what would you do if a stranger gave you $50

United States
August 26, 2009 6:11pm CST
today i was walking home from the store with my children and this old woman and guy in a car start to slow down i just keep on walking and a few seconds later they go close to where we where and the guy says excuse me and put his hand out and said for me to take it so i did it was money i said thank and they both said have a nice day and drove off my 11 year old asked me what it was and i told him and then he asked how much and i said i don't know i did not look so he asked me to check so i did and here to find it was a $50 bill they gave me and i have no clue on why i was shocked so i checked it and it's real. so what would you do if a stranger gave you $50 for no reason.
7 people like this
32 responses
• United States
27 Aug 09
Hello psycotaz, I am a firm believer of Karma. And also the law of attraction. There are good people in this world, There could be a million reasons behind their action, I see it like this: ,maybe they love children and wanted to do something nice ..just because. Do not worry as to Why they did it. See it as a blessing, I am sure you did something, helped someone, for this money to come to you. So if it was me, I would accept it and do something very special with the money, or even save it and see if it draws more :-) Who knows it could be 50 toward a million :) Enjoy :-))
• United States
27 Aug 09
Hey! I agree with what you are saying! I believe in karma as well and you get what you put in ;) good vibes always help. Happy lotting!!!
• United States
27 Aug 09
i am a strong believer of paying things forward when i can so last year around xmas time this happened before a lady gave me $20 and told me to get the kids something so i did and when we went to the light show we paid for the people in the car behind us and on aug 10 th we went to idawild park and a lady gave us a ticket and then the $50 yesterday so i will pay it forward when i can i just wish everyone believed in it then this world might just be a better place.
• United States
28 Aug 09
All I can say is, you have the right Idea! May many more blessings be poured upon you and your Family:)
• United States
27 Aug 09
Wow! Amazing to me. You must have done a good deed somewhere along the way to have that happen to you, lol! I was reading where you were saying you like to Pay It Forward, which is something I so totally agree with. I have a thought for you. Do you know anyone who is really down and out of money for food or anything like that? Maybe, just maybe, you could cook them up a nice dinner and bring it over to them, or buy some goodies for them out of the money to make a good dinner for themselves, like a Spaghetti dinner or something. Do you know what I mean? You could put it all in a cute little basket and run it over to them. Good for you though no matter what you do with it! Congrats.
• United States
27 Aug 09
me and my hubby always do good deads when we can last xmas we went to see the lights and when it was time to pay we paid for the family behind us and the guy in the car was a little confused so he asked us why and we just told him marry xmas and have a good hoiday. we are trying to teach our children about paying it forward we even got the movie so they got a better idea on what we mean.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Aug 09
That is just awesome! What a nice thing to do for someone! I'm glad to hear you're teaching your children this because it's so important. Makes the world a much better place if everyone would do just a little something each day. I'm out of work right now but can't wait to get back on my feet to give back to everyone who has helped me along the way, including my two daughters. Even if it's something little, I gotta do it, just something. Keep up the good work, I'm glad people like you and your hubby are around.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I would never have taken it. I would never trust a complete stranger just giving me anything like that and if I had kids with me....I'd have just kept walking faster away....I would have been afraid. I'm glad that it all turned out well for you. It sounds like it was someone that had money that was just enjoying helping out strangers, thankfully.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Aug 09
like i said there are some nice people around here mainly old people that like to help people for no reason i did not get close to the car i stayed in arms length plus there was a lot of people around so i had no reason to feel scared at all.
• United States
27 Aug 09
I think it was their kind act of the day to give money to some stranger who might need it. If some stranger gave me fifty dollars, I would take it and put it to good use like help my mother pay off her credit card debts or buying groceries. I think it is karma so that good people receive random acts of kindness like that
• United States
27 Aug 09
that or it's a pay it forward thing , because i believe in paying it forward like last christmas we went to see the lights and we payed for the people in the car behind us and the guy was confused and we told him it was just to be nice and ever sence then things like this has been happening every once in awhile like last week we took the children to idawild park and when we where in line a lady came up to use and gave us a ticket . so when i can i am going to pay it forward.
