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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I found a wallet

274 replies

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:16

Tonight I found a wallet. Lots of cards, and some cash. I was delighted. But still proceeded to see a driving licence, clearly he has dropped the wallet outside his house. I knocked on the door, I ask if Raj lives there. She said yes, I said I found his wallet. She says she's on the phone to him, I see the name on the phone. She seems happy but no offer of a reward.

I go home, knowing I did the right thing. I have money in my bank account, I can pay tomorrow's bills.

Aibu for giving back the wallet?

People say I should have taken the cash.

OP posts:
ILoveFoodAndCoffee · 27/12/2025 00:34

You did the right thing. Ive done the same before and not had thanks we did the right thing though and i get that.

littleburn · 27/12/2025 00:35

I was a bit confused by the question and voted YABU for questioning handing in the wallet. Plus your opening comment about being ‘delighted’ to find a wallet reads somewhat ambiguously!

XenoBitch · 27/12/2025 00:35

We found a wallet when walking the dog. It had about £20 in it, lots of cards, and a driving license. We drove to his house, and handed it to him. When he came to the door, it was clear as day how stressed he was. He was in the process of cancelling all his cards. He offered us the cash in his wallet, but we declined. It was just basic human decency to hand him back his wallet (with its contents intact).

You would be despicable to even think of keeping the cash. You don't know someone's circumstances. That could have been all he had for a while.

Purpleharlow · 27/12/2025 00:37

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:22

I guess it was the lady at the door don't seem too bothered but English wasn't her first language

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Is it yours? 🤔

Original poster
tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:39

ILoveFoodAndCoffee · 27/12/2025 00:34

You did the right thing. Ive done the same before and not had thanks we did the right thing though and i get that.

Yes maybe he was panicking and calling his partner, and that's what she meant she was on the phone.

Im sure they are relieved. It had so many cards in. Typical man haha everything lol

OP posts:
24kPalamino · 27/12/2025 00:40

I found a wallet that contained over £400 about ten years ago. I was broke. But I would never have even thought to take the money. I handed it in at the police station and never even considered a reward. In fact I never heard about it again. I like to think that the wallet was reunited with its owner and they were relieved to have all of their money back.

ilovesooty · 27/12/2025 00:42

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:25

People are dying in Gaza. Why are you comparing a wallet to humanity

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FFS. It was obvious what she meant. People who said you should have taken the cash are thieves. Or would you have felt better returning the wallet to a more effusive English person?

Original poster
tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:46

24kPalamino · 27/12/2025 00:40

I found a wallet that contained over £400 about ten years ago. I was broke. But I would never have even thought to take the money. I handed it in at the police station and never even considered a reward. In fact I never heard about it again. I like to think that the wallet was reunited with its owner and they were relieved to have all of their money back.

How would it be returned to the owner?

OP posts:
HotWaterHotel · 27/12/2025 00:52

Really? Were you unreasonable to not steal someone’s money?
Had it been your wallet and someone stole your money, I am sure you would think they were very unreasonable.
I worked with a woman who found a purse with £200 in it and was very excitedly suggesting she keep it. There was a hotel room key in it so I marched her to the hotel to return it, including the cash. Didn’t leave my bag in the office if I nipped to the kitchen or loo after that, in case she stole from it.

Jonnyenglish · 27/12/2025 00:57

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:16

Tonight I found a wallet. Lots of cards, and some cash. I was delighted. But still proceeded to see a driving licence, clearly he has dropped the wallet outside his house. I knocked on the door, I ask if Raj lives there. She said yes, I said I found his wallet. She says she's on the phone to him, I see the name on the phone. She seems happy but no offer of a reward.

I go home, knowing I did the right thing. I have money in my bank account, I can pay tomorrow's bills.

Aibu for giving back the wallet?

People say I should have taken the cash.

morals first you did a good deed but if you had been naughty what if there were cameras ?

WillHeEverStop · 27/12/2025 00:58

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:22

I guess it was the lady at the door don't seem too bothered but English wasn't her first language

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I beg your pardon?

