Change found in a soda machine

[IndigoGlitter]

Help with a debate please....

 

Let's say you found a dollar's worth of quarters in a soda machine you were getting a soda at. If you take it, stealing or no?

 

I remember finding change in newspaper machines and payphones when I was a kid. I always checked them when I went into the grocery store. I got to keep the change. However, I know someone who said it is stealing to take the change.

 

What say the hive?

[gstharr]

Jackpot!

[Mergath]

Nah. Because technically it belongs to whoever bought a pop before you, and there's no way to find out who they are and return it to them. I think most people agree that loose change laying around somewhere in public that doesn't obviously belong to someone is fair game.

[SKL]

I was gonna say it depends on the person's age.

 

As a young kid, I also checked the phone booths etc and kept coins in the rare event that I found any.  If I hadn't taken them, the next person would.  It seems very unlikely the "owner" will come back for it before someone takes it.  (Though I guess that is possible.)  I never thought of it as a moral issue as a kid.  "Finders keepers."

 

After a certain age, I would not take it, even if that meant some kid was gonna take it later.  :p  It's sort of the kids' right.  I realize this is not rational at all.

 

Yesterday I saw a dime on the ground.  I thought about telling my kid it was there, so she could pick it up.  But I felt like that wasn't fair.  Dimes on the ground are the property of the first kid who notices them.

 

Then again, there's that old rhyme:  "see a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck.  See a penny, let it lay, bad luck you'll have all the day."  Sounds like it's immoral to NOT take it ....

Edited July 25, 2017 by SKL

[marbel]

If a person was inclined to return money found in a vending machine, how would they go about it?   To whom would they return it? 

 

If it's stealing, from whom is it being stolen?  The person who used the vending machine left the money behind.  It's abandoned money.   Finders keepers, in that case.

[Ali in OR]

I say it's not stealing because at that point it doesn't belong to anyone anymore. All the same, I would leave it for the next guy. It's not going to make a huge difference to my day, but it might to someone else.

[creekland]

Since there's no way to know who lost the money, it certainly isn't stealing. Hubby and I collect all similar found money each year, then spend it on our Anniversary on some sort of treat. We've never had less than ice cream and sometimes get a full dinner out of it. 😎

 

If we see someone drop or forget money, we always mention it to them, but that doesn't happen often. Usually the money is abandoned.

[Dmmetler]

When I get a drink at DD's cheer gym, I sometimes leave the change in the return intentionally, figuring some kid will find it and be excited by it :). For me a quarter, or even a dollar, is no big deal. For some 7 yr old little brother stuck waiting while his sister is at practice, it makes his day.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd chalk it up to lost money.  A very small amount of lost money with no chance of finding the owner. 

 

And this makes up for the many times I've been robbed by vending machines.  :laugh:

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

When I get a drink at DD's cheer gym, I sometimes leave the change in the return intentionally, figuring some kid will find it and be excited by it :). For me a quarter, or even a dollar, is no big deal. For some 7 yr old little brother stuck waiting while his sister is at practice, it makes his day.

 

This makes my day.  :-)

 

 

 

Not stealing.  

[unsinkable]

Nah. Because technically it belongs to whoever bought a pop before you, and there's no way to find out who they are and return it to them. I think most people agree that loose change laying around somewhere in public that doesn't obviously belong to someone is fair game.

You don't know to whom the money belongs.

 

The machine could be broken and giving out excess change as well as soda. In that case, the change belongs to whomever owns the machine.

 

I was making copies at the library a few days ago. It costs 15 cents a copy. When I put in a quarter, it was giving me 2 or 3 dimes back each time. On!y 1 dime was mine each time so I gave the excess to the librarian.

Edited July 25, 2017 by unsinkable

[Jean in Newcastle]

If someone is at the soda machine before you and you hear the money drop but they don't take it, then when it is your turn, call out to them and return it.  Otherwise, I agree with everyone else.  It's free money. 

[DawnM]

I found a bill on the ground in a rest stop on the way to CA a few days ago.  I picked it up and walked out to try to find who it might belong to.  I am quite sure whoever it belonged to was long gone and there was no one around (there were two men working the cash machine, but no women around).  I kept it. I wasn't sure what to do either.

 

 

[SKL]

I'd chalk it up to lost money.  A very small amount of lost money with no chance of finding the owner. 

 

And this makes up for the many times I've been robbed by vending machines.  :laugh:

 

This is how I used to feel as a young person / frequent user of vending machines.  :)

 

[Mergath]

You don't know to whom the money belongs.

 

The machine could be broken and giving out excess change as well as soda. In that case, the change belongs to whomever owns the machine.

 

I was making copies at the library a few days ago. It costs 15 cents a copy. When I put in a quarter, it was giving me 2 or 3 dimes back each time. On!y 1 dime was mine each time so I gave the excess to the librarian.

Something like that would become apparent when I bought my drink, in which case I'd probably call the 800 number on the machine and give them a heads up.

 

Otherwise, it's no different than finding a quarter laying on the sidewalk.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Mergath

[Katy]

When I was a kid there was a book out on random acts of kindness and how they improved the world.  It was basically establishing the principle of tithing - but tithing to people who needed help rather than church. It also suggested small, cheap ways to randomly make someone's day.  Paying for the person in line behind you at a drivethrough was one.  Leaving enough change in a vending machine for someone to get a free soda was another.

 

I only remember this because I still give my 25 cent cart to someone at Aldi for free every time I shop there.  It costs a quarter, but the smile it gives the other person lasts me all day. I suspect I've started a trend because lately every time I go there's at least a few carts there, free to be taken.

