Sorry, but I'M NOT TURNING IT IN!!

[VenomJockey]

What would you do if you found $43,000 in a used couch you bought at a Thrift Store? This guy turned it in to the store. I"M NOT GONNA DO THAT!! Yes, you are darn tootin' I would KEEP IT!!!

https://www.foxnews.com/us/michigan-man-discovers-cash-in-couch

Excerpt: "Howard Kirby got the surprise of his life last month when he found over $43,000 in cash inside a couch he'd purchased at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Owosso, Michigan. “It still boggles my mind every so often,” he told CBS 5 on Thursday. Kirby purchased the couch to outfit his man cave but said the ottoman felt odd and uncomfortable. His daughter eventually unzipped the cushion to examine it further and discovered stacks of hundred-dollar bills. “That’s when she started pulling out this,” Kirby told the station, holding up a fistful of cash. “I still have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming or something,” A total of $43,170 was found inside the couch, but Kirby didn't feel morally right keeping it. He went back to the store to seek out the original owner and tell them about the cash.
Kim Fauth-Newberry came into possession of the couch after her grandfather, the original owner, passed away last year. She said she had no idea there was money inside when she gave it away."

 

[dademoss]

Any loose money in a sofa I get used is going into my pocket. They should have checked under the cushions

 

[jimLE]

id sure enough keep it.my sofa my money.especially seeing how i would of paid for it with my money.

 

[Curmudgeon]

That story isn't quite accurate. According to local news, the money was in an ottoman cushion. It had been donated to a resale shop. The guys daughter found the money in the cushion, it had a zipper on the side of the cushion. Apparently gramps had stuffed it in there before he passed and no one knew about it.

The owner of the resale store's daughter found it, and he contacted the family that brought it in and he returned the money to them.

At least that's what our local news is reporting. Owosso is not too far from me.

 

[Sentry18]

That story isn't quite accurate. According to local news, the money was in an ottoman cushion. It had been donated to a resale shop. The guys daughter found the money in the cushion, it had a zipper on the side of the cushion. Apparently gramps had stuffed it in there before he passed and no one knew about it.

The owner of the resale store's daughter found it, and he contacted the family that brought it in and he returned the money to them.

At least that's what our local news is reporting. Owosso is not too far from me.

Good for that man. We need more integrity in the world today. The love of money is the root of evil.

 

[Weedygarden]

This is really the law, I believe. I believe that when you find a larger sum of money, you are required to return it or turn it into the local police department. I know someone who was walking to h.s. and found a wad of more than $200 and they turned it in to the local police. In a month or two, the money was given back to them because no one reported losing their money. Of course, many people would never turn it in. Many people believe if they find it, it is theirs. Or if they see a purse hanging open and see cash, it is okay to take it. I know people who have had this happen. Yep, we live in a world with little integrity now. You have to protect yourself from everyone else, because we do not know who will be happy to take from us, rather than doing the right thing.

The conundrum in this: what do you do with a bunch of cash? If you had this much cash, what would you do with it? You can hide it in your home or furniture, but when you die, will your family find it? In some instances, you do not want them to know that you have that kind of money because they will take it, or work you to separate the money from you one way or another.

Recently there was a story of a couple who lived in an apartment complex. One of the maintenance men had a master key, let himself in, and took a zippered pouch of money from their night stand, $1600. They reported it to the people who ran the complex, and the maintenance man confessed to taking the money. What the news did not say was whether he was fired or not.

There are classic places where people keep things like medications and cash: night stands (guilty), freezers, medicine cabinets. One man told me his grandfather kept cash in an old bandaid box under a sink. Another man told me that his house was broken into and he had a bunch of cash stolen. Then he told me he hid it in a place where no one would want to look. Where would that be?

 

[Weedygarden]

That story isn't quite accurate. According to local news, the money was in an ottoman cushion. It had been donated to a resale shop. The guys daughter found the money in the cushion, it had a zipper on the side of the cushion. Apparently gramps had stuffed it in there before he passed and no one knew about it.

The owner of the resale store's daughter found it, and he contacted the family that brought it in and he returned the money to them.

At least that's what our local news is reporting. Owosso is not too far from me.

Someone there has integrity. That is someone who I would want to do business with. Their good reputation precedes them. These are tests, and people can do the right thing, or not.

 

[Cascadian]

The right thing to do would be for the grand daughter to split it with honest person and reward thier honesty.

 

[SheepDog]

"Finder's Fees" are typically 10%.
I am with Sentry on this one, I would have to find the owner and return it.
I can't help myself! It is just the right thing to do.

