MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > If you found money, would you keep it?

If you found money, would you keep it?

posted 5 years ago by andreaahr (2332)
43 replies | jump to latest

I went to the yogurt shop today to get some frozen yogurt and I sat at one of the tables for a little while and directly below me was $12 (a ten and two ones). I put it in my purse and keep thinking to myself, what I am going to do????? My conscious was eating at me and I sat there for a while. I then asked for a manager and told her that I found the $12 and gave it to her. She said she would put the money in an envelope for safe keeping and to see if anyone would claim it. I then left the yogurt shop after I finished my yogurt. The bad side of me wanted to keep the money but deep down inside, I didn't feel right about it and that's why I turned it in. I would love to know what you would have done in that situation or if you have been in a similar situation. Thoughts?

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I have found money (around $20 or $25) on the ground outside and kept it. There would have been no way for me to know whose it was and no way to return it to them. If it had been in a wallet with id or if I had seen who had dropped it, I would have returned it to them.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

I think if you find money on the ground then it is okay to keep it for sure. I would have done the same thing.

[–] nyctc7 (41194) 5 years ago

Same thing happened to me. I waited around a few minutes to see if anyone was retracing their steps, looking on the ground. After a few minutes, I just kept it. One time I found a wallet, that's a different story. The owner was so ecstatic to have it returned, that was worth far more to me than the money in the wallet.

But when I was a teenager I had a summer job cleaning a movie theater. I found a wallet, put it in the lost and found, but kept the money that was in it. A half hour later a man banged on the door and said he was looking for his wallet. I returned it to him without the money. He gave me a look I'll never forget. It was a look of resigned disappointment. It was a lesson I never forgot, and never did anything like that again.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

Oh man. That must have been awkward....

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

In a situation like that, I'd probably just keep it too.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I would not lose any sleep over $12.00. The larger the amount the more likely I would not keep it.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

I’m glad I turned it in regardless. It was inside the shop so I’m sure whoever dropped it would have realized where they lost it and went back there. Hopefully the manager will find the person who lost their money.

[–] GlenEllyn (21068) 5 years ago

I'm not losing sleep over the dollar I found in the grocery store parking lot a couple of weeks ago. 😉

I'd probably draw a line at about $10 - assuming there's a reasonable place to turn it in like the cashier at the store, for example. If it's less than that I think it's okay to keep it. I'd feel bad if I lost more than $10, but if it was less than that I'd just tell myself, oh well.

[–] mikethemartian (6058) 5 years ago

When I was in college I would find money in the library or book store and just turn it over to the librarian or cashier and just leave it up to them to do the right thing or not. I did find $5 in a field once and kept it because there was no one to give it to. When I was a kid there were times I didn’t do the honest thing and I am still ashamed of myself for them.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

When we are kids, we always do things that we later regret in life. I know when I was younger, I have done things in my life that I still feel guilty about but when we get older, we become wiser. We are not perfect; it’s okay to make mistakes once in a while; that’s how we learn from them.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

i have a lot of things i did as a kid that i have deep regrets over. stupid selfish things that make me cringe when i look back on them. i've made plenty of mistakes, more than most probably, but those are the things that wear on me the most.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

Me too, trust me. I made so many mistakes when I was younger that today, those mistakes still haunt me.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (20413) 5 years ago

True story: years ago I found a very expensive Rolex on the ground at a boat landing. I knew who it probably belonged to but I did not know him personally and I got his number and returned it. The guy said it was worth 30k.

Anyhow, that’s my expensive thing I found and returned story. :)

[–] nyctc7 (41194) 5 years ago

Good for you. I learned early on that once money or objects dishonestly gained are gone, the memory of dong something wrong stays with you forever.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (20413) 5 years ago

Indeed! It was a 3 hour ride to the guys house and my friend and I tried that baby on 20 times each at least on the way. Lol

[–] chilone (17252) 5 years ago

He didn't come pick it up? I hope you got a reward.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (20413) 5 years ago

The boat launch was 3 hours from the area I live in and from there only like 20 min to the guys house. He said he was sending a limo but I refused and brought it to him. He gave me 600 dollars and it was one of those deals where you say no several times and finally your like ok I’ll take it. Lol

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

No, and I don’t think it’s heroic to track down the rightful owner. It is merely the right thing to do, but I’ve seen these so-called heroes lauded in the news for doing just that. Big whoop, you’re not a crook at heart, here’s a medal 🥇

[–] nyctc7 (41194) 5 years ago

LOL I think you're right.

[–] Catbookss (13664) 5 years ago

True, but these days we hear so much about people lying their pants off and doing the wrong things, personally I enjoy reading or hearing about someone who does the right thing, ya know?

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

this actually happened to me quite recently. i was walking home from work & walked past a pair of women returning to the office. about 15 seconds later i found a pair of 20s on the sidewalk. i have to be honest & admit that my first thought was 'free dinner at the indian restaurant tonight' but i quickly put together that the cash must have come from the people i work with, so i ran up to them & gave them their money.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

Good for you, that's awesome. :)

[–] Jones70 (6195) 5 years ago

yes of course

[–] BillySlater (4096) 5 years ago

Lol at wanting to keep $12. If it was on the ground in the street its fair game. If its on same table in a shop, I hand it in.

[–] andreaahr (2332) 5 years ago

I agree with you Billy.