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softball_80

Found Money / Lost Money

softball_80
13 years ago

This is a variation on a thread from a few years back. There are new people on here now so hopefully some new (and old) answers too.

Over the years these are the significant amounts of money I've found: $65.00 folded up all by themselves on the floor of a restroom in a bar - Jack's Place, Avalon NJ. No wallet - all mine! $30.00 in Sears parking lot, Neshaminy Mall, NE of Philadelphia. It must have fallen fron the car that was parked there before me. Once again no ID = all for me! $43.00 found on the floor of Rising Sun Pizza, Lawncrest, Philly again. I was working there as a delivery driver. There was no ID with it this time either but it was in a location where only the drivers usually congregated and there was only one other driver on duty with me. I returned it that time.

My daughter found a kids wallet ($3) in a playground when she was about 8 or 9. There was an address in it. We returned it. 'Thanks', door slammed in our faces! I gave her $1 as a reward.

I haven't any stories about losing money. Either I'm very careful with it or I prefer to only think about finding it! Oh, yeah, I was robbed at gunpoint of $80 or so while delivering. I only had that much because I had made 2 large deliveries earlier on that run. I quit shortly afterward.

Your stories?

Comments (26)

  • marie_ndcal
    13 years ago

    Over the years, we put found money in a special jar and every Christmas dump it into the Red Kettles. Sometimes it adds up, sometime not.

  • minnie_tx
    13 years ago

    I don't know if this counts. Recently I was going thru some old wallets on their way to Goodwill and found $30 Another time years ago checking a wallet one son gave me for Christmas and found a folded check for $250. (a year later) tore up the check of course.

    this reminds me of a boss I had whowent in to the head guy to ask/ beg for a raise. I'd agree Jack if you'd only cash your last two paychecks (true story)

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  • chisue
    13 years ago

    Not money and he didn't keep it, but DH found a Blackberry atop the TP dispenser in a stall in the men's room at the Honolulu airport last month.

    I've posted before about the stash of old fashioned, large-size $20's our DS and his friend found stuffed into the metalwork seams around a furnace we were replacing. Come to think of it, the HVAC guys would have found it but they'd stopped work to attend to one of their men. He'd put his leg through the ceiling from our attic into one of our closets. What a bunch of clowns! After the job was complete (and I'd stopped tearing out my hair), the company tried to bill us for hundreds more than their contract. I assume it was to make up for overtime.

  • FlamingO in AR
    13 years ago

    I found over $900 at my counter at work, I was a receptionist for a vet. No ID, but there was unique handwriting on the envelope and I compared it to checks I'd taken in and before I could call the lady, she called in a dead panic. I told her I had her envelope and then told my boss who asked for the envelope and told me to send her back to see him when she came in. Why, I don't know. She came in, went back, got her money and left, never said one word of thanks to me. That ticked me off, a heartfelt "thank you so much!" would have been nice. I never liked her after that. lol

    A couple of years ago I found a wallet in the road with over $120 in it. The owner argued with me when I called him, denied it was his. I offered to keep it and then he quick changed his mind. When he met me at the store to get it, he asked me if I wanted a tip. Huh??? I told him I wasn't his waitress and drove off, to finish my business I was on.

    Next time I find money? I'm keeping it, I have terrible luck with people I do favors for! lol

    And I've found smaller bits here and there, like a $10 in a parking lot, blown up against a curb, etc.

  • dotmom
    13 years ago

    Maybe not the same, but Hubs & I had to go to MPLS by van service, 250 miles round trip for his surgery. We were quoted $526. The service was helpful and excellent and figured it was worth it, and altered the budget accordingly. The bill came yesterday and we were charged only $74. the Hosp picked up the rest of the charge. Not really found money, but certainly not lost money either.

  • lisa_fla
    13 years ago

    DD once found a dirty Sears GC in a field. She called the number and put in the PIN and it had a $100 balance. I once found a Regal GC with $17 left on it. I had a garage sale Saturday with Renee-FL and we saw a BILL floating thru the sky in the wind. The bill landed on the roof of my house (2 Story). DD's BF climbed up and got it and it was a $20! In the meantime we looked around the yard and found 2 more. Even later Renee's BF found another $20 under his truck!! There was no way the money came from our cash register.