@larish (2191)
• Philippines
27 Aug 09
I will just pray that the old woman and the guy will have abundance in life. I will also make sure that I'll buy something that will be put into good use. There are people who like to share the blessings that they have and this two person is not exempted on this advocacy. I wish that all people who can afford would also start sharing their blessings.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Aug 09
if everyone would start to share there blessings then this world would be a much better place but i don't see that happening at least not any time soon , i told my hubby i will have to do something for someone else because i believe in paying it forward in any way i can.
• United States
27 Aug 09
If a stranger gave me money for no reason, I'd thank whoever was watching over me to have put me in the right place at the right time. I would be very thankful for the kind stranger. I'm not sure what I would do with it. I would hold onto it for a rainy day and use it for a family special time-ice cream or a movie-something fun.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Aug 09
i did not spend it yet its still in my pocket i think i will hold on to it for awhile and maybe save it for family fun or something.
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I always say that there is a reason for everything. I'm guessing that they must have had more than enough money and wanted to help out someone else. Maybe they won the lottery or found out they had more money than they thought they had and just wanted to spread a good feeling to other people. There's the ole saying of "the more you give, the more you get" and "what comes around, goes around" I would use $40 of it for my family and give $10 to a church or someone else that looked like they could use it. I know for a fact that it does feel good to give someone else something they need or help someone else. It even feels good to do it anonymously. I would think of it as "PAY IT FORWARD" when good fortune comes to you, share it and help someone else and they in turn help someone else and who knows? at the time you most need it, you could have the good fortune come back to you ten times! *~HaPpY sPeNdInG!!~*
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I'm glad you want to do that! People like the elderly couple and you make the world a better place!!
• United States
27 Aug 09
i will be paying it forward some how i think i will give the vfw a donation or something like that i am not sure what i am going to do just yet
1 person likes this
@metschica25 (5399)
• United States
27 Aug 09
Hey! I think that was very sweet of them and you were in the right place at the right time . People do do random acts of kindness and you were blessed . Its all about paying it forward. If I had the money I would do that as well . I help out when I can . Oh , and if I got that money I would use it for food so we could enjoy what is left of our money . Most of it will go to food again.
• United States
27 Aug 09
i amso belive in paying things forward but i don't need food i have that so i am going to use it for a family fun day or something that way when the money's gone the family memories will still be there,
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Aug 09
Of course the first thing that I would do is say thank you. I believe in the idea of paying it forward so that would be the way that I viewed the situation. I would use the 50 dollars for some groceries for our home as I haven't been to the store this week, I've been dealing with awful sinus problems. The next thing that I would do is try to think of a way that I could help another person out. We aren't rich people by any means but I like to help others in any way that I can. I'd probably try to find a young mother who didn't have clothes for their little one and give them and entire season of clothing that my children have outgrown.
• United States
27 Aug 09
i know what you mean i am not wealthy as well but i do what i can in order to help out as much as i can.
@vandana7 (100127)
• India
27 Aug 09
That was a very sweet gesture on their part. They were possibly celebrating some good fortune. Or may be they were just kind hearted, and felt u were walking along with ur child because u couldnt really afford other means of transport. It is recession time, u know. And many people are walking. So what should u do? Give some bit of it - say about $2 to $5 to somebody else and make their day. Use the rest as u please. Happiness should have ripple effect. It will come back to u someday. :-)
• United States
27 Aug 09
i just like to walk because i was told by the dr's if i did not walk then i will loss the ibility to so i walk when i can.
1 person likes this
@underdogy (700)
• Thailand
27 Aug 09
Maybe they have a day to day mission and you were lucky to received the $50 bill. Economy is bad so buy groceries for that matter or give yourself and the children a little treat. Perhaps it's gonna be different mission tomorrow and you may again be lucky to receive it. But if you notice that you are always the lucky person, think again..it might not be what it seems.
