2011 Found Money

[Sagginit]

i learned this working at a convenience store in college. at first i just threw all the coins on the ground, even outside in the little penny jar at the register. i then realized how much change i was finding in the parking lot just laying there and started keeping it as the guys i worked with pointed out the guy that owned the place wasn't going to go out there and pick it up and could not care less if we chose to (plus the penny jar was just giving it away to others). i had days when i made dollars out of what people threw out as unwanted change. this made up for no tips. i will still pick up coins if i see them. i work in NYC now and rarely see change as there are many people looking for it but when i say run to target or the foodstore i will absolutely stop and grab the change on the ground. i also take change out of my wallet as often as possible b/c i find no matter how hard i try to keep it it always seems to randomly slip out.

 

[mrsboz]

My youngest daughter and I walk all the time and we play a game, "who can find the most money". It keeps us motivated to walk and then we put all the money into a baggie and when we have enough, I usually throw in a couple of dollars here and there, we do something fun with it. When we are walking we also talk about what we are going to do - go to dinner, movie, whatever. It is fun to find the money and plan what we are going to do with it and we are getting exercise at the same time. When another family joins us - we have a contest who can find the most. My friends are now saying that they do this with their children and can't believe how much money they find.

 

[MineMail]

I think any bill larger than a single should be turned in *somewhere.* Take it to the nearest store or the Customer Service desk. My conscience wouldn't let me keep it.

Moreover, I would NEVER keep a $50 bill that I found in WDW. It might have been someone's entire food or souvenir budget. Especially in WDW - turn it in and they'll take your name. If no one claims it, you'll get it after a short time.

I remember losing my hard-earned Christmas money at a store as a child. I was upset and my parents were really angry because it was in an obviously-child's wallet that had my name/address inside in first-grade printing. That's really stealing.

I found a $5 bill in the fitness center parking lot the other day under the car next to me. I dropped it off at the check-in desk with the license plate number. Later, the clerk told me it was a kid's money to go swimming at the center with friends. He lost it outside on a windy day and couldn't find it after looking for a good 20 minutes. He came inside crying because he couldn't go swimming and had to call his parents. Imagine his relief to have the clerk say "Oh, this must be yours. Someone turned it in to the Lost and Found."

(Why the parents dropped off a young boy by himself at a busy place is a different issue.)

 

[talulabelle]

I think any bill larger than a single should be turned in *somewhere.* Take it to the nearest store or the Customer Service desk. My conscience wouldn't let me keep it.

Moreover, I would NEVER keep a $50 bill that I found in WDW. It might have been someone's entire food or souvenir budget. Especially in WDW - turn it in and they'll take your name. If no one claims it, you'll get it after a short time.

I remember losing my hard-earned Christmas money at a store as a child. I was upset and my parents were really angry because it was in an obviously-child's wallet that had my name/address inside in first-grade printing. That's really stealing.

I found a $5 bill in the fitness center parking lot the other day under the car next to me. I dropped it off at the check-in desk with the license plate number. Later, the clerk told me it was a kid's money to go swimming at the center with friends. He lost it outside on a windy day and couldn't find it after looking for a good 20 minutes. He came inside crying because he couldn't go swimming and had to call his parents. Imagine his relief to have the clerk say "Oh, this must be yours. Someone turned it in to the Lost and Found."

(Why the parents dropped off a young boy by himself at a busy place is a different issue.)

I was always taught if you found a sum of money (bills, not change) that you shouldn't hand it in at customer service or to a clerk, because there is a large chance the clerk will just pocket it themselves if it is not claimed - or might pocket it even if someone does come to claim it. I was taught to give your name and number to the clerk or customer service person and say you found an amount of money, (don't tell how much, so that if they try, or have a friend try to call and claim it, they won't be able to tell how much was lost) and if anyone comes looking to see if it was turned in, they can call you for it. If someone calls - you ask them how much they lost, and if they know the right amount, it's theirs.

I found $20.00 laying right in front of the atm once. I just happened to glance down and there it was. I now have an unbreakable habit of opening the car door and looking down at the ATM for dropped cash. I found $1200 in checks outside of a store last week. They were uncashed and all made out to the same person - Christmas gifts from family (I should have that kind of family) I googled the name and called the person and sent them back. I was sort of wishing it was cash, so that I could have kept it if no one claimed it...

I like the idea of totalling the found money for the year. I think I'll do it this year...it will make it a fun game for my kids.