  • sheilajoyce_gw
    13 years ago

    I found $64 dropped on the ground around and under my car at the Home Depot store. Daughter had been laid off and in coming home late one weekend night, found a wadded up $100 bill on her apartment building steps.

  • forhgtv
    13 years ago

    I lost my wallet while I was on the way to the airport some years ago. I didn't have time to go back and search for it or I would miss my flight, so I used the time waiting to board to cancel all of my credit cards, etc. Luckily, I had my passport with me to be used as photo identification. Almost six months later, my wallet arrived at my home in the mail. Nothing was missing. Even the small change had been carefully wrapped in tissue and left in the change section. There was no note or return address. I've always been thankful to that conscientious person for their actions. Even though I had already replaced my driver's license and credit cards, at least I didn't have to worry about identity theft.

  • kfca37
    13 years ago

    I've found a $20 bill on downtown streets on two occasions. No ID, so I kept both.

    A few summers back my husband & I were walking to our city's farmers'market, & spotted a wallet on the sidewalk, though there were no walkers ahead of us. The wallet was full of I.D. stuff, a few credit cards & about $40 dollars. On our way home, we drove by the address on the driver's license, and the guy was VERY happy to get his wallet back intact. He offered a reward, but we naturally turned him down.

  • bulldinkie
    13 years ago

    About 15 years ago I was on my way in town for blood work,had to be at drs by 8.I got gong ,there laying in the middle of the street was a money bag,I figured it was a neighbor.Well I lived pretty far out of town I had to get to the other side.So I thought Ill wait till I come out of dr.I looked saw whose it was by a checks,it was full of money from a dentists office.Bank books,her daughters high school pictures,checks,everything she used it like a purse.I asked in there if anybody knew where the office was ,oh yes right up the street.So
    I left went over to her office I went in ,she looked like she was crying.I said did you loose somethiong she said yes,I handed it to her she quick looks to see if everything was there.No thank you, all she said was whetres the magazine?I said I didnt see a magazine this was laying in middle of the street.I left..I couldnt believe the way she talked to me like you idiot why didnt you get it here sooner.

  • maire_cate
    13 years ago

    Hey softball - that money from Rising Sun pizza was mine - I used to work at the Lawncrest branch of the Free Library.

    Thanks for turning it in. That was in 1978 right?

    Personally I can't ever remember finding anything more than a dirty coin in the street.

  • kacram
    13 years ago

    I found $20 or $40 dollars underneath the table at a
    bar/tavern as we were sitting down. Quite a while ago.
    I handed it to the server and told her someone would be
    missing this and if anyone came in asking for it,
    to please make sure they got it. I was quite young
    and $40 was a lot of money to me! lol she said
    "Gee, thank!" and stuffed it in her bra.
    guess she wasn't going to turn it in! LOL
    so after that if I found $$ anywhere like that, I just
    kept it.

    DS (10 yrs old) was at a 7-11 with two friends and one of their
    mom's. There was nobody else there. DS found a $50 bill.
    and the other two kids were MAD at him because he
    wouldn't share. One of them even told him "I saw it
    first, but I thought it was just a $1 so I didn't pick
    it up! LOL Now, I've known these two other kids for a
    LONG time and I know for a fact that neither of them
    would have shared, AND if they had, they would have
    shared with each other, and NOT DS.

  • softball_80
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    maire cate: 1978??? How old do you think I am???. Take it up with John Webb. Also I believe the statute of limitations has expired.

  • wildchild
    13 years ago

    I found $200.00 in a grocery cart in a coin purse once. Turned it in with a note to the owner. I'm sure the night crew just split o it amongst themselves. My kneejerk reaction is honesty. I have since changed my mind and have worked on taking the low road rather than count on others to be honest. The next time I found money was on the floor in a Walmart. Four twenties. I looked to see if anyone was near. no one so I kept it. Wasn't about to turn it in.

    The only other time was a wallet. I drove 15 miles to the next town over to return it. I got the same type of response as Lisa Fla d DD. "oh really? Slam.

    So I figure I will simply drop the wallet in the mail if there is a next time. Might as well help myself to the cash. If there is a number I will call. But not going out of my way.

