Would you of taken it back in????
By Stephanie5
@Stephanie5 (2946)
United States
January 29, 2007 8:54pm CST
Last night I stopped by the gas station to get a soda and change for a hundred dollar bill....
When I got back out to the car, I realized that the cashier had given me an extra $5.00. I took it back in the store and gave it back. My son asked me "Well, why don't you just keep it?"...I replied, "Because that woman works hard for her money and this could come out of her check. And it's stealing. That money doesn't belong to me, it was a mistake."
I feel that was the only right thing to do. What comes around goes around...and if I would of kept that $5 then I probably would of ended up dropping $50 out of my purse within the next couple of weeks...NO THANK YOU! lol I like doing the right thing!
Now, I know it was only $5 and that the money probably wouldn't of come out of her check...but I think it would of been pretty bad of me to do something like that at all and especially in front of my children (that's something else I learned about at my parenting classes).
What do you think? Would you of kept the money?
22 people like this
78 responses
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
30 Jan 07
You absolutely did the right thing. Now, if I had found that $5 laying around on the ground I probably would have kept it. I mean, if you find money laying around the odds are that even if you give it back to someone in authority that its not going to find it's way back to it's rightful owner. But you knew where this extra five dollars had come from, and it was even better of you not to keep it in front of your children. You are teaching them such good values by showing them that it wasn't right to keep what you knew wasn't your money. And while I agree that it probably was a small enough amount that the woman in the store wouldn't have been in huge trouble, who really knows. So it is just better all around to give the money back, and I really applaud you for doing so!!! ^_^
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I agree...If I would of found it on the ground, I probably would of kept it too. Thank you for the "pat on the back!" Have a great day!
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I am with you on this. I would have taken the money back. A similar situation happened to me last year. I had bought a shirt for my grandson and somehow two had been folded together. We called the store right away and they said to keep it as it was there mistake. Well, my boyfriend took it back anyway. Because of his honesty, they gave him an apron that he had his eye on the first time we went into the store. It was worth more than the shirt. He didn't want to accept it but the lady insisted. Sometimes it pays to be honest. But he would have returned the shirt even if he didn't get rewarded.
4 people like this
@mkmissey76 (498)
• United States
30 Jan 07
yes i would have taken it back inside also.. I worked at a gas staton for over 8 years and I was always very honest with people if they droped something i would tell them not wait till they turned away and ran to where they were standing.. thats like when my wallet was stolen. someone found it and took it to the police station everything still in it.. now how often does that happen. not very.
It is good to see there are still honest people out here
@x3temptationx (677)
• United States
30 Jan 07
That was good of you especially in front of your children. I would probably have given the money back. I've had money stolen from me plenty of times and I do not appreciate it. I know its not really stealing but it would feel like it to me. So yes, I would have given it back.
@christoanthony (37)
• India
30 Jan 07
Well you did the right thing by giving it back. But if it had been $100 instead of $5.00 would you had done the same thing. I guess i would have been in a dilema of wheather returning it back or taking it along with me. Ofcourse the later will have a upper hand than the former one. Anyway $5 its not a big deal evryone will return it back.
2 people like this
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
If it was $1,000 I would of given it back. The woman would of surely been made to pay back a hundred dollars! I truly believe in Karma....and that money didn't belong to me! I had to do what was right.
@annepretty (584)
• Philippines
30 Jan 07
Ive experience this before and I always give back the extra change they give me.I always believe in karma and what u do to others,it will come back to u in ten folds.
@hellsangelus (670)
• Oman
30 Jan 07
your right. i believe in karma too. i had kept 3 rials that was given to me by mistake and i lost my job and they didnt pay me my salary of 300 rials.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
30 Jan 07
If they had shorted me, $5.00, I would have gone back so it is reasonable for me to take the, $5.00, back. It seems fair that I apply the same standard to me as to them. You did the right thing. Keep teaching your children the right thing.
