$25 from amazon
From what you describe the HDD should be fine and data intact.
For a more perminant solution I can’t recommend one of these enough:
https://www.amazon.ca/thermaltake-Blacx-Docking-Station-ST0005U/dp/B001A4HAFS
I keep one on my desk with a 2TB HDD in it explicitly for backups (note the link I provided there is stupid expensive, you can get them a lot cheaper).
Most of my projects are kept in the same area on my computer, so I just right-click on the folder, archive it (I use 7-zip, but whatever poison works), then just transfer it to the backup HDD. This is in addition to any cloud backups I have.
A 2TB platter will probably cost ~$100 (I have no idea what USA prices are like), but worth it for the piece of mind.