    I did leave a wallet at a restaurant once. I had decided not to eat there and just paid for my drink. Let it on the counter. Rushed back after I discovered it missing a half hour later at a store. The waitress had put it away. Not one cent was missing. I gave her 10 dollars. There was around 45 dollars in the wallet.

  • cate52
    13 years ago

    Somehow, I see a real difference between finding loose cash & finding a wallet/purse/cashbag.... am I the only one? I'd keep the loose cash -- but I've returned wallets and cell phones - if there's a way to ID them..

  • jannie
    13 years ago

    One summer I found two folded-up $20 bills while walking from my home to the local drug store. The first $20 was on the floor of the drugstore. The second one was in a pile of leaves. But I've lost plenty of money, too. Once in line at a donut store, the woman behind me , nudged me and said "You dropped some money" . As I looked down towad the floor, , the woman in front of me yelled out "No,that's mine". She scooped up a couple of $1 bills and looked pretty pleased with herself. I was too cowardly to pick a fight, she was much bigger than me. Can you guess I was also bullied in school?

  • Marcia Thornley
    13 years ago

    I found a wallet in the shoe store where I worked. I checked but there was no I.D. It contained about $80 I locked in the safe and waited to see if anyone would call for it. Later that week a mother and her 10 year old daughter came in and asked if we had found a wallet. It belonged to the 10 year old. I asked her to describe the wallet to me and its contents. She gave an exact description and then cried when I gave it to her. The mother sent in a bottle of wine for me later. The little girl had saved her Xmas money to buy a pet and had been heartbroken when she lost it. I still say hello to that lady when I see her in the mall. It's been years since I worked there.

  • forhgtv
    13 years ago

    I found an ATM card in the ATM machine. The bank was closed, but I was able to look up the name online and call the owner. He had no idea he had left the card behind. I mailed it to him.

    For those of you who have done the right thing and not received any thanks, please accept my thanks right now. Please don't stop doing the right thing just because others are not appreciative or are not as honest as you are.

  • chisue
    13 years ago

    Two weeks before my new DH and I were to leave for the World's Fair in Montreal I took our Westie to the laundry room in our apartment building to wash him. When I got back and was drying him I realized my wedding/engagement diamond ring was *gone*.

    There was no 'catch' on the waste line from the laundry tub to the sewer.

    When we reported the loss to our insurance company they told me to pick out a new diamond for X amount. The next Saturday we went into the city and chose a replacement, but they weren't sure it would be ready before we left on our trip.

    A few days before we were due to put the dog in the kennel and depart we came home to find him sitting in the kitchen, rather proudly pointing out that he had thrown up a wad of hair -- wrapped around my ring! The insurance company was amazed when we told them to cancel the claim, and why. Our vet said the ring stayed in the dog's stomach until he could more safely bring it back up -- wrapped in hair.

    Good dog, Charlie!

    I've never wanted a newer, larger diamond. This one is too precious.

  • sunshines
    13 years ago

    Here is ear full.... I found a new still in box double burner electric Hotplate. It sure came in handy while I was apt hunting and living in a motel while I was in community college. There has been dozens of other things over the years that I have found. One time a crushed watch with real jewels ( like rubies, pearls and opal's ) and a few diamonds that I sold for $50...I think back now and realized I was cheated as the jewels and diamonds were worth much more but I guess I needed the money.


    Found a $20 in grocery store, bought my daughter a school jacket with that money.

    Have found a ten here and a five there...on and on I could go.
    So many other things I have found that I could write a book. Bought a purse once and it had $9 inside...the purse was a buck.
    A dollar pair of pants that I found a ten inside the pocket.

    Bought a real leather coat at a thrift for .25 and found a whole pocket of change.
    Have dug up gold rings with my metal detector, watches that worked and other types of jewelry.

    Found $36 wad of bills on floor of Walmart isle, ( no name ) turned it in to the manager with my ph #, someone called claiming it and I gave directions to her to come to the house and pick it up....no thank you after I handed the money to her.

    Found a Disney trinket with a name, called and the father came to the house and said his daughter had lost it and he was nice, no reward though.

    When Sams Club first opened I found a pkg of two in a cart on the very far end of the parking lot, there wasn't anyone around so I didn't feel guilty.

