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<p>Yes, there’s a stronger case for donating income because you receive it multiple times. </p>
<p>We have also turned in a lot of things if they are found in a place that is attended, like a museum or library but NOT a sidewalk. S found two very popular Tamigochi toys (when they were a BIG deal and he didin’t even own one). I had him turn it in at the museum lost and found and the kid and parent were SO grateful–I think it made S happy (tho he had really wanted it & later his uncle gave one to him and all the nieces & nephews).</p>
<p>Once in a library, I found a large quantity of coins (which I assumed was for xeroxing there). I told the librarian and gave them my name & phone number in case anyone wanted to contact me about having lost money and could ID how the money was stored and the approximate value. I got no calls and kept the $10-20 in coins.</p>
<p>Once by HS BF and I found about 5 very crisp $20 bills blowing in the wind on the sidewalk. There was NO ONE at all around and we had thought they were leaves blowing in the wind. We picked them up and kept them. Have no qualms about keeping cash in such a situation (or donating it). I do like the idea now of donating, but at the time, we were very poor and much appreciated the small boost in our meager finances.</p>
<p>Yes, what, Vlad? I’m not understanding what you’re talking about. </p>
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<p>I would go back for anything $10 and up four hours later if I lived close by. If I lived far away, I’d call about anything over $20. So, different answers for different people.</p>
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<p>Some people would donate the extra $50 each month. My spouse and I would give at least an extra $5 tithe to our church, and others would donate a different portion. I like the idea of donating found money because it does something good with money that was lost (and perhaps missed) by someone. Like I said, different answers for different people.</p>
<p>I once lost a wad of cash – between $50-$100, I don’t remember the exact amount since it was years ago. It was at a grocery store, and I discovered it after I’d left. It never even occurred to me to call the store to see if anyone had turned it in. I just assumed that the finder would keep it. I wasn’t anywhere close to destitute, and our finances survived quite fine without the money – I just felt really stupid (I never told my husband). </p>
<p>I’ve never thought about what I’d do if I found more than $20 (other than think that maybe karma finally came around) – but after my experience, I’m not sure I’d just hand the money to someone else. I guess the flip side of the question is – how often does someone who loses money make an effort to track it down? How much cash would you have to lose to prompt you to search for it? </p>
<p>I was in Vietnam a couple years ago, and saw a $100 bill on the ground. I got excited until I realized it was obviously fake – something they give as good-luck gifts during Tet.</p>
<p>I like Marsian’s list a lot.</p>
<p>I am very leary of simply turning things in except directly to lost and founds, customer service, or managers. All too often the person you give it to steals it. I think that it is often better to leave your contact info.</p>
<p>Years ago, when I was commuting from New Canaan to Manhattan, I found a Brooks Bros suit box someone had evidently left behind. I was the last one out of the car. (For those who are unfamiliar with the area, NC is the last stop on a branch line.) Instead of taking it with me, which in retrospect I should have done, I left it there and informed the conductor. A couple of days later, one of the conductors made a public announcement asking if anyone had found the suits. (Two brand new BB suits!) I spoke to the conductor and told him what happened. In my experience, most things do not make it to the lost and found. I left my Burberry raincoat in the overhead rack on the same train–never got to the L&F. My H left a brand new pair of Johnson& Murphy shoes on the overhead and got off at the Wilton station: we raced up to Danbury to meet the train, but the cleaners had already stolen them.</p>
<p>On the other hand, H recently left his wallet in the shopping cart in the supermarket parking lot, and it was turned in. :)</p>
<p>I think most people would keep it if it was below a certain amount; would <em>maybe</em> think about turning it in if it was more, but everyone’s threshold is different (as is apparent from the answers here).</p>
<p>I found a $20 bill on the floor of the courthouse once. Tried to turn it in to the security folks, they sort of looked at me like I had 3 heads, but agreed to take it. They said that if no one claimed it, someone would call me to pick it up. For a few weeks, every time I went in they’d ask me if their supervisor had called me yet, and urge me to go find him, but it was just too much trouble so I let it go. I’m guessing the supervisor kept it.</p>
<p>Next time (if there is a next time), I think I’d just give my name and number and ask them to tell the person who came back for it to call me. Hadn’t thought of that idea but I like it. </p>
<p>I have never found any money. Maybe I should start looking down more.</p>
<p>There were few times when a teller or cashier has given me more money than require, I always made sure I gave the money back, even if I found out after I have left. I know they would get in trouble or even get fired for not having right amount money in their drawers. This doesn’t happen as often now because I rarely ever use cash or take cash out from a teller.</p>
<p>I’ve found cash on the streets…including a $20 bill which was blown toward me on one windy winter day. </p>
<p>I don’t see any moral qualms about keeping it if it’s in a public street or especially if it was torn to shreds as was the case with pieces of 2 $1 bills I found on a deserted subway platform late at night. Ended up being able to piece them together enough to exchange them for newer bills. </p>
<p>Have turned in various items to lost and found ranging from taxi licenses to a high end handbag left behind on the NYC subway/buses. </p>
<p>I think most people would keep the cash. </p>
<p>I might keep it, but it would depend on the circumstances, as seems to be the case with most posters. If it were clear who had dropped it, I would return it. If it were found in a store or a cab or an office, some more contained area, I would be more likely to try to find the owner (I like the idea of alerting Customer Service but not leaving the money.) Money on the sidewalk when no one is around is mine!</p>
<p>The idea of donating found money is interesting. If I found money in a parking lot at Christmas and there was a Salvation Army bell ringer near by, I can see putting it in the pot. If I picked up cash in a parking lot and then passed Girl Scout cookies for sale…</p>
<p>“I have never found any money. Maybe I should start looking down more.”</p>
<p>Me neither - except when I am doing the wash. Then it is finders keepers. 