I ALWAYS pick up all change (even face down penny's) because each one has God's name on it. I can't leave anything that says "God" on it laying on the ground, just out of reverence to Him. To me anything that says "God" on it, must be good luck, even if it is face down. They say "In God we Trust" and as I put the coin in my pocket, I think about all He gives me, and how I am always provided for...and I am reminded to trust in Him.

 

[gator75]

This is a great post. I love finding money on the ground , and any where else for that matter. for some reason i'm always looking down anyway , so its quite amazing what you can find when no one else is looking there.

 

[KennesawNemo]

I think any bill larger than a single should be turned in *somewhere.* Take it to the nearest store or the Customer Service desk. My conscience wouldn't let me keep it.

Moreover, I would NEVER keep a $50 bill that I found in WDW. It might have been someone's entire food or souvenir budget. Especially in WDW - turn it in and they'll take your name. If no one claims it, you'll get it after a short time.

I remember losing my hard-earned Christmas money at a store as a child. I was upset and my parents were really angry because it was in an obviously-child's wallet that had my name/address inside in first-grade printing. That's really stealing.

I found a $5 bill in the fitness center parking lot the other day under the car next to me. I dropped it off at the check-in desk with the license plate number. Later, the clerk told me it was a kid's money to go swimming at the center with friends. He lost it outside on a windy day and couldn't find it after looking for a good 20 minutes. He came inside crying because he couldn't go swimming and had to call his parents. Imagine his relief to have the clerk say "Oh, this must be yours. Someone turned it in to the Lost and Found."

(Why the parents dropped off a young boy by himself at a busy place is a different issue.)

Up till your post, this thread has been very hard for me to digest.

I grew up in a different country and was always taught that if I found money on the street, I would need to turn it in. It's a moral issue for me. Now, as an adult, I would not bother to pick up a penny or two and turn it in. However, I would not pick it up and keep it for myslef either.

I do understand I grew up somewhere else so it can be wrong to use the same standard here.

 

[MineMail]

I was always taught if you found a sum of money (bills, not change) that you shouldn't hand it in at customer service or to a clerk, because there is a large chance the clerk will just pocket it themselves if it is not claimed - or might pocket it even if someone does come to claim it. I was taught to give your name and number to the clerk or customer service person and say you found an amount of money, (don't tell how much, so that if they try, or have a friend try to call and claim it, they won't be able to tell how much was lost) and if anyone comes looking to see if it was turned in, they can call you for it. If someone calls - you ask them how much they lost, and if they know the right amount, it's theirs.

I've worked in Retail for many years and most good stores like JC Penney have honest employees who wouldn't steal the money. Would I turn it in at a seedy place with shifty-looking employees? Probably not - I'd look for another business. I worked for a dry cleaner who was as honest as the day is long and that really helped me become more honest.

If you really feel so distrustful of stores, turn it in at a police station. They have to log it, give you a receipt and handle the "how much was it? What did the bracelet look like?" questioning. If no one claims it, it's yours after x number of days.

I don't think the "give this note to someone who comes looking for money" approach works at all. You make it inconvenient for the Loser (no insult intended) to get their money back on a timely basis. Store clerks aren't known for being communication specialists. As soon as the shift changes, no one would know anything about someone having found money. The note is probably tossed within a day and you're probably counting on it so you can keep the money.

I don't think God would want you to keep $1200 cash or the $20 you found on the ground outside the ATM. That's my opinion, but if you're going to play the religion card, the door swings both ways. No coveting or stealing allowed.

By the same token, people who carry thousands of dollars in brown bags and accidentally throw away/lose them should reconsider their options. There are much better ways to manage money.

 

[beaucoup]

For the past 3 years DH and I have saved every single coin or paper money we've found....January to January is our time span.

This years total is....*drum roll please*

$70.66

Beats the first two years!! 2009 was $44.03 and 2010 was $22.83.
This is not money found in the couch or in the washer but found on the street. It's kinda hard to fathom there's so much money just laying around on the ground isn't it?

So far for this year we already have 12 cents! LOL


Does anyone else save found money?
I may start saving couch and washer money too...I keep finding little piles in those locations.

I am curious. Do you live or work in a city? Do you walk to work or walk to lunch? Is this just from parking lots walking into stores? How about in the winter? Still walking & still finding?

I have to drive everywhere because we live in the country. Only walking is from car to store. And I don't do all that much shopping.

