I figure one great ETS Grandma story deserevs another, so here goes:
MInd you, this all falls under the rubric of "Family history" so very little of it can be proven with surviving records, but still, it's what I grew up with.

My mom's family (specifially, my mom's mom's family) were classic White Russians: well to do middle class ukranians who supported the Czar and spoke French at home because Russian was considered to vulgar a language to use around polite company. But this was before WW I.

After 1917, things changed. Subtly at first, as many of the men had been drafted to fight the Germans and Austro-Hungarians (which is where my Dad's family comes from but that's for another time). But as the Revolution got into full swing, things started falling apart socially: Bolshiveks would roam the streets, sacking houses at random for food, fuel, blankets to keep warm, whatever. Anyone who resisted was "treated poorly" in her own words. They weren't friendly folk, anyway.

My great grandfather was in denial: "The Czar will last forever" was his all-purpose comfort phrase. He believed in the paper rubles he'd kept in three suitcases under the bed.

His wife (my great grandmother Katarina) saw the writing on the wall, however, and figured out a dual plan of action. In the short term: the Bolshiveks had to be dealt with, but since there were no weapons in the house (the Czar frowned on Jews--or anyone else--owning guns) she had to be more subtle. She saw what was happening to her neighbors and did the opposite. On the few occasions the Bolshiveks came to her house, she invited them in and treated them like they were her guests. She fed them, gave them what should could spare for clothing and blankets, and they invariably thanked her and left without a fuss.

The longer term was trickier--get out of the country, which they did in 1926. Her husband refused to accept the fact that rubels were losing their value by the day even in Russia to say nothing of the outside world, but she managed to sneak a big chunk of cash out of the house as fast as it came it and bought gold, jewelry, gems, silver coins, whatever could be taken across the border to be used to grease the wheels of bureaucracy to her family.

As a result, when the family arrived at Ellis Island, my great grandmother had all the family valuables (and a family who'd gotten through the revolution unscathed) while my great grandfather had brought he three big suitcases filled with pretty but worthless paper.

I've no clue how true the story is but it's what I keep in mind as I do my own ETS planning.