What do you do when you find money lying on the ground?

[Goathead]

I recently found fifty bucks on the ground in line at the checkout counter at the local grocery store. I was really stoked, but I didn't say anything because I knew about a hundred people would step up and claim that it was their's. If I had seen who dropped it, I would have said something to the person, but since I didn't, I figured it was up for grabs, so I pocketed it. I always find cash in this store, it's like the fifth time, ones, tens, twenties, and now fifties. It's because there are a lot of alcoholics that live in my community and they can't keep their cash straight when they are going on a booze run. I know this because the bills are always crumpled up into little balls, never crisp bills.

[skygazer]

1. In a situation like that

I keep it. There is no way to tell whose it is and as you said, everyone will claim it.

If I actually see who dropped it, I tell them. With a pang, but I tell them.

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. If you didn't see who dropped it

Then it's all yours.

[Left Is Write]

3. If I found just plain cash lying around - just one bill -

I guess I'd keep it. I don't know what else I'd do - how could someone identify it? Obviously, if I saw who dropped it, I would return it.

I have never found a fifty-dollar bill, but I did once find a twenty in a parking lot at a grocery store. It was half-buried in some snow. And recently, I found a five-dollar bill left in the change tray at an Albertsons self-checkout.

[Goathead]

15. You mean the money in the "take-a-penny" tray is up for grabs?

Damn! I could clean up by just going around and taking that money. ;) It is no longer just pennies, people have been putting silver coin in there everywhere I go now, sometimes there is like ten bucks in change in there, never seen paper currency in the penny tray, though. CHAAAA-ching!

[Left Is Write]

22. No, no - the "change tray" in the self checkout.

It's where your change comes out when you pay in cash. Someone had gotten change for their purchase and forgot to take it.

[sniffa]

4. i ask the person next to me if it's their money?

then i pocket it when they teLL the truth and say it's not their's.

[candy]

5. You did what I would have done,

Wish my market had money lying around like that!

[mark414]

6. i would like to (third, fourth?)

the idea that if you don't see who dropped it, it's yours

[bunkerbuster1]

7. My wife found a hundred-dollar bill in the Shea Stadium parking lot

She was so quiet about it, I didn't even realize she'd picked it up.

Yeah, we did a little soul searching--obviously, had we seen who'd dropped it, we'd have given it back. But how do you turn something like that in to a lost and found, in such a public setting?

So we kept it, although there's a small part of me that feels a little creepy about it. Maybe we should've given it to a worthy non-profit.

[Reverend_Smitty]

11. ummm yeah I dropped a hundred dollar bill in the Shea Stadium parking lot

I can even describe it, I had a picture of Ben Franklin on the front...see I told you it was mine... :evilgrin:

[bunkerbuster1]

18. It'll cost ya $50 for me to process this request

through my Nigerian bank.

[Reverend_Smitty]

19. ...

:P

[Reverend_Smitty]

8. Thats my philosophy...

if you didn't see someone drop it, you have no way of knowing who's it is...consider it a gift from God!

[Unstuck In Time]

9. I once found a twenty on the floor in the produce aisle.

I just kind of lingered about with it until someone came along who was obviously searching the floor for something dropped.

I asked her if she'd lost anything, and she said "Yes, 20 dollars."

Bingo, we have a winner. Gave her the money.

[dmkinsey]

10. Once saw a 20 on the floor

at a bar.
Nonchalantly stroll over and place my foot on it while scoping 'round for somebody doing the "where's my change" skit. Wouldn't want to take money from an identifiable person but if it's going to me or the house, I vote for me.

[kick-ass-bob]

12. I eat it.

Fiber and all, ya know.

[underpants]

13. I found $500 on a run one morning

it was in an envelope. I picked it up and tucked it in my shorts.

Excercise does pay.

[Goathead]

17. Holy crap!

Talk about a windfall!

[GOPFighter]

14. Hate to be a spoil sport, but...

...I give it to a charity. At least it helps others. It's not my money.

(plus it makes me feel virtuous as hell!)

[FuzzySlippers]

16. I found quite a bit of money--more than $50--on the floor

of a convenience store once. I turned it in to the clerk, who I knew. Later, a woman who had cashed her paycheck at the store and then dropped some of the money came in asking about it. She wanted me to have $5 as a reward. I thought that was nice of her.

[obreaslan]

20. I found $450 once.

I was in High School, working at my crappy stockboy job at a local drug store. I was sweeping the floor one night, and there was a bank evelope bulging with cash.

I picked it up, looked around to see if anyone in the immediate area had dropped it, and then like the lame-ass that I am O8), I turned it in. :(

OK, happy ending though. After 4 weeks, no one came to claim it, and the manager gave me the money! Woo Hoo! :headbang:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

21. You were near the cashier and at the checkout counter?

I would have given it to the manager, showed them where I found it, in case the person comes back to look for it.

I'd hate to think of losing $50, that's why I do that. I keep thinking it might have been that person's last amount of money until payday or something.

Anyway.

[foreigncorrespondent]

23. For me...

...it really depends on the situation.

If I saw the person who dropped it, I would return it, but otherwise, I would probably end up keeping it, or donating it to charity.

If I found a wallet, I would contact the owner and organize with them to collect it.

When I was a kid, about 12 years old. A friend and myself were walking to school. We found a wad of notes rolled up in a driveway. I swear there must have been an easy two or three thousand dollars there. Anyway, we returned the money to the owner of the property. As payment for our good deed for the day, they gave one dollar and an honesty certificate. Which was awarded to us in front of entire school about a month later.