Do you give them a reward or something?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thursday night I lost my wallet in downtown Boston. Easy enough to cancel a few cards and order a new license online. Only thing of real value was the wake card to my grandfather's funeral. Got a call today from a good Samaritan who found it and tracked me down. Meeting tomorrow to get it.

What's the best thing to do here? Cash seems gauche. A restaurant gift card? A sincere thank you?

What?

[Chocaholic]

I think I’d express appreciation and hand him a few 20’s so he could take a significant other out to dinner on you.

BTW...all kinds of whackos out there. Don’t go to the meeting alone.

[Seahawk]

Cash plus something personal...

I know, I know but nothing says thank you like a few bills.

Nicely done by the person, btw...I love it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

I think I’d express appreciation and hand him a few 20’s so he could take a significant other out to dinner on you.

BTW...all kinds of whackos out there. Don’t go to the meeting alone.

You mean like the guy who waved a handgun at me today on an exit ramp?

[Chocaholic]

Yep...like that!

[gduke2010]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Thursday night I lost my wallet in downtown Boston. Easy enough to cancel a few cards and order a new license online. Only thing of real value was the wake card to my grandfather's funeral. Got a call today from a good Samaritan who found it and tracked me down. Meeting tomorrow to get it.

What's the best thing to do here? Cash seems gauche. A restaurant gift card? A sincere thank you?

What?

A restaurant card sounds like a great gift. Sometimes people refuse money.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

What's the best thing to do here? Cash seems gauche. A restaurant gift card? A sincere thank you?
What?

restaurant gift card..if he balks at it, tell him it can only be used by stand-up people like himself.

[JavaBrewer]

I would offer $40-60 cash firmly and a handshake. Presented well (you just saved me a ton of grief...please go have lunch somewhere on me) it will not be refused. The restaurant gift card is a good one but if the wrong place a burden on the person accepting it. YMMV.

[93nav]

Cash, fold it up so they cannot see the amount (two twenties, a fifty, whatever). If they protest, tell them they do not have to keep it, they can pass it on to whoever they want.

[flskala]

Fwiw, I found a wallet with + $400 cash in a parking lot not long ago... took 3-4 days to track him down. Hard working guy and greatful I returned it. He tried giving me $50. I told him pay me back by returning something he finds in the future, especially a wallet.

Glad you got your wallet back.

[The Synergizer]

Cash is king. Don't feel awkward.

[Baz]

I'd give him a $50 and a firm handshake.

Keep it simple.

That's probably more than many would do.

The important part is the firm handshake and "Thank you!" The $50 just reinforces your appreciation.

[RKDinOKC]

Sometime just offering the reward is enough reward.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah, this kind of thing makes good people feel awkward, on both sides. Pride gets in the way. I usually find that if I tell the guy, as I'm giving him a token of my appreciation, to "buy something nice for your wife", they usually don't feel quite as awkward.

[McLovin]

I found a wallet at a car show a few weeks ago.
It had a bunch of money in it, along with credit cards, license, etc.
It also had his biz card with cell number.
I called it and he didn’t even know he had lost it.
We met up, he tried to give me some money, but I just laughed and said “if I wanted your money I would have just kept all of it!”
He laughed, said good point, and that was that.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

I would offer $40-60 cash firmly and a handshake. Presented well (you just saved me a ton of grief...please go have lunch somewhere on me) it will not be refused. The restaurant gift card is a good one but if the wrong place a burden on the person accepting it. YMMV.

+1
Get a drug store “Thank You” card, put a $50 in it, present it well. Don’t let him open it in your presence. JB is right about Restaurant gift cards.

[DFW_IE]

Originally Posted by McLovin

I found a wallet at a car show a few weeks ago.

It had a bunch of money in it, along with credit cards, license, etc.

It also had his biz card with cell number.

I called it and he didn’t even know he had lost it.

We met up, he tried to give me some money, but I just laughed and said “if I wanted your money I would have just kept all of it!”

He laughed, said good point, and that was that.

[cabmandone]

Go online and check your recent credit card purchases. They might have already rewarded themselves.

I'd flip them $50 and say thanks.

[craigster59]

Years ago I found a women's wallet in the parking lot at 7-11 in SLO. Drove to the address on the DL and it belonged to Virginia Madonna of Madonna Inn fame.

Told her I didn't want any cash and she wrote "Good for dinner for two" on the back of her business card and said she would notify the restaurant manager.

Had a great meal (I had the lobster). Get a gift card to a restaurant.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

All great replies, thank you!

Since I don't have any way to get cash today, but do have a credit card I don't carry, I'm getting him a restaurant gift card. There's one that is good for 5 different local restaurants and that should work. Or I could give him the $70 Michelin debit card I got in the mail yesterday after getting the A/S 3+s for winter.