@incessantly (48)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I would have given it back. I would feel guilty for keeping it and karma would come back to get me later on.
2 people like this
@fortunatelee (170)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I would have done exactly what you did because you are right, what goes around comes around. Why ask for problems? And, more especially, why set a bad example for your children?
I think your children will grow up with great values. Keep up the good work.
2 people like this
@patabu74 (167)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Jeez, before reading your discussion i wouldve said "no i wouldve taken that five bucks and went a bought a lottery ticket or somthing" but after thinking about how i would feel if i did that i would probably go back inside and give the 5 dollars back beacuse of the exact reason you said, what if that happened to you.
@jedi_montanez (78)
• Philippines
30 Jan 07
your right step, what goes around comes around! and if that happen to me i would return back the $5 even if it small value for you but for the cashier who might pay for that are more valuable.
@lethal_misfit (16)
• Philippines
30 Jan 07
Congrats, A job well done. Yeah, I would take back the money, little good deeds count a lot and will give you more in return. That's another trial from God, if you'll be tempted to commit a sin with 5 bucks :)
2 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
30 Jan 07
Well done Steph I have to admit I am a person who actually never checks her Change to be honest but it did happen once that I was given to much Money back and I only noticed that because the Cashier gave me a note that looked like the one I had just given her so I told her and she apologised to me lol I told her not to worry it happens and it was noticed there and then She thanked me for being honest
But normally I do not check my Change I just put it in my Purse
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
You are too trusting Gabs. I always check my change. Even with computer check-outs that tell the cashier how much change to give, they often make mistakes - either way.
2 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
30 Jan 07
You did the right thing. Wish more people would be like this. I know for sure that many cashiers get to take the money that is missing from their own pockets - so she was probably happy!
1 person likes this
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Actually she said..."sorry, thank you" lol
I didn't wait around, had kids in car, but I"m sure she was thankful! It sure did make me feel better about myself :-)
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
30 Jan 07
I would of also just like you took the money back inside!! I love the feeling that comes with doing the right thing and that to me is thanks enough! I agree that it also teaches our children about doing the right thing!!! I am very proud of you and it is good to know that you have a big, kind, and caring heart!!!
1 person likes this
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Thank you so much! That was very sweet of you to say! I really appreciate it! Have a great day :-)
@drmt57 (295)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Yes I would have given it back. You did the honest, right thing. I was involved in a simular situation with the bank. I deposited $200.00 in my account and the teller put $2000.00 in my account, that was $1800.00 more in my account, and I really could have used that money, but it was not mine. so I went into the bank and had them to correct it
and the manager was so happy. A few weeks later I went into that same bank to get an advance on my credit card and I really needed to get that money that day but the computers were down. The teller told me that I would not be able to get an advance on my card. As she was speaking the manager passed by and told her to just give me what I needed and she would put it through when the computers come up because I was a honest woman. and I am. I wouldn't have it any other way.
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Wow! That's great! I bet you were so proud of yourself when you walked out of there! And see, if you wouldn't of gave that money back, you wouldn't of gotten that money that day! That must of been really hard with it being that much money! Way to go! :-)
@CallMeDaddy (535)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I don't care what anyone says. You did the right thing. I am a firm believer in karma and if you would have kept it knowing that you shouldn't have it would have worked against you. It was only five bucks. If you really want to test your morals, ask yourself if you would have done the same thing if it had been one hundred dollars.
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I would of broke my neck to give back $100! That much would probably cost that woman her job. I would be very very upset if someone would do that to me, so yes, no matter what the amount, I would of done the same thing!
@vicky_lane4987 (980)
•
30 Jan 07
im not to sure about this one, as it is stealing really...but in a way isnt it her fault for qiving you extra change??
1 person likes this
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Well, it was just a mistake, noone is really "at fault"....but that money would of come out of her pocket and that's just not right. She'd have to work almost 1 whole hour to make $5...I wouldn't want to be working for free, would you?