 

[Cnsper]

That story isn't quite accurate

You have to be wrong. Reporting is never inaccurate. Lol

 

[Meerkat]

That story isn't quite accurate. According to local news, the money was in an ottoman cushion. It had been donated to a resale shop. The guys daughter found the money in the cushion, it had a zipper on the side of the cushion. Apparently gramps had stuffed it in there before he passed and no one knew about it.

The owner of the resale store's daughter found it, and he contacted the family that brought it in and he returned the money to them.

At least that's what our local news is reporting. Owosso is not too far from me.

Thanks ' Paul Harvey ' for the rest of the story.

 

[Meerkat]

"Finder's Fees" are typically 10%.
I am with Sentry on this one, I would have to find the owner and return it.
I can't help myself! It is just the right thing to do.

Under the first impression of the story I had was the old couch was donated to Good Will and owners were unknown.
Under those circumstances I would not report the money. And I'm very honest but try to not be foolish about it. I can't imagine 1 out of a hundred that would be as honest about th money as I am.
All my employors always liked me ,not so much my co-workers. I worked at one place tha made more money after I started work there than they had ever made on a Monday. Plus the inventory was lower so I sold less product for more money.
It was not mine to give or keep the money meant for the owners.

 

[angie_nrs]

I don't think I could look myself in the mirror every day if I did not at least try to return it to the rightful owner. I would first contact the store to see if I could find out where the couch came from. Sometimes they just don't have that information. I have donated stuff and have never left my contact information, so I'm actually quite surprised that they found the owner. I would not tell them what I found, but I would let them know that I think the owner donated something they didn't intend to. If I got nowhere with the store, I'd contact the local police and report it. If they found the owner, it was meant to be. If not, I think I would be allowed to keep the cash. In that case, I'd have some guilt free cash. If they did find the owner, I'd be glad to hand it over to them with a smile.

Storing that kind of cash in something that could burn is not very smart, but I'm sure people do it all the time. Clearly nobody was going to steal that ugly couch!

 

[Meerkat]

I don't think I could look myself in the mirror every day if I did not at least try to return it to the rightful owner. I would first contact the store to see if I could find out where the couch came from. Sometimes they just don't have that information. I have donated stuff and have never left my contact information, so I'm actually quite surprised that they found the owner. I would not tell them what I found, but I would let them know that I think the owner donated something they didn't intend to. If I got nowhere with the store, I'd contact the local police and report it. If they found the owner, it was meant to be. If not, I think I would be allowed to keep the cash. In that case, I'd have some guilt free cash. If they did find the owner, I'd be glad to hand it over to them with a smile.

Storing that kind of cash in something that could burn is not very smart, but I'm sure people do it all the time. Clearly nobody was going to steel that ugly couch!

I think yourright ,you could tell them you found soem old photos that may be important to the family. Now that I would do and give all the money back if they could prove who they were with pictures of some family on the couch.

 

[The Lazy L]

If I found hidden cash in my property I would discreetly try to find the oringinal owner of that property. Until then the cash would kept in a non-institutional location.

For those that believe in "Finders keepers, Losers weepers." the money (serial numbers) might be traceable and you'd have some explaining to the authorities if you try to spend or deposit it.

 

[VenomJockey]

Say what you will...I'm keeping it!

 

[SheepDog]

Yea, remember the guy that found some of the money from the first American plane hijacking (do you know the name "D.B. Cooper")
They arrested the guy and held him until he could prove that he was not an accomplice. He found the money on the bank of a river.

 

[Meerkat]

Say what you will...I'm keeping it!

:lil guy:

 

[SheepDog]

VenomJockey, That's not fair. They can't do anything to you that could make much of a difference.
You can't go to jail, you need constant care. Any place they send you will have at least the same facility extensions you have now and it will all be paid for. It might even extend your life...
When I find out I'm dying I am... no I'm not. My morals are deeply embedded that I will behave the same way I do now. (bummer)

 

[hashbrown]

Sorry, if it was in a couch I purchased it would be mine. I'd put that drug money to good use!

 

[Meerkat]

VenomJockey, That's not fair. They can't do anything to you that could make much of a difference.
You can't go to jail, you need constant care. Any place they send you will have at least the same facility extensions you have now and it will all be paid for. It might even extend your life...
When I find out I'm dying I am... no I'm not. My morals are deeply embedded that I will behave the same way I do now. (bummer)

SheepD lets not mistake morals with foolishness. Whoever putthat money into a cusion must not have been as worried as most of yall about making sure his relatives got it. If telling one of them was'nt dangerous than he or she probably would have told somebody.

 

[SheepDog]

SheepD lets not mistake morals with foolishness. Whoever putthat money into a cusion must not have been as worried as most of yall about making sure his relatives got it. If telling one of them was'nt dangerous than he or she probably would have told somebody.

