Ok, say you found a suitcase full of money... what would you do?
By dutchess67
@dutchess67 (917)
United States
December 11, 2007 4:29pm CST
Let's say you're out driving somewhere... in the middle of nowhere... a hundred miles from anyone or anything... and you need to pull over to have a pee or something, or just stretch your legs, whatever.... and while you're stopped, you notice a suitcase in the bushes along side the road. The suit case looks like it's been there for a while and is covered with dust, banged up, etc. Out of curiosity, you nudge the suitcase and it's heavy. So you open it and discover that it's fulled chuck full of money. You realize that you're out in the middle of nowhere and there's not a snow balls chance in hell that someone will know it was YOU that found it and it's likely from the condition of the case that it's been there for a long time.
Would you take the money? Or would you take it to the nearest police? Or would you walk away and call the cops once you reached cellular range?
Now, I have to admit that I would likely take the money. I've been part of the working poor for so long that money like that would make a HUGE difference in my life. There are many bills that need to be paid and I know a number of people who could use some help from it too. I'd be afraid to spend too much of it though. I'd have to be kind of cautious about it and spread it around a bit and see what happened if I spent a couple of thousand before I did anything else.
3 people like this
17 responses
@brianandemily (171)
• United States
11 Dec 07
I'd take it. I'd donate a lot of it. I also have struggled monetarily, as has my family. It's in the middle of no where and it's no as if its money and a suitcase that was accidentally left in a restaurant or something. As far as I'm concerned, that money has already been considered gone and spent. Finders Keepers...
2 people like this
@dutchess67 (917)
• United States
11 Dec 07
Right on! That's exactly how I feel. I guess I would react differently if there was a crowd of people around and it looked like someone might have accidentally misplaced it (though I can't image misplacing a suitcase full of cash!).
It would just fix so many things and yes, I'd donate a bit of it too. I believe in sharing the wealth when it comes round.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 07
Easy question I'd take it! No way would I hand in, how do you know that it would find it's way back to the original owner? Unless there was anyway of finding out who the case belonged to, I would definitely keep it for myself! No way would I entrust it in anyone's hands! I would treat all my loved ones, friends and I would even give a lump sum to my favourite charity. Oh if only!
@dutchess67 (917)
• United States
12 Dec 07
See, that's how I feel about it. No trusting fool am I!
I would totally take it home and see if there was some clue as to who owned it, but if not, then it's time to get some bills paid and start gearing up to move. Of course, I'd spend some serious cash on Christmas, but I wouldn't get all stupid about it.
I'll cross my fingers for you if you do the same for me! lol
1 person likes this
@themyl (1423)
• United States
11 Dec 07
I would probably do the same thing you thought about doing plus I would try to help out some people I know of that are Really struggling only to have enough money to put food on the table. Some of these people have small children, with no food for them which literally tears me apart.
1 person likes this
@dutchess67 (917)
• United States
11 Dec 07
I couldn't agree with you more.
My best friend has been struggling for years. If I came into that kind of money, one of the first things that I would do would be to tell her in no uncertain terms that she was moving. I am moving across country soon and would buy a big piece of property and put several homes on it, and let her have one for the rest of her life. I'd also give her a big chunk of money to live on for at least a year. I know that it would be a weight off of her mind.
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
12 Dec 07
If no one can see me take it, I would bring it home. I would check if it has information about the owner like name, address, or phone number. Certainly I would try to give it back.
But if there's no contact info, well then, FINDERS KEEPERS! Hehe it's mine now! But of course I would donate some of it to charity.
@dutchess67 (917)
• United States
12 Dec 07
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that would take that money home and ten start paying off bills with it.
And yes, I think finding something like that would almost require one to donate something to charity.
@navtech (1773)
• India
12 Dec 07
Dear dutchess67, I would take the suitcase with money and keep it in my house for six months to find out the original owner of the money. In case I do not find any claiming that money then I would total the money and distribute to charitable instituations which run by various NGO in an honest manner. While giving the money to chartiable institutions I will see to that donator is annoymous donar.
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
12 Dec 07
I am gulity I would proberly do the same thing as you. I mean out in the dessert a cash full of money and it being close to Christmas. I would spend it or use it for gifts for family and friends for Christmas.
@jimbomuso (950)
•
12 Dec 07
I'd be looking allover the place for any potential men who 'administer' violence and if there where none, I'd swipe the case in a heartbeat and you would'nt see my a## for dust!! I'd be extremely cautious about spending it, but I would help the truly needy. If it was a stupendiously large amount of cash I'd move etc..
@eyewitness (1575)
• Netherlands
12 Dec 07
Though i could need the money i still would go to the cops immediately.Even if it has been there already for a while.
It could be a long lost stolen money.So i would handle it over to the cops or just call them and tell them i found a suitcase full of money with dust over it .
Maybe they would give me a reward for finding it and than it's fair money.
@BeautifulLife (262)
• India
12 Dec 07
I'd first make sure they are not fake currencies, then take a few thousands from it and leave the briefcase just as it was there before.
@lamadart (8)
• Brazil
12 Dec 07
I would finally gets money enough to build my home studio, get a house in another city, help the poor family members, travel to another countries and wait the life's end come. I would let money for my next generation, but i don't think i will have sons, so I would make this money raise, with many kind of business while i take part to just enjoy the life.
@kianli (546)
• China
12 Dec 07
Obviously i'll take it. Why not?
If you simply leave it and keep on driving that suitcase with cash will still be there someone else may still take it. There's a line like who finds who keeps.
Many countries had also done this kind of thing developped countries find oil in those developping countries and they simply keep it and benefit from the oil or things like that. So why can't single individual do this?
Another reason that might sounds a little bit crazy is that perhaps God gives it to me on purpose of making me excited since after i had driven such long time i was tired.
@titaniumsoul (1191)
• Singapore
12 Dec 07
I will bring it to the nearest police station and let them handle it. If there is no collector for the money for a period of time, the local police will determine the money belongs to me because I am the founder. I dislike taking ill-gotten and money from unknown source, I believe if I took the money, there will be more problems arising.
@libertarianfreedom21 (3198)
• United States
12 Dec 07
Like this discussion but hell yea i would take it and than get a house, car, pay for my school, get some clothes, go on a shopping spree upgrade my life to where i would be able to keep making money so i wouldnt have to worry about living day to day anymore. I dont think i would donate to charitys untill i was in a position that i could spare money than it would be me giving money straight to someone that really needed it instead of charitys b/c you know only a precentage of that money problaly goes to the person they are funding.
