type, and key bill due dates. Don't write down passwords or full account numbers.
  • Consider a second account at a different bank so one bank's outage doesn't cut off everything.

Buy / Borrow / Skip

Buy: a small lockbox or cash envelope, a waterproof pouch for your paper records.

Borrow: nothing to borrow here. Cash and records have to be your own.

Skip: gold, silver, or crypto sold as outage prep. They don't buy groceries when the network is down.

What to buy

Related: Card networks down · Checklists

Last reviewed: September 26, 2026

Sources

We base the how-to steps on this page on public guidance. We link to it so you can check it yourself.