DEAR ABBY: Recently, my husband and I were walking down the sidewalk in our neighborhood and came across $160 in cash strewn all over the ground. We picked it up, and as we were doing so, our neighbor came outside. We knew her husband had just gotten home, and the money was near his car, so we asked if it might be his. We handed her the cash and told her to let us know.
Two weeks have gone by and no one has claimed it. Our neighbor still has it in her possession, and has mentioned in passing that we should spend it on toys for our kids or food/drinks at the next get-together.
While I think these are OK ideas, I'm a little bitter because my husband and I found the money, and I feel we should be the ones who get to keep it if no one comes forward to claim it. I don't want to damage the friendship we have with our neighbors, but I feel like we're losing a bit. What do you think? -- FINDERS KEEPERS
DEAR FINDERS KEEPERS: I think that before handing over the money, you should have had your neighbor ask her husband if he had lost any and how much. Because you didn't do that and they have the cash, perhaps you should "remind" her that "per her suggestion," you would love to spend some of it on toys for your kids, and ask for some or all of it back. If she's a good neighbor, she'll agree. If not, you will have learned an expensive lesson.