[nixpix5]

I don't see it as stealing as it was left behind and you couldn't technically track down the person who left it. It is like finding change on the street. You could turn it in to a help desk or cashier in the hopes someone would come back for it. I don't know anyone who would do that and I often leave change behind for someone to find. I think it is fun :)

[Baseball mom]

When I get a drink at DD's cheer gym, I sometimes leave the change in the return intentionally, figuring some kid will find it and be excited by it :). For me a quarter, or even a dollar, is no big deal. For some 7 yr old little brother stuck waiting while his sister is at practice, it makes his day.

Love This!

[LucyStoner]

Unless the machine is obviously malfunctioning and spitting out excess change, there's no way this is stealing.  Stealing from whom?  

[Word Nerd]

Nah. The person who forgot their change isn't likely going to go back for it. They also may have been intentionally paying it forward. If a person's conscience doesn't allow them to take it, they should follow their gut.

[solascriptura]

I would let my kid keep the change. If a larger amount is found, we donate it. If it's at a little treat shop, we will put it into the tip jar.

[katilac]

You don't know to whom the money belongs.

 

The machine could be broken and giving out excess change as well as soda. In that case, the change belongs to whomever owns the machine.

 

I was making copies at the library a few days ago. It costs 15 cents a copy. When I put in a quarter, it was giving me 2 or 3 dimes back each time. On!y 1 dime was mine each time so I gave the excess to the librarian.

 

But you knew the machine was giving too much money, and the librarian was right there to take the excess. 

 

We used to own a small vending route. Occasionally, they glitch. If someone got too much change, I wouldn't think twice about them keeping it, because everyone has gotten too LITTLE change from a vending machine at some point. If they bought several drinks and it did it every time, I'd think it was super nice of them to call the number on the machine or alert the business where the machine was located. But I'd still be perfectly fine with them keeping all the extra change! 

[unsinkable]

But you knew the machine was giving too much money, and the librarian was right there to take the excess.

 

We used to own a small vending route. Occasionally, they glitch. If someone got too much change, I wouldn't think twice about them keeping it, because everyone has gotten too LITTLE change from a vending machine at some point. If they bought several drinks and it did it every time, I'd think it was super nice of them to call the number on the machine or alert the business where the machine was located. But I'd still be perfectly fine with them keeping all the extra change!

My post and story was in response to this: "Because technically it belongs to whoever bought a pop before you, and there's no way to find out who they are and return it to them."

 

Who in turn was responding to the original question.

 

If you just walk up to an soda machine, with no one else around, and find money in it...you don't know who it belongs to.

 

It could be the last person to use the machine, it could be the machine's owner, it could be abandoned money (like people here are saying they leave money).

[MercyA]

I think it's fine to keep the change, unless it goes against your conscience to do so.

 

Here's a cool little story about found money. Earlier this summer, I was walking my dog and found a $20 bill near the sidewalk. Then I saw another $20 bill blowing across the lawn and told my dog to grab it, which she did (good girl!). I went up to the house and knocked on the door. Who should answer but the woman who runs the wonderful non-profit thrift store in our town. She said that it wasn't hers, but if she didn't find out whose it was, she would donate it to the thrift shop, which in turn donates its proceeds to various local charities. Her mom (also a thrift shop volunteer) later told me that the money was donated. I love what the thrift shop does and am so glad I found the money in front of that particular house!

[Guest]

When I get a drink at DD's cheer gym, I sometimes leave the change in the return intentionally, figuring some kid will find it and be excited by it :). For me a quarter, or even a dollar, is no big deal. For some 7 yr old little brother stuck waiting while his sister is at practice, it makes his day.

I STILL remember finding more than $2.00 in a pay phone when I was about 10!! What a jackpot!!!

[KungFuPanda]

Small change found money is fair game. It seems a bit legalistic to overthink this one.

[Arcadia]

If I buy a few cans of soda and the machine keep giving me more change than I should get, it would cross the line into stealing if I didn't call the telephone number on the machine to let the machine operator/owner know. If I found coins and no extra coins were returned when I buy my can of soda, then I would go by finders keepers since I don't know who left the coins.

 

There was a soda machine that was malfunctioning at one of the gym places we used to go to. The machine returned whatever was paid together with the can of soda. We let the gym owner know and he called the soda machine maintenance person. People just continue buying the soda on honor code as in there is a container to put the money in. Better than not allowing people to buy while waiting for the machine to be fixed.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Arcadia

[MaeFlowers]

When I get a drink at DD's cheer gym, I sometimes leave the change in the return intentionally, figuring some kid will find it and be excited by it :). For me a quarter, or even a dollar, is no big deal. For some 7 yr old little brother stuck waiting while his sister is at practice, it makes his day.

I used to do the same thing (I cant remember the last time I used a vending machine). Kid or adult, who doesn't like to find money?

[kiwik]

I think it's fine to keep the change, unless it goes against your conscience to do so.

 

Here's a cool little story about found money. Earlier this summer, I was walking my dog and found a $20 bill near the sidewalk. Then I saw another $20 bill blowing across the lawn and told my dog to grab it, which she did (good girl!). I went up to the house and knocked on the door. Who should answer but the woman who runs the wonderful non-profit thrift store in our town. She said that it wasn't hers, but if she didn't find out whose it was, she would donate it to the thrift shop, which in turn donates its proceeds to various local charities. Her mom (also a thrift shop volunteer) later told me that the money was donated. I love what the thrift shop does and am so glad I found the money in front of that particular house!

I found 5 $20 notes spread out once. I tried the hotel and the club beside where I found them then turned them in to the police. I got them back as no one claimed them. Small change I have handed in at the library but wouldn't in a vending machine unless it was in a shop - the only soda machine I can think of is outside a very busy business where it would be impossible to tell.