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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Found money … what should I do !

502 replies

Brighton5555 · 24/02/2022 21:24

Hi so a couple weeks ago I visited my sister and we went around a good few charity shops like we always do when we see each other.

I noticed a lovely patchwork type of quilted blanket that looked like it was hand made ! I paid for it and it’s been still in the carrier bag till this morning as I wanted to wash it first before use

I was checking for any washing instructions on the labels and that’s when I noticed that in one quarter of the blanket it felt different … the more I pressed on that area the more I could almost feel something move so curiously I made a cut and I’ve found money inside

It’s not old notes , it’s uk money and quite a chunk. Most of it in £50 notes and we are talking over £1000, I don’t want to say how many thousands

I don’t know what to do. Go back to the shop? Or keep it

I’m due to go on holiday soon and it would really help with expenses

OP posts:
xxxsuper · 24/02/2022 23:58

Some of us don't pay tax

I understand that, but the amount of people who don't seem to know about it is high. People saying they just drop the bags off and leave - so they not pay tax or do they not know about gift aid? If they knew about gift aid they would know the item is potentially traceable.

DaphneSprucesPippasClack · 24/02/2022 23:59

Legally this is theft by finding (yes this is a crime). Turn it over to the police. If it isn't claimed it comes back to you and it feels good!

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2022 00:01

Where I live people often just leave the bags outside the shop.
They did this during the lockdown.

Did they not think that the shop workers weren't going in for a few weeks and that the council would bin the donations?

It often happens on sundays too.

UselessTrees · 25/02/2022 00:02

I'd be straight back to the charity shop in the morning to see if they had any more weirdly crinkly soft furnishings, tbh!

LINABE · 25/02/2022 00:12

@xxxsuper

I would call the shop and ask if anyone has contacted them re missing money, if not I would take it to the police, and let the charity shop know in case the owner does comes forward in the near future.
I agree. How could you possibly just keep it without at least trying to trace who owned the money?
LINABE · 25/02/2022 00:14

@StepAwayFromGoogling

Also can't believe everyone saying keep it! At least try to reunite the money with the owner or their family - or donate it to the charity. All of those people deserve it more than you do!
This
Od130990 · 25/02/2022 00:30

Don't contact the charity shop most the money goes in the CEO's pocket!
Keep it op they won't and probably can't find the owner anyway.

Found money … what should I do !
Mammyloveswine · 25/02/2022 00:38

Id keep it!

TheMadGardener · 25/02/2022 00:49

Whenever I donate items to local charity shops I just go in, hand over the bags and they say thanks. No one's ever asked me to fill in my details for gift aid! I very much doubt they could trace the donor of the blanket.
I'd probably give some to charity and keep the rest OP. Clearly I'm not as moral as some Mumsnetters.

Escargooooooo · 25/02/2022 00:55

How people portray themselves on here, vs what they would actually do, is quite laughable sometimes.

If you involve the shop and they ask for it back to "trace the owner" it's going in someone's pocket the minute you leave.

It's going to the pocket of someone who's not the owner. It's not right. But it may as well be you rather than just handing it to another non-owner.

merrymelodies · 25/02/2022 00:57

Keep it. If you hear of someone missing money re the quilt in the next few months, give it back. Otherwise, it's your good fortune!

AuntyBumBum · 25/02/2022 01:13

Keep the money, for sure, madness to give it back.

OpheliaThrupps · 25/02/2022 01:16

I agree. How could you possibly just keep it without at least trying to trace who owned the money?

Easy, @Brighton5555 now owns the money.

OpheliaThrupps · 25/02/2022 01:17

@DaphneSprucesPippasClack

Legally this is theft by finding (yes this is a crime). Turn it over to the police. If it isn't claimed it comes back to you and it feels good!
Legally this is nonsense!
Eloise666 · 25/02/2022 01:27

I agree with maybe leaving it a few days and checking with the shop to see if anyone has contacted saying it was donated in error (don’t mention the cash) and if not then it’s fair game.

Bogeyes · 25/02/2022 04:06

Keep it.

PollyPage · 25/02/2022 05:29

Police Grin MN is the home of the tell tom tit.

thegoldenone · 25/02/2022 05:57

@Brighton5555

That’s what my instinct tells me to do but I have a nagging voice. I’m imagining some old lady kept her savings in here and somehow it’s got to the charity shop
Op I would ask the charity shop if they knew where the blanket came from . Or put a photo of the blanket up on social media and see if anyone knows who it belonged too . Just say you want to know because of how beautiful it was made or maybe lie and say you found an item of jewelry in side . The person might of passed on but if you do find her/ him I would return the money . If not well some things are ment to be 😊
Scunnered77 · 25/02/2022 06:13

Definitely keep it.

user1487194234 · 25/02/2022 06:15

Definitely take it back to the charity shop
Can't think why you would not

gamerchick · 25/02/2022 06:25

There's no way if tracing the owner and you know the chances of whoever you give it to being honest are slim. Especially since most charity shop workers are volunteers.

You could make a donation to a small charity but personally I'd see it as a gift from the universe and. Make a mental note to wash everything from the charity shop in future.

If this is real, it's like one of those nice daydreams Grin

MrsDThomas · 25/02/2022 06:37

Keep it, I certainly would and say nothing to anyone. Keep your mouth shut.

LottyD32 · 25/02/2022 06:42

I'd keep it. The owner won't be traced.

MrsDThomas · 25/02/2022 06:45

OP,

Id ask to have this thread taken down. The Daily Mail will pick it up, then you’d feel quilty, someone will track the story , find out the shop then you’ll be busted.

Darbs76 · 25/02/2022 06:52

For me I’d really struggle with keeping it. Could it be a little old lady put it their for safety and then died and her belongings were taken to the charity shop. That’s the family’s inheritance, not yours. I’d feel very uncomfortable keeping it, I’m not really superstitious or anything but I’d worry something bad would happen to me if I kept a large amount of money that wasn’t mine.

What you could do is let the charity shop know you found a small amount of money sewed into a blanket and ask if they know who donated it. If not you can report to the police and I believe if no-one collects after a certain amount of time you can keep it. If that happened I’d be giving half to the charity.