# What's the exact phrase concerning "found money"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 15, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297 "2000-09-15T14:35:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hokienautic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Hokienautic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokienautic)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/1 "2000-09-15T14:35:52Z")

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I vaguely remember a phrase that had the overall theme of found money and how it should be spent immediately. Anyone know the _exact_ phrase? I’m looking for it for an article. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![spazo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spazo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spazo)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/2 "2000-09-15T16:59:31Z")

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Yes,I think the phrase is JACKPOT.

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**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/3 "2000-09-15T17:02:37Z")

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I believe that there is a ceremonial dance that has to be performed as the finder screams WOOHOO!

You wanted a serious answer didn’t you?

Sorry.

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**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/4 "2000-09-15T17:23:42Z")

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Finder’s keepers, looser’s weepers?

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/5 "2000-09-15T17:46:41Z")

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Easy come, easy go?

(Or is that what a girl says to the guy with premature ejaculation and is telling him to get out)

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/6 "2000-09-15T19:32:11Z")

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My uncle and cousins always say “Found money should be spent.” I never heard anyone else say it, but I found this site that says “Found money should be spent is an old adage…” [http://www.n-jcenter.com/1998/Jun/10/AREA20.htm](http://www.n-jcenter.com/1998/Jun/10/AREA20.htm)

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/7 "2000-09-15T21:39:25Z")

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“Jackpot” has the implication of winning money, not found money. “Windfall” may be better.

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**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/8 "2000-09-16T07:42:40Z")

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I thought it was

“Found money is easily spent.”

But I’m probably wrong.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-exact-phrase-concerning-found-money/33297/9 "2000-09-16T14:00:22Z")

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perhaps:

E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.  
Fairy Money.

```
       Found money. Said to be placed by some good fairy at the spot where it was picked up. “Fairy
       money” is apt to be transformed into leaves.
```