# I found $50 at the grocery store yesterday! What should I do with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459 "2010-05-14T19:20:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/21 "2010-05-15T03:48:26Z")
You could report it to the police. They’ll keep the money until it’s claimed or X days elapse (whichever comes first). In the latter case, it’s yours. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/22 "2010-05-15T03:57:31Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > You could report it to the police. They’ll keep the money until it’s claimed or X days elapse (whichever comes first). In the latter case, it’s yours. Has anyone ever done this and got the money back, or even information on who lost it? I found $100 in the bushes once. Unfortunately, the person I was with said that he needed to take it to the police and see if anyone claimed it. Well, surprise. . . I never saw any of that money again. I know the person took it to the police. But once there, how would anyone be able to identify it? But of course, I never heard about it again. ---
**Author:** ![IaMoDiNaRy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IaMoDiNaRy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IaMoDiNaRy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/23 "2010-05-15T04:48:29Z")
My $50 find has brought up a moral dilemma. What to do? What to do? If I knew I could return it to it’s rightful owner, I would love to return it to them immediately. Right now. But I can’t and I have no way of doing that unless someone knows a physic or I can locate a time machine. When I lost my $100 bill, I looked around on the ground as I retraced my steps of the day. I asked at the check out lines of one store I’d been in and guess what happened? Everyone within hearing distance started searching the floor for my $100 bucks. I don’t believe they were looking out of the goodness of their hearts, either. 😉 I’ve decide what I’m gonna do with the money. I’m not gonna spend the money on myself. I’ve decided to spend it on my sweet little dog! It will buy her food for the month plus a few treats. I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with that. Thanks for all of your replies… ---
**Author:** ![IaMoDiNaRy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IaMoDiNaRy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IaMoDiNaRy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/24 "2010-05-15T04:50:59Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > I found $100 in the bushes once. Unfortunately, the person I was with said that he needed to take it to the police and see if anyone claimed it. Well, surprise. . . I never saw any of that money again. I know the person took it to the police. But once there, how would anyone be able to identify it? But of course, I never heard about it again. Hey you might have found my $100 dollars! I was in Santa Barbara or was it Oregon? At a Quarter Horse show… ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/25 "2010-05-15T04:54:49Z")
> [@IaMoDiNaRy](#): > > Hey you might have found my $100 dollars! I was in Santa Barbara or was it Oregon? At a Quarter Horse show… Not even remotely close. 😉 But I bet the person who claimed it had a similar story. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/26 "2010-05-15T05:30:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No sorry, cash flying free with not even a rubber band and a note or something? That’s what is called “free money” and there’s no moral obligation there at all. Now, a wallet with $50 is cash is another thing entirely. I found an envelope with a $500 un-addressed MO in it, but the Bank that issued it that day could and did ID the customer who had purchased it. > > This a a bogus attempt at a guilt trip or a holier than thou posting.:mad: > > Now sure, sometimes it is good Karma to do a random act of kindness with said “free money”, but trying to imply the OP has some moral obligation here is bogus. How’s the loser going to ID it? Green, pictures of dead Presidents?:rolleyes: Yeah, that’s why the OP states, “I looked furtively around to be sure no one saw me pick it up.” All s/he had to do was ask at the grocery store and the pet store whether somebody had reported losing money. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/27 "2010-05-15T06:53:38Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > All s/he had to do was ask at the grocery store and the pet store whether somebody had reported losing money. It is to laff. _Please_ don’t try and tell us you would have done this. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/28 "2010-05-15T07:44:40Z")
When I’m out and about, I’m usually with my kids. I will certainly think about keeping it, but I will make at least a token effort to return it. $50 is a large enough amount of money that it could easily represent a hardship to the person who lost it if they’re on a fixed income or assistance. (I wouldn’t bother for $5.) Asking if somebody has already reported it missing is not that weird. I have had money, wallets, cell phones, and purses (with no ID, just $$) turned in to stores and returned to me when I went back asking. Only once was the money removed from the wallet. Last week I had calls in to three locations in case someone turned in a cell phone. Somebody ended up delivering it to my door. I think it’s a geographical location thing. Where I live, it’s common. If I were in NYC and found money, I’m sure somebody would have knocked me over the head and taken it before I could stand back up. The OP has restated that there was no way to find which store to check with, so it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/29 "2010-05-15T17:03:55Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > ) Asking if somebody has already reported it missing is not that weird. I have had money, wallets, cell phones, and purses (with no ID, just $$) turned in to stores and returned to me when I went back asking. Only once was the money removed from the wallet. Last week I had calls in to three locations in case someone turned in a cell phone. Somebody ended up