Inspiring though. I think I will start doing this. Sounds fun!
I did find $12 on the ground at a State Fair one time. No one around. I looked around. No one looking for anything. We sat nearby to eat & never saw anyone come back to look for any lost items. So I kept it.

 

[danetter]

My youngest DD is Always finding loose change everywhere we go. On another note one time I was leaving my house to go to town and when I backed out of my driveway I noticed something in my yard that looked like dollar bills. I had 1 of my DD's get out to see what it was and yep it was. She got it and as I was about to drive off again noticed more in my yard. Again yep more money. It was over 20.00. Also there was a bag that someone had thrown out with a beer bottle in it and loose change in the bag. I figured it was a teenager that lived in our neighborhood that was getting rid of their evidence before they got home. Yes we kept it and NOONE ever came back to claim it either.

 

[beaucoup]

I had no idea people purposely throw their change on the ground. WOW! I have never seen anyone do that. And don't know anyone that does. Some toss it in their car somewhere, but not on the ground. Must be nice.

 

[danetter]

I had no idea people purposely throw their change on the ground. WOW! I have never seen anyone do that. And don't know anyone that does. Some toss it in their car somewhere, but not on the ground. Must be nice.

Well, I think what they did was when they bought the beer they put their money in the bag and forgot they had put it in the bag and was getting rid of the beer evidence before they got home and through the whole bag out and when they did, the loose bills flew out of the bag and the loose change stayed in the bag along with the beer bottle. I could have walked the neighborhood going to over 50 houses trying to find out who it belonged to and probably the 1st door I would have knocked on would have claimed it.

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

Not the ones on tails!

Yes if it is heads it is for you good luck, if it is tails give it to a friend, good luck for both of you. That is what I always have heard, but no one else mentioned it, so maybe I am the only one lol.

I always pick up money when I see it, no matter how little or big, it all spends the same!

It always goes into our Disney fund.

 

[bookgirl]

Loose money on the ground, finders keepers I do pick up change when I see it

Wallet, that gets turned in or I look up the DL and call them

On that note I've never found anything over a quater on the ground. If I actually found over $20 I might have to reconsider it.

I have however found an ATM card and 2 wallets. (all returned) And I always chase down people I see drop money and return it. That has happened a number of times.

 

[North of Mouse]

I was raised " a penny found is a penny earned", so I also pick up pennies or any other change - pennies are more common though. I found a wallet outside a store a couple months ago and brought it back in to the customer service desk - I made sure there were about three there that saw and heard me say where I had found it - felt like there would be more honesty there!! Also, MeM, ALL money is dirty, not just what you find on the ground so you can tell your family that And MineMail, I have to disagree with your suggestion and agree totally with talulabelle about not turning in money to the customer service area. I have done the same thing she did. My ds (when he was about 8yrs. found a wadded 20 dollar bill on the floor. The grocery store was nearly empty at that time and no one near us. We went to the front and told our story - minus the amount found - gave them our phone# and told them to call if anyone asked if there was any money found. No one did and I felt perfectly fine for my ds to keep it. Guess you MineMail, are more trustful than me, but there are lots of people who would do just what talulabelle said and they would have less rights to it than the one that found it and was honest enough to try to find the owner. Also, working at Pennys or other nice store does not ensure all are honest. And yes, when I found the wallet, I did turn it in, did not want to take the time or responsibility to try to find the owner and then maybe be accused of taking some money from it ( yes, there are dishonest people losing things too, oh, there is some money missing, I had such and such in here )

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I think I'm going to start doing this- it can really add up!

I've found $20 bills before and kept that after looking around for the owner. Anything more than that, and I think I would probably turn it in to see if anyone claimed it.

My friends and I found a wallet outside of my friend's family vacation home when we were away at senior week- we felt really bad, because we had to go through the wallet to find information to contact the guy. We ended up getting in touch with his parents, and oddly enough, he was from the same town as us. We arranged to meet up with him at a restaurant to give it back- he was really grateful. It had all of his money for senior week in it. I can't imagine how stressed I would have been if I'd lost all that money.

 

[5stljayhawks]

Called Amex tonight and was chit chatting. Asked about programs i may be missing out on and or free money(a silly question I always ask, when speaking with folks I pay money to) Powwww, Banggg, Smashhhhhhhh-

Got $25 credit, cause I spent $25 or more with a small business, on small business sat. the day after black friday. Really.