RedToothBrush · 27/12/2025 00:58

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:30

Yes! I think his wife's reaction was underwhelming

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She's probably furious with him and possibly bewildered about why a strange woman had it!

Eenameenadeeka · 27/12/2025 01:00

Err .. keeping the money would have been stealing, it's not yours and you haven't earned it. Taking the wallet to the door took you all of 30 seconds, I dont know why you would expect a reward.

Original poster
tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 01:00

RedToothBrush · 27/12/2025 00:58

She's probably furious with him and possibly bewildered about why a strange woman had it!

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She didn't ask any questions which I found weird.

OP posts:
Ohmysaintedauntfanny · 27/12/2025 01:07

I don’t understand why you were delighted!

Random cash on the floor, maybe. Impossible to trace who it belongs to, so you keep it. Yay, happy days! But, a wallet with cards etc… you can clearly see that it’s identifiable to a particular person, so to keep it without trying to return it, is theft!

RedToothBrush · 27/12/2025 01:09

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 01:00

She didn't ask any questions which I found weird.

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You made a HUGE point about her lack of English then criticise her for not asking questions.

Okay then.

MyCrushWithEyeliner · 27/12/2025 01:12

‘People say I should have taken the cash’

What kind of people say this?

Oneforallandallforone · 27/12/2025 01:19

I voted YABU as I interpreted the poll as you are being unreasonable to consider not handing the wallet back.

But the whole post seems unbelieveable. How did you know that the person who dropped the wallet lived in the house just because you saw a driving licence? Presumably you aren't neighbours or you'd have known their names? If you dont' know neighbours, then the wallet could have belonged to any house.

Friendlygingercat · 27/12/2025 01:38

Sometimes you dont need to be thanked to know you did the right thing. I had a mis-delivered parcel left outside my gate by Evri. It was for a house on the ther side of the estate and I have mobility issues. My nephew kindly offered to drop it off when he passed 3 days later. The recipient was abusive as to why it had taken him so long to bring it. Even after he had explained the package was left with his disabled aunt who lacks domestic support the owner was still ungracious and did not thank him. He told her next time this happens I will put it in the bin. Of course I would not have done that but it makes me reflect upon how no good deed goes unpunished.

Roobarbtwo · 27/12/2025 01:41

tonightceilaimgoingtobe · 27/12/2025 00:16

Tonight I found a wallet. Lots of cards, and some cash. I was delighted. But still proceeded to see a driving licence, clearly he has dropped the wallet outside his house. I knocked on the door, I ask if Raj lives there. She said yes, I said I found his wallet. She says she's on the phone to him, I see the name on the phone. She seems happy but no offer of a reward.

I go home, knowing I did the right thing. I have money in my bank account, I can pay tomorrow's bills.

Aibu for giving back the wallet?

People say I should have taken the cash.

Sorry what? You should have taken the cash? Why? I found a wallet with cards and cash in it around ten years ago. Went to the bank. They tried to phone the person then they told me to hand it into the police station. Police asked if I wanted a reward. I said no

Justchilling07 · 27/12/2025 01:43

TheSmallAssassin · 27/12/2025 00:24

You didn't even have to make any effort to return it, if it was right outside the house, so not sure what you think the reward would be for?

Aw😂 Exactly.
@tonightceilaimgoingtobe l can’t believe this thread! It was right outside the house, why would you expect a reward! And you’re saying you’re regretting not taking the cash out of the wallet!😬
You did the right thing returning all of it, just forget about it now.

caringcarer · 27/12/2025 01:45

Dazzlemered · 27/12/2025 00:23

A reward for what?

Being a decent human being?

This.

Kokonimater · 27/12/2025 01:49

You found a wallet and was delighted? So you considered keeping the money? Do you know the word integrity?
it means ‘do the right thing even when no one’s watching’. Luckily you did do the right thing in the end. But hoped for a reward 🤣🤣🤣

Roobarbtwo · 27/12/2025 01:50

You were delighted? Because you were going to take the cash and cards before you found out where he lived - sit down.

Roobarbtwo · 27/12/2025 01:58

I'm astonished that people on here seem to be suggesting that the OP was unreasonable for giving back the wallet. Do people have no morals?