delivering it to my door. I think it’s a geographical location thing. Where I live, it’s common. . All of which have some way of confirming ownership by description, even the purse with no ID: “I lost a red leatherette purse with Minnie Mouse on it, it had around $50”. So, yes, all of those should have been returned or at least inquired about. But cash has no way of being uniquely described or any way of showing possible ownership. “Green, pictures of dead Presidents”?:dubious: So, it’s not honesty at all or location. It’s just that naked cash has no unique characteristics which would allow anyone to make any sort of reasonable claim of ownership. I mean, so the OP goes into the store and sez “Hey I found $50 out in the parking lot, anyone say they lost any cash?” and the dude standing there sez “Yes, that was mine, I lost $50”.:rolleyes: How does anyone confirm his claim by any sort of unique characteristic? No Minnie Mouse picture on the cash, you know. You don’t even ask about naked cash. It’s literally free money, and that includes _guilt_ free. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/30 "2010-05-15T17:14:45Z")
Put twenty dollars of it in a PayPal account, buy yourself a membership, and ask the admins to change your username to **IaMo_R_dInArY**. Seriously, that missing “R” is bugging the crap out of me. 😉 P.S. and I once found three twenties in the street. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/31 "2010-05-15T17:25:52Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > Has anyone ever done this and got the money back, or even information on who lost it? Not with money, but I have handed in - and received back - a diamond ring. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/32 "2010-05-15T18:37:48Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Put twenty dollars of it in a PayPal account, buy yourself a membership, and ask the admins to change your username to **IaMo_R_dInArY**. > > Seriously, that missing “R” is bugging the crap out of me. 😉 gEt ThE fUcK oUt! tHe MiSsInG “r” Is BuGgInG yOu? ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/33 "2010-05-15T18:45:52Z")
I found a $50 bill in the line at a checkout counter once. I turned it in to management as I’ve seen more than one elderly person using big bills to pay for groceries, and I figured there’s always a chance that they’d come looking for it. OTOH, I found three twenties in line at a movie theater once, and those I kept. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/34 "2010-05-15T18:49:25Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > I found ten bucks once, when I was 9. That was an incredible amount of money for me; my mom made me take it to school \ and give it to the principal. After a week nobody claimed it, so it was mine! I have no idea what I did with it. I found $20 once when I was 12. I’m certain it got spend on candy and sodas, as that’s what I was headed to buy at the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/35 "2010-05-15T20:35:41Z")
Exchange it for fifty 1$ bills. You know what you must do. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/36 "2010-05-15T20:38:06Z")
> [@IaMoDiNaRy](#): > > I’ve decided to spend it on my **sweet little dog!** Hah! Now you’ve gone and done it! You HAVE TO post a piccie now—dem’s the rules. (Well, sort of…) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![IaMoDiNaRy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IaMoDiNaRy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IaMoDiNaRy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/37 "2010-05-15T23:26:00Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Put twenty dollars of it in a PayPal account, buy yourself a membership, and ask the admins to change your username to **IaMo_R_dInArY**. > > Seriously, that missing “R” is bugging the crap out of me. 😉 I would always register at forums with the user name of “IAmOdin”. While trying to register at another forum once, that name was unavailable so I just added the “ary” to the end. Hence, making it “IaMoDiNaRy”. Sorry it bugs you! 😃 Washoe - Here is Frannie, my little darling doggie: [IaMoDiNaRy | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/50198808@N05/) ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/38 "2010-05-15T23:36:29Z")
Hookers and drugs. Fifty won’t cover that, of course, but it’ll take out a good chunk of it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/39 "2010-05-15T23:49:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > All of which have some way of confirming ownership by description, even the purse with no ID: “I lost a red leatherette purse with Minnie Mouse on it, it had around $50”. So, yes, all of those should have been returned or at least inquired about. But cash has no way of being uniquely described or any way of showing possible ownership. “Green, pictures of dead Presidents”?:dubious: > > So, it’s not honesty at all or location. It’s just that naked cash has no unique characteristics which would allow anyone to make any sort of reasonable claim of ownership. I mean, so the OP goes into the store and sez “Hey I found $50 out in the parking lot, anyone say they lost any cash?” and the dude standing there sez “Yes, that was mine, I lost $50”.:rolleyes: How does anyone confirm his claim by any sort of unique characteristic? No Minnie Mouse picture on the cash, you know. You don’t even ask about naked cash. It’s literally free money, and that includes _guilt_ free. Quite obviously, you don’t tell them how much money you found or in what form/denomination or if it was in something or all on its own. If someone reported losing a matching quantity of money BEFORE you ask, it’s likely theirs. It’s not rocket surgery. ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459/40 "2010-05-16T00:07:48Z")
Found a couple pounds of Panama Red Marijuana in a car’s trunk I stole,… A guy told me in jail, (I was not guilty), kicker was guy had gay men photographs also there lmao since then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-50-at-the-grocery-store-yesterday-what-should-i-do-with-it/539459.md?page=3)