BTW - use the costco Amex card, and am getting $275 bucks back for 2011 rebate. Not $1 paid in interest.

oh- Found money, was on the way to get a drink with the mother in law, pulled in the parking lot and saw a dollar blewing down the gutter. I just stopped and jumped out, she was like what are you doing. With a 20 MPH wind, I was running around like a chicken with my head chopped off. Got back in the car with a fist full of dollars, there was nobody in sight to give it back. Paid for the first round + Tip..

 

[talulabelle]

I've worked in Retail for many years and most good stores like JC Penney have honest employees who wouldn't steal the money. Would I turn it in at a seedy place with shifty-looking employees? Probably not - I'd look for another business. I worked for a dry cleaner who was as honest as the day is long and that really helped me become more honest.

If you really feel so distrustful of stores, turn it in at a police station. They have to log it, give you a receipt and handle the "how much was it? What did the bracelet look like?" questioning. If no one claims it, it's yours after x number of days.

I don't think the "give this note to someone who comes looking for money" approach works at all. You make it inconvenient for the Loser (no insult intended) to get their money back on a timely basis. Store clerks aren't known for being communication specialists. As soon as the shift changes, no one would know anything about someone having found money. The note is probably tossed within a day and you're probably counting on it so you can keep the money.

I don't think God would want you to keep $1200 cash or the $20 you found on the ground outside the ATM. That's my opinion, but if you're going to play the religion card, the door swings both ways. No coveting or stealing allowed.

By the same token, people who carry thousands of dollars in brown bags and accidentally throw away/lose them should reconsider their options. There are much better ways to manage money.

I don't know how you can make such blanket statements like all employyees of "good" stores like JC Penny have honest employees. Really? I mean,first, you and I have differing opinions on the meaning of "good" and second, I know most people are good people and the rotten eggs are few and far between, but this is the thing... I'm not distrustful of all people. It's just I have no way of knowing if they are honest or not. I KNOW I'm honest. So - as a favor to whomever lost the money, I will be the one to hold on to it for them. I don't think I'm inconveincing them at all.

I don't know what the heck you mean by "religion card" I was just telling how I feel about change on the ground. I am religious, but I don't "play a card".

For the record...I don't think God would want me to keep $1200 I found either if there was anyway possible in the world for the owner to be found. I mailed the checks to the owner the next day, and actually, I got a thank you note yesterday from them saying they know not everyone would have taken the trouble to find them and I saved them a lot of hassle. Had it been cash, with THAT amount of money, I would have gone to the police station and filed a report and received a receipt, etc. But if it had been $20, no , I wouldn't have gone all the way to the police, but I would have left word in all the stores near by with my number. If the owner is not found, why on earth should the clerk be the lucky person $20 richer, instead of me? ...when I said I sort of wished it had been cash....I meant - then if no owner was found and the police held it a certain amount of time, I could rightfully keep it. Not that I wish the misfortune on the owners of the cash, just meant, in those circumstances I would be doing everything in my power to find the owner, but if the owner wasn't found....that would be I nice little windfall.. and there would be nothing I could do otherwise . I also don't think God would want me to not use the brain he gave me and be so naive as to walk into a random store near the sidewalk and give the clerk and say "here is $1200 in case someone comes looking for it"... Um, just no.

 

[North of Mouse]

talulabelle, my take exactly MineMail also questioned my same sentiment, but I too will not hand over cash to a store employee, but will do what I can to get it back to it's original owner. There may be just one rotten apple in every basket! Most people are very good and honest.

 

[cats mom]

When I worked in the credit office of a major department store we logged every item turned in to lost and found. Pocketing anything, no matter how insignificant, was a fireable offense.

The lost and found form we used had a space for the name and number of the person who turned the item in if they wanted it should it not be claimed. BTW, I think you might be surprised at how many people didn't want to be called - they just asked us to take care of it.

After 30 days any unclaimed money had to be processed through the registers using a special ring code (the same one we used when we received conscience money) All other items were donated to charity.

Of course I know not every business operates exactly the same way, but I imagine any larger retail establishment has rules and procedures in place for lost and found items.

 

[North of Mouse]

Cats Mom, not sure what you mean about unclaimed money after 30 days having to be processed through the registers with a certain code, but that's all the more reason that I would report the found money w/contact phone # and keep it myself until----- Why should it go in the coffers of the store?? I would absolutely return it to the person that it belonged to because I am honest, but only to them - just my take. Now, of course, as a PP said, if it were a very large amount, would take it to the police station and leave my contact info.