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<p>I think it depends on where the money was found if people would keep it or not. </p>
<p>I found a crumbled $20 bill on the ground in Rockport, MA several weeks ago. I felt very strange at the idea of keeping it. My husband and I ate dinner out and left a generous tip as the food and service were both excellent. As we were leaving, I gave the waitress the $20 I found and told her to have a nice evening. It was found in Rockport and I felt it belonged to someone in Rockport. I just didn’t feel comfortable keeping it.</p>
<p>Yes, definitely around this house, whomever washes laundry keeps whatever is found. Both S & H have a habit of leaving $$$ in their pockets, so it is some compensation for doing their laundry. ;)</p>
<p>It’s sad when people steal what you find and turn in. </p>
<p>Am pleased that at our Costco, people are quite honest and even turn in food & other items that people purchased but left in the cart in the parking lot. Costco keeps track of it in a log and when customers return and mention having left food (or other items), customer service will check the log and let them go and get the item if someone turned it in. I love our Costco! </p>
<p>I have actually had this happen to me! it was on the sidewalk in Chicago…i picked it up…walked about two blocks while thinking about it…and dropped it into the hat of a street musician…it made his day…</p>
<p>I’d turn it over to the store manager, preferably with another employee as a witness, just to help them resist temptation. Wouldn’t even think to do otherwise. But cash found on a busy street? Who would you even turn it in to? I saw a $20 on the floor of a mall recently, and pointed it out to some other passerby, who happily picked it up. For some reason, even if there’s no way to track the money, I am uncomfortable keeping it. But I am happy when the cashier at Starbucks decides it’s my day for a free drink, or I get a bonus at the slot machines.</p>
<p>My mom hid 1000 in one of her shoes a while back. She was having a garage sale the other day, while putting her shoes out for sale she found the money. She has a habit of hiding her money and jewelry around the house. I told her to stop doing that because she ends up forgetting where she has hidden her money/jewelry.</p>
<p>Every three or four months someone sends a mass email at my office saying they found a sum of cash, and to please call and identify the amount to claim it. I work at a large law firm where everyone does NOT know everyone else. But at least in this environment, people are honest. </p>
<p>If I were in a store, I would definitely inform management and leave my name and number. I’d return the cash if the person could identify the amount. I don’t think I’d leave the cash, unless I knew the proprietor. (Not for a dollar, but for $20+ for sure). </p>
<p>I know many people who have lost wallets and have had them returned with all cash intact. And I’ve left my car at the car wash and have had the worker give me $20 he found under the seat (which I promptly paid him as a tip). </p>
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<p>Keep in mind that this a common way for employees to steal from their employers because the natural inclination is for the recipient of the freebee to put the amount of the drink/ other purchase in the tip jar. If it happens multiple times, it is likely a corrupt employee.</p>
<p>I turned in $40 I found in a beer store parking lot. Store told me they didn’t want it and to take it. I left my # but no one called.</p>
<p>Starbucks allows employees to give customers free drinks. There are rules but it is not dishonest.</p>
<p>How I handle found money would depend on the circumstances. I found 100 in a hotel hallway once, and found a bunch of kids who were being mean to each other. I don’t remember the exact story, but it made the mean guy apologize to the others before I gave him his money back. I found a couple of social security cards in a library book one time, and I did go “out of my way” to find the family they belonged to and mailed them. </p>