Originally Posted By: LED

Although I would think the 20 pound note a bit high for an emergency kit. Rarely do people have correct change during a crisis, so smaller notes are probably the way to go.

"Change" may not matter much in a crisis.

A couple of times I've had "cost is no object" personal disasters and have found $20 bills in quantity quite effective at motivating service people to break rules, do unusual tasks or work off-hours. Expensive, but effective for situations where results are far more important than costs.

And cash usually works even when your bank account is SNAFU'd by the bank - you can still buy groceries, shop, live, etc, while the bureaucracy gradually straightens things out. You aren't going to take the family out to dinner with a baggie full of quarters, but $20 bills is perfectly reasonable.