So I'm working, tonight and...

[mahojim]

Some woman walks into the bar.
She shows me an unaddressed money order that she found in her cart at a local Super Market.
$250.00 .
She didn't know what to do about it.
I gave her my advice, but wondered what you all might do.
Smiles-
MJ

[Anthony]

That is one of those eternal questions Jim! Morally of course you would tear it up - but - it my experiences with questions like these I once came across the little know but interesting "philosophy" (for lack of a better word) called Situationalism -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situational_ethics

[djmom]

I wouldn't be able to make it out to myself. I would go to the store and tell them I found something of value, and if someone is missing it they can call me.

Or I would see what bank the order came from and have them look up the number.

If those didn't work I would probably give it to charity.

This would be 50% for moral reasons and 50% because I kind of believe in karma and I wouldn't want to get hit by a bus or something.

[sailorgirl]

I like DJMom's options, although I have to admit that once when turning in coin at one of those machines at the bank the reciept came back with about $40 more than we actually put in... We went to lunch

[Xislandgirl]

Without question, I would have immediately gone to the customer service desk at the supermarket and indicated that I found a money order and wondered if anyone had lost one.
If the store was not aware, I would have given my name and phone number and asked that it be given to anyone that inquired about it.
I would not reveal the amount and be sure that anyone that called would be able to let me the the date it was issued, the amount, etc.

You never know someone's situation and that $250 could have been for rent or childcare or some other life necessity.

Life is too short to be dishonest and Karma is a b*tch!

[Kentuckygirl]

This is interesting. We had a similar situation last week, although on a smaller scale. I sent my kids to the grocery for oregano with a $20 bill. They went to the u-scan and it spit out $80-something in change. They brought it home and asked us what to do about it. After a short discussion, they went back with their dad and talked to management, who said there is nothing they (Kroger) can do when something like that happens and they should be able to keep it as a reward for their honesty. Needless to say, we had some happy kids.
Now, I can't say that I'm sure I would have gone back if the kids weren't involved, but we used the situation as an opportunity to teach them "character is who you are when nobody is looking".

[mbw1024]

Sort of related but not really, yesterday we were shopping in Maine and after paying Charlie realized we were not charged for 4 items. He returned to the register and the cashier basically got berated by her manager for making a mistake. He felt like a heel

[byado18]

Go to store and report it.... they might be able to track the purchaser with a serial # on it; leave them phone # if someone reports it missing..... if don't hear anything within 48 hours - donate to charity!

[samholtz]

yes i would do what djmom did as well. Karma sucks, it comes back 20x's worse!

kinda happened to me last week; my boss is handing out checks i open mine and think hum, this is a bit higher than what I thought it would be. went into his office and said " i know i did a good job this week, however i have $200 extra in my check, was this on purpose or a mistake?" he looked and said "oh, i gave you someone elses hours" i was hoping he would have kept it that way, but in my world "honesty is my policy"

[djmom]

Now, regarding things I am not charged for...

If I notice it while I am at the store I always point it out.

But if I get home and see they didn't charge me for a can of beans or something, I'm not going back. The store is only going to lose a buck or two and I'm not going to take 30 minutes to drive back and go in and fix their mistake.

If it is something that justifies me driving all the way back, like a comforter or something, I would go back and pay for it.

Likewise I am not going to drive all the way back to the store to return a $2.50 pack of moldy strawberries.

But...if a cashier gives me the wrong change I would always go back. Unless it was like very small change or something. They get in trouble for not balancing.

[michigancouple]

I also agree with DJmom. I would do the same thing. My hubby and I found a boys wallet with $80 and a receipt from a video game store at the mall. We went back to the store and gave them our cell number in case someone came back looking for it. Within 20 minutes we got a call from the mom of the very worried 11 yr old. We met them back at the mall entrance and gave him his wallet. The $80 was money he had received for Chritmas. Best of he was wearing his U of M shirt very similar to the one that hubby was wearing that day. Good kharma!

[Lex]

I think it's pretty clear what the right thing to do is. Some will do it, some won't. But it points to a few questions that are in more of a gray area. Not critical, but very interesting for what they bring to my attention and reveal about my unconscious assumptions and M.O.

If i find a quarter, I just put it in my pocket. If I find a dollar, I just put it in my pocket. What would the amount have to be for me to feel that I should put serious effort into returning it to the person who lost it? And should I actually consider dropping that $1.25 that I found into some charity collection box somewhere?

Another interesting situation that I ran into recently: I buy a scratch ticket every rare once in a while. A few weeks ago I bought one and won $20. I smiled, put it in my pocket and forgot about it. I have no idea what it got spent on. Some days later I mentioned to my wife that I'd won the money. She was joking, but asked me why I hadn't shared my winnings with her. It really never crossed my mind to do so, so she asked how much I would have to win for me to feel that I should share it with her. If I'd won a million, I certainly wouldn't have considered it my own personal million, but I apparently did with $20.

[mahojim]

Interesting input, folks; thanks!
The money order was returned to the 19 year old kid that lost it. It was part of the deposit for his first apartment.
Hopefully folks will be just as kind in the future-(including the cat who just got a miraculous refund...)
Smiles-
MJ
P.S.-
This happenstance is/was an actual personal act of "Way Groovy Karma", brought to me by the gal that returned the money order.
She just told me about it all.
Smiles-
MJ

[chicagoans]

Yep, I'd contact either the store or the bank it was issued against. I too believe in karma and paying it forward.

We've returned money when cashiers have given us too much change. And I was the recipient of kindness last year when I dropped my wallet in a downtown parking garage: it was turned in to the garage cashier by the person who found it. She in turn called the number on my ATM card to alert them that it had been found. I picked it up the next day and everything, including lots of cash, was still in it. People are good.

[P-600]

A couple of weeks ago my husband who is a builder bought about 80 sheets of blueboard. The guy rang it up and handed my husband the receipt to sign it and it was for $6.17. My husband asked him are you sure you want to charge me $6.17 for all this? The guy almost died-- his boss was in the office behind them. He fixed everything and charged him $617 like he was supposed to. My husband told me he was throwing free pencils at him for being so honest. I thought that was funny. Honesty is always the best policy!