• United States
27 Aug 09
i don't know why i got it but i do know that one day someone is going to need something somewhere and i may be able to help so if i can i will like maybe help someone with something they can't do thereself then i will help .
• Thailand
27 Aug 09
That is very kind of you giving what was given to you to someone who is more needy. You will be more blessed because you were thinking of the needy people as oppose to having a little good time with the $50 bill lol. I guess being thankful for getting something you need though wasn't requested is indeed lucky. If you share it or give it to the less unfortunate, i wouldn't be surprised if one day i will see a post by you receiving $100 bill or more. Cheers!
• Brazil
27 Aug 09
That's REALLY unusual. My paranoid side would think that this is robbed money that someone is tracking, and the criminals are getting rid of it. But my hopeful side would think that they are really really rich people that found out that money doesn't bring any happiness, and then decided to give money way for everyone. Maybe they got into a new religion and want to get rid of fortune, get rid of material pleasure so they can achieve higher spirituality. Dunno, it's such a weird thing that I honestly can't think of a probable explanation. And because of that, I really can't answer what would I do if it were me (I'm not that lucky).
1 person likes this
27 Aug 09
I would ask why and then say thank you depending on whether I agreed with their reasoning or not.
• United States
27 Aug 09
they did not give me a reason they just told me have a nice day and drove off.
27 Aug 09
I would probably take the money unless they seemed really dodgy,
• United States
27 Aug 09
I would buy some groceries. I can barely afford them right now because my hours at work have been cut....alot!
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Aug 09
That was really nice of them to do that. It's good to know that there still some good people out there! If that happened to me I would get on my knees and thank God for it. It would be such a huge blessing to me. In these tough economic times every penny counts.
• United States
27 Aug 09
i am glad there are still nice people out there as well i know every penny counts these days i mean i real did not need the money at that point so i am going to save it and do something with my family with it and when i get paid donate something to the vfw or maybe just give some food to the food bank or something because like i been saying i believe in paying it forward.
@jessi0887 (2788)
• United States
27 Aug 09
That recently happened here. Some guy went to a gas station and just started handed out twenty dollar bills. It was on the news. If someone gave me money i would take it as a blessing and get something i really need not want but need.
• United States
27 Aug 09
wow i did not hear about that but i guess the people that where in the gas station and got the money where happy i hope they did something nice for some one to pass it on .
@sblossom (2168)
27 Aug 09
It's really good news. if i were you i would accept it first, then to see what will happen next. i know it's a little strange of getting money from strangers on road. However i did watch a few TV show about this kind of things. Some people want to spread their money for charity or for some special but kind reason. i know i would not do like them,but i will be happy to have the chance to get some extra money. So congratulations. you can use the money for yourself or for other people.
• United States
27 Aug 09
i am going to save it for a family fun day or something and then when i can i will pay it forward with doing something for someone else, because i strongley believe in paying it forward .
• Philippines
27 Aug 09
That's difficult. Well, we need to be careful nowadays. We doesn't know where the money came from. And come to think of it, why will they give you 50 bucks? However it could also be a blessing in disguise. We cannot tell. But if that happened to me,I will refuse to receive it. Actually I won't even stop when the guy talked to me. Just to be careful.
• United States
27 Aug 09
it was not just a guy it was a old couple around there 50's or so
@shhheila (1845)
• Philippines
27 Aug 09
i'll thank him... maybe he wants to share his money to the people, sharing his luck and money to them... if i received something like that, i will buy things for myself and some groceries for my family and if there's still left, i'll treat a friend for a snack!
• United States
27 Aug 09
i am going to save it for a family fun day trip or something that way if we wanna go out and do something i have it , i guess i may never know why they did it but i did say thank you.
@Abhii88 (214)
• India
27 Aug 09
Hmm that is very strange i must say. Anyone giving you money for no reason. Anyways practically speaking if someone will give me money just like that i will hand it over to a beggar or will donate it in a temple whichever i'll see first lol. Earlier also i have found some money lying on the road, i used to do the same thing as i have mentioned above :P. Happy Mylotting :)