THAT is not my decision to make, Meerkat. I just couldn't live with myself. I'm the guy who walked back into the store to pay for something the cashier missed. Then I turned down the "don't worry about it" and paid for it. Joe, the cashier, remembers me to this day and pulls coupons out for me that I didn't know about for sale items. That kind of relationship is really worth something.
I don't expect anyone to live by my standards but I have to or I become something I don't want to be. If you or Venomjockey or anyone found and kept the money I would say "good for you". I will accept that you live by tour code just as I live by mine. It's not about right or wrong it's about what is right or wrong for the individual. We are all different and the same in many different ways.
Live your life and be happy!

 

[angie_nrs]

Sorry, if it was in a couch I purchased it would be mine. I'd put that drug money to good use!

I know of many elderly people with piles of CASH that wasn't drug money. Those folks who lived thru the depression didn't trust banks and they didn't spend money. My grandpa died with satchels of cash saved throughout his lifetime in honest work. He was wealthy, but he certainly didn't look like it, act like it, or live like it. We didn't know how much money in stocks and cash he had until he was gone. Even my grandma didn't know the full extent of it. He wore the same stained and torn work jumpsuits over and over. He was clean, but looked ragged all the time b/c of the clothes he wore. He would dress up for weddings and funerals, but that was about it. He wasn't a hoarder but he also didn't throw much of anything away either. He only spent money when it was absolutely necessary. He was a rare breed. I miss him.

I guess the story of the couch reminds me that this could be someone like my grandpa, which is why I would try to find the rightful owner.

 

[Meerkat]

I don't think I could look myself in the mirror every day if I did not at least try to return it to the rightful owner. I would first contact the store to see if I could find out where the couch came from. Sometimes they just don't have that information. I have donated stuff and have never left my contact information, so I'm actually quite surprised that they found the owner. I would not tell them what I found, but I would let them know that I think the owner donated something they didn't intend to. If I got nowhere with the store, I'd contact the local police and report it. If they found the owner, it was meant to be. If not, I think I would be allowed to keep the cash. In that case, I'd have some guilt free cash. If they did find the owner, I'd be glad to hand it over to them with a smile.

Storing that kind of cash in something that could burn is not very smart, but I'm sure people do it all the time. Clearly nobody was going to steal that ugly couch!

They said he passed.

 

[Meerkat]

Being ' honest' I don'tthink anyone here is more hones than I am. I'm also a compasionate person but what I know about this story it had changed a couple times and so I partly joked about it and also serious too.
Now if I go to an antique shop and find a million dollar painting I guess I need to find out who it use to belong to or at least find relatives..
Unless a will said the family gets his belongings that must be a reason he hid his money.. Nobody here wants to take from anybody, just make sure nobody gets conned.

 

[SheepDog]

I would not question your honesty or your character in any way. You make good points it's just that I don't feel qualified to make those judgements. I am not saying you are wrong only that I wouldn'tfeel right keeping the money.

 

[Sentry18]

Morals are simply knowing the difference between right and wrong, acting in compliance with what is right or wrong, and then living with the consequences good or bad. That money is either yours or it's not. That's the only question to be asked.

On a side note, keeping that money is a crime in pretty much every state:

"A person who comes into control of property of another that the person knows or has good reason to know to have been lost, mislaid or delivered under a mistake as to the nature or amount of the property or the identity of the recipient, commits theft if, with intent to deprive the owner thereof, the person fails to take reasonable measures to restore the property to the owner."

 

[Morgan101]

If I knew the rightful owner, as the retail store owner did, then by all means I would return the money.

If I came by this innocently, and didn't know the rightful owner, I would keep it, but the only ones who would know I had it would be me and God.

 

[angie_nrs]

They said he passed.

Yes, I'm aware of that. It doesn't change anything for me. He could've put it there b/c he felt that it was the safest place for it to be. Maybe he died unexpectedly and didn't have the chance to tell his family about it, thinking he could tell them when he wanted to. Maybe he developed dementia and forgot about it. Maybe he had a neighbor that he didn't trust and thought that hiding it would be better than putting it in a safe. Who knows? And, that's my point. Nobody knows WHY he hid it there. Still, if I found it, I would put myself in the shoes of the person on the other side of the issue. Would that person even ever know it was there (as was the case with this scenario)? I don't know. But it doesn't matter to me. I do know that it's not mine b/c I didn't earn it, I didn't win it, and I wasn't knowingly gifted it. Which is why I would proceed with the situation as outlined above and make the attempt to return it. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be a tough call.....it would......but I don't sleep well with guilt, and I really like to sleep. If I want $43K that bad, I'll go and work for it.

 

[Weedygarden]

If you found this much money, $43,000, and made efforts to return the money, but eventually it was yours, what would you do with that chunk of money?