so keeping cash is a mistake?...Glenn beck said to “have cash”
This is not a do it or don't do it decision. Absolutes don't work well with prepping because we can't predict exactly what will happen in any given scenario. For that reason, it's better to cover all the bases.
I used to ignore cash, had very little in my purse and nothing but some change at home. My money was in a card but I couldn't see that money. If for some reason I wanted cash, I used an ATM. I had to change that and did.
Keep some cash in your purse and keep cash at home, hidden so no one can find it. If power goes off right now, no cash money is available.
If power stays off, you can't pay your bills and neither can anyone else. If you use bill pay on line at your bank, that's not available any more. Can't pay by mailing a check as no mail moves anymore. Can’t go physically to the companies because they are closed.
Can't pay cash for food as it is gone within one or two days of an emergency and there are riots there anyway to get the last bit of food or riots because there is NO more food.
You still need to have that cash stored away. If, and when, food returns, your cash may be important to buy that before perhaps your bank gets up and running efficiently. There is also the chance, your money in the bank, which was on a computer system, doesn't show up anymore. That's another reason to have cash stored.
In a long term emergency, if order has been restored, there may be places set up to barter. People want to exchange goods for other goods as money has little value when people need water/food/other supplies more than they need money. Goods you can barter will be important rather than having nothing but cash.
Do both - store cash and have barter goods. If you think the bank will lose track of your money, take out a lot of cash.
Decisions, decisions. Try to cover all bases and that means store cash, too.