    Another time at Sams I found two huge rolls of A. foil, again no one around .
    I found two full bags of groceries at a Winn Dixie shopping center on the other coast of Florida, t but I took it inside the manager took my name and said if no one claimed them within a couple of days it was mine. I remember there was a beef roast, chicken and canned stuff. so it was a lot of groceries I found.
    He called me to come pick it up. I think God had a big hand in that as He knew I was poor and hungry during a difficult period in my life.

    Found two twenty dollar bills but it was 2 separate times, wind blown money on ground outside.

    Ten dollar bill in my drawer where I keep underware only..nothing with pockets in that drawer. Odd.

    Not very many losses except one I will never forget, someone stole quite a sum of money out of my purse while I was in
    Beauty College.

  • Adella Bedella
    13 years ago

    I guess I feel guilty when I find stuff. I usually try to find an owner unless there is not a way to trace it back. I keep coins, but usually donate other stuff. Money I find in pockets at thrift stores gets turned in so it can go to the charity.

    My big finds have usually been purses. I turn them in and hope that they get back to the owner intact.

    I found a check book in the middle of the street once. There wasn't a phone number and the street address was in a bad part of town. I had dh drop it in the deposit box at the bank so they could look the person up.

  • breenthumb
    13 years ago

    DH found a wallet with a large wad of cash in it early one morning at the Home Depot. He turned it in and left his name. Turns out it belonged to the owner of the SUV/truck repair & customizing shop down the road. He was killing time at the HD waiting for the bank to open and make a deposit. The "wad" was $1,500 that he was glad and surprised to get back. He asked if DH wanted a reward but DH said it wasn't necessary.

    But when his truck needed a repair that was right up their alley he made sure to let them know who he was. They didn't charge him anything. Very nice.

  • softball_80
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Whenever I've found any money or anything, if there's a way to return it I absolutely will. To me it goes on the 'good side' of the ledger in my heavenly bank account. I even deliver :) That doesn't mean if I find a $20 on the floor or ground somewhere I turn it in. Either the person you give it to will stick it in their pocket as soon as you're gone or 10 people will claim it's theirs. So while I always hope to find money or valuables in my day to day travels, I hope even HARDER that there is no ID with it! ;)

    Here are a couple I forgot. I found a US passport. Looked up the address, called and left a message on the answering machine that I would bring it over. Rang the bell, no one came to the door - 2 cars in the driveway. In my mind they were afraid I'd hit them up for a reward. I left it in the mailbox. Also on 2 occasions I got extra money from an ATM. Withdrew $10 and a $20 came out (I found out later that they put $10s in one cassette and $20's in another. They transposed them in the machine). Another time I withdrew $10 and 2 of them came out. In both instances they were ATMs from my credit union and when I returned the money the tellers looked like I hit them with a cattle prod! Guess it doesn't happen too often.

    Keep 'em coming!

  • dotmom
    13 years ago

    I really like Softball 80's idea of the heavenly ledger. It is something to keep in mind. I remember finding a wallet in a supermarket and just took it to the service counter. For those who did the right thing and didn't get a Thank you, I'm sure someone upstairs was beaming at you and nodding his head, thinking....Good work.

  • jannie
    13 years ago

    I found a prepaid gas card on the sidewalk near my job. No idea who it belonged to. I thought about using it, but figured it was probably used up and the owner had thrown it away. I put it in the nearest trash can.

  • Kathsgrdn
    13 years ago

    When I was stationed in Germany, dating the ex, he found an envelope of cash about a week before he was to leave for the states. It was full of German marks, well over $600 American dollars. It was payday and probably someone's paycheck. The ex left and I put it in the base paper with my work # and to describe how much and what type of bills they were. I got so many calls with people trying to guess the amount. It was kinda funny, until the security police called and demanded I turn it into them. I hung up and called the base legal department and they told me I had no obligation to give it to the cops and called them back to tell them exactly what they told me.

    Finally, a lady called, she worked in the building of the parking lot where the money was found and she knew the exact bills and amount. I think she gave me $20 for returning it and I sent it to the ex in the U.S.

    When I was stationed in Tucson, AZ when I first went into the Air Force, I had been out when I drove off with my purse on the top of my car. I didn't realize it was gone until I got back to my dorm. A lady turned it in to the base right after it happened. I can't even remember how I found out because I didn't have a phone at that time.