<p>Yesterday while shopping with D2 I found some money. It was two $20s, folded together, not on the floor. We had an interesting discussion as to what most people would do. I’m not asking you to tell what you would do, just what action you think most people would take.</p>
<p>I think most people would pocket it. But people who stopped to think about the ethics of the situation might take different actions based on where it was found. For me, if I found it in (say) a dressing room in a store, I think I’d turn it in. Somebody might come looking for it. If I found it on the sidewalk, I’d pocket it. </p>
<p>Where did you find it?</p>
<p>Most people would keep it. Later in the day they would find an opportunity to complain about the sad state of the world. Cognitive dissonance reigns.</p>
<p>Reminds me of one day a long time ago, when S2 was around 6. Santa had given him $100 in cash for Christmas. While wandering the aisles at Toys R Us, he of course dropped it. No one turned it in.</p>
<p>It was a good lesson for him, but DH and I “created” chores for him to do so he could “earn” it back. So it wasn’t his loss; it was ours. </p>
<p>If I found it in an establishment or at an event of some sort, I would turn it in. </p>
<p>If I found it on the street, I’d pick it up and give it away. I’d put it in a tip jar, give it to a homeless person, or a donation box. </p>
<p>I just couldn’t go through my day knowing I took someone’s money. I’ll pass it along and go about my business. :)</p>
<p>I think most folks would keep it. I would turn it in to the customer service desk if at an establishment. I did that with $100 I found once. They took my name and number and said that if no one inquired about it within a week, they would contact me…and guess what…no one inquired, they called me, and I got $100.</p>
<p>^^^Good story. </p>
<p>When my first two kids were small we were shopping a discount store and found a wad of money on the floor by the kids clothing. I didn’t even hesitate - brought it to the customer service and turned in it and left my name. My first thought was that a parent dropped it (since it was in the kids section). My H who is a law enforcement person said while it was noble, the next step would be how honest the customer service rep was - I handed over - would they hang on to it for an owner or pocket the cash??? What you could do is tell customer service you found some cash (don’t say how much) and leave your phone number in case anyone inquires. If no one claims it in a day or so, it’s yours for keeping, donating, whatever. </p>
<p>I found about £25 on my way home from church one day. It was folded up with a grocery receipt so I’m sure someone dropped it on the way home from the store. I stopped and looked up and down the street, but no one was around. So I took the cash and donated it to the church the next Sunday. The way I felt was that it was not my money - so I couldn’t spend it. And there was really no where to turn it in to. I don’t think the police would have cared. </p>
<p>What is the breakpoint between turning money in and “finders keepers, losers weepers?” I assume nobody would turn in a penny, while most (decent) people would turn in a large sum of money.</p>
<p>I don’t know what most people would do. My gut reaction is that most people would keep it.</p>
<p>My children and I have had several discussions about finding money. This is more or less what I do and what I have suggested that they do:</p>
<p>If I find change in a store or anything less than around $5, I ask around, “Has anyone dropped any money?” If no one claims it, I’ll keep it or hand it to a nearby manager.</p>
<p>If I find more than about $5 in a store, I give my name and phone number to the manager and explain that I found some money (without saying how much).</p>
<p>If I find anything less than around $10 in a parking lot and anyone is nearby, I will do the ask out loud thing. If no one claims it, I’ll keep it.</p>
<p>If I find anything more than $10 in a parking lot, I will walk in the nearest store and report it, giving my name and number.</p>
<p>If I were to come upon a trove of money ($50 or more), I would probably not only inform the store (or nearby store) but also go to a police station and report it.</p>
<p>I believe that the finder has a moral obligation to report finding above a certain amount of money, but I can’t say what that would be for other people.</p>
<p>^^^ Good question. I’ve definitely found $$$ - like $20 bill or less on the sidewalk while out walking and kept it. </p>
<p>Wonder how many of us will think of this thread if we are out and about and find loose change or a dollar bill in a random place. :)</p>
<p>abasket – And finding $20 on a sidewalk, with no one in sight and no house nearby, would be different from $20 in a business parking lot. I’d probably keep it. On the other hand, if I were near a homeless shelter or soup kitchen I’d take it inside. The person who dropped it might have needed it desperately, and in any case the organization could put the money to good use.</p>
<p>Where we draw the line, and in what circumstances, depends on how much money we think is a little or a lot and how much we think the dropper would miss it or need it.</p>
<p>I like the idea of donating money that we find.</p>
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Me, too. </p>
<p>If I’m doing fine before I find however much money on the ground, I’m sure I’ll continue being fine without after I find it. </p>
<p>Someone will have a better use for it. Pay it forward. </p>
<p>Take it, go on with life as normal. What I and most people would do. </p>
<p>I did find a $50 in a parking lot once. There’s no way for me to determine who owns it. No point taking it to the nearby store (was right outside a Target - about 11pm, no one was around), whoever I gave it to would just pocket it themselves. I took it. Other than that I occasionally find $5 or $1 laying around. I wouldn’t even think of bothering with the hassle of having to give it to someone and explain it. That amount of money, it’s not even lunch. </p>
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<p>I’d agree but in my opinion that amount is going to be well above $50. If you drop $50 and find out you dropped it 4 hours later, are you even going to bother trying to recover it? And if you do, you’re definitely not going to for $10, right? And someone who desperately needs $50 doesn’t drop it. I’d say at maybe $2000, at which point it’s a bundle of bills. </p>
<p>Think of it this way, what amount of money if you dropped it would you go try to recover 4 hours later if you realized you dropped it? Multiply that amount by 10, that’s the amount I would bother turning in somewhere. </p>
<p>The donating idea doesn’t make sense to me. Let’s say you suddenly get a $50/month raise. Are you going to donate an extra $50 to charity every month? Do you donate all excess money you have to charity?</p>
<p>I think as Hunt mentioned the amount of money would make a difference. The more it was the more likely I’d be to turn it in. Also the circumstances. I’d be more likely make an effort/turn in cash found during school shopping or Christmas–especially in areas where incomes are low–then the same amount found in a high end mall. IOW whether I think the money would make a difference to the owner. </p>
<p>I think cash is kind of a special case, because it’s fungible and hard to identify. I think many people would give a different answer for an object, even one that is not very valuable. We all realize that some people might go to great lengths to find lost objects, even if they aren’t worth anything.</p>
<p>An object I would turn in. I’ve turned in objects that were probably worth not even a couple bucks. And I think most people would do the same.</p>
<p>I think most people would keep it after looking around to see if someone else looks like they lost something. Not seeing an obvious suspect, they’d just keep it.</p>
<p>Ds1 came home from college with a new jacket. I asked where he got it, and he said someone had left it at the gym. I was appalled that he thought it was OK to take it. But then he told me all that he did to find the owner. He e-mailed his team asking whether it belonged to anyone. Then he e-mailed the captain of the other team to ask his team whether someone had left it. Then he talked to the head of rec sports, telling him he had the jacket if anyone came looking. After awhile, when no one claimed it, I guess he just decided to keep it. I think it’s funny that he felt like he had a better shot at finding the owner and returning it than if he’d just left it, because he thinks someone would have swiped it.</p>
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I do not equate receiving a raise to finding $50 on the floor, but I’m sure my tides and donations would increase as my income does. </p>