When Shopkeeper give more money by mistake, do you return it back?
By vasimb
@vasimb (244)
India
July 17, 2007 7:55am CST
Yesterday I went to buy some books for me at one shop. I bought two books that costed me around 65 rupees. He gave me the bill for my purchases order.
I gave him a 100 rupee note against my purchase. Now he gave me 435 rupees in return. I was surprised why was he giving me that much amount of money. I asked him is there any competition going on in his shop and am i the lucky winner of it? He smiled and said no sir. Then i told him why was he giving extra 400 rupees while i had given him
only 100 note and bought books worth 65, so he was suppose to give only 35 rupees in return. Then he replied to me, "sir i thought that you have given 500 rupee note."
I returned him back the 400 rupees. The shopkeeper thanked me for my honesty.
Then i told about this matter to one of my friend. And he replied that if had been on my place, then he would never returned the back the money to shopkeeper and would enjoyed with that money. Well that were his thoughts and views.
If any shopkeeper would give you more money by mistake then what would you do?? Would you return it back?
Share your thoughts and views :) ^_^
4 people like this
23 responses
@anonymili (3138)
•
17 Jul 07
No two ways about it, if I get given more money than is due I always return it straight away. If I get short-changed, I would mention it there and then but make sure I'm polite about it as it's mostly just a mistake just like when you given too much money in your change. Just the other day I bought something costing £4.50 and gave the assistant a £5 note and he gave me change for £5, except he gave me back £4.50 instead of just 50p, I said to him "Are you trying to make yourself bankrupt?" and he started laughing. It was a local newsagents to where I live and I've shopped there for years. Even if I was passing through a town and was never going to be going back to a shop I would do the right thing and hand back any excess money I was given. It helps me rest easier by being honest:)
1 person likes this
@vasimb (244)
• India
20 Jul 07
Yeah the mistake can happen both the ways. It is always possible that the shopkeeper can also give money less than what you are to be given. As you said, we can ask the rest of money politely. Afterall we all are human beings "To Err is Human."
Thanks for respoding!! Best Wishes :) ^_^
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
17 Jul 07
If I notice it right away I would tell them for sure. I live in a small area and know many of the people here and would feel bad when at the end of the day their till was short. But if I was already out and gone and it wasn't much (like a few cents)I wouldn't bother going back. If it was a larger amount I would for sure go back. I worked as a clerk before and had a short till and it was an awful feeling.
1 person likes this
@youless (112103)
• Guangzhou, China
17 Jul 07
I think you are a very honest and nice person. You did the right thing.
If the shopkeeper gave me more money by mistake, my first action is like yours. I will ask whether I count by a mistake. And then the shopkeeper will understand it and I can return the extra money to him. This money doesn't belong to me, so I don't need it. After all, having such a little bit money can't make me rich, but I will become to be a cheater. And it doesn't deserve to do so. Besides, the shopkeeper doesn't earn a lot every month. And he has to stand there all the time. If I didn't give it back, he would have to pay for it by himself. And why we have to get money from such a hark-working person?
@cmsk2005 (1770)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I do return and I hink it should be returned. What i believe is that if i dont return it i will lose it sometime anyway either just fall down on the road or have to buy something with a higher cost than its generally is ike that...u know ahta i mena? I like to return it all the time..
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
18 Jul 07
I will always return any excess money the shopkeeper returns me by mistake. This has happened several times in the past. Usually it is because the shopkeeper has mistaken a smaller note that I gave in payment for a larger one, or a coin of smaller denomination for one that is of larger denomination. The excess money does not rightfully belong to me, so if I keep it, I am being dishonest. I have my conscience to answer to. If I quietly keep it, my gain will be the shopkeeper's loss, and that's not good because he is doing business and his books will not balance at the end of the day.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
18 Jul 07
i will... because i pity the shopkeeper if his/her til is short and he/she has to answer it to the manager... it is not a nice feeling... i work as a cashier myself and i never want to be short of my til... you are a nice person and you are doing the right thing...
@gloria777 (1674)
• India
18 Jul 07
Till date whenever I got more money from shopkeeper by mistake I returned it and also advised them to be careful. In this year only I had such 4-5 instances.
@beckish (641)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I always give it back if I am given extra money - for two reasons. First, I would hate for the person to get into trouble because their till was short. And second, I would feel too guilty not to give it back. Some businesses take money from the employee if the till is short and that wouldn't be fair.
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
18 Jul 07
You are a good person. I would have returned the money too. I can actually remember a time or two that it has happened to me. I believe in karma, and that what we do will be returned to us one day. I choose honesty and integrity.
@yammydudes (865)
• Philippines
18 Jul 07
yes, i definitely do. I know that God will return me more. Besides, I own a business, so I want others to return any extra ive mistaken to give. It's just plaing on the rule:"Do unto others what you want others do unto you."
@lavenderbloom (1057)
• United Arab Emirates
18 Jul 07
Yes of course. I will definitely return the money back if it does not belong to me.
I cannot keep anything that belongs to other person. I feel guilty. For me, honesty is the best policy.
@lanbei (52)
• China
18 Jul 07
i have met this situation before,and i return it.i just think if the money is not mine,i should not take it.
if i take the money,i will feel guilty and unhappy,but after i return it, the shop keeper thanks me happily,and i feel happy, too.
returning the money makes two people happy,so why not?
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I think that it is great that you gave the money back. I think that we should always return the money if a mistake like this is made. Some people take the view that the store won't miss the money. The truth is that the money often comes out of the cashier's pocket, and can easily cost them their job. Not only that, but do these people really need the money so badly as to cheat the store?
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Yes I do if i notice it right there and then. I would feel sorry for him if he counted his cash at the end of the day and he was short because of it.
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
18 Jul 07
Hello vasimb,
If this situation happened to me, I will definitely return the money to the shopkeeper. I don't feel good to keep the money where else it is not belong to me. I don't think your friend gave you a good advice on this matter. No matter what, honesty is very important in our lives. I remember one occasion where I wanted to withdraw my money from the ATM machine. They lady in front of me, simply keyed in her pin number without worrying whether people at the back will see her password or not. She left the machine in a hurry after getting her cash and forgot to take her ATM debit card. I didn't realize it until I came closer and wanted to put in my own debit card. I saw her card there. It was too late to alert her. I went to see the officer in charge at the bank and returned the card to them. They thanked me for that. If I just want to be a dishonest person, I can anytime take her card and withdraw her money as I could see clearly her pin number. But I chose not to do so *smile*
@bharatibajaj (133)
• India
17 Jul 07
Hi!Ofcourse i would definitely give him back the extra money.Every action has a Reaction.As we sow, so we reep.If I place myself in the shopkeeper'sshoes, & someone just walks off with the money, what would be my reaction? A lesson learnt would be to be careful &at te same time, don't take anybody'sRIGHT!!
www.creatingcolourfulfuture.com
@SnipedYou (37)
• United States
18 Jul 07
This reminds me of when I went to go get change for a twenty. The guy I went to pulled out a wad of twenties with some tens and ones and pulled out a chunk which added up to $20 he gave me the money, but he also added $160 worth of twenties in their somehow. I knew I had to return the money so I did. I just feel guilty doing stuff like keeping money for someone's mistake.
@MzSamanthaNoel (23)
• United States
18 Jul 07
Most certainly......Keep that cash. LOL. The way i think of it is Because its that persons job to do it right and they did not your getting paid for there mistakes. And it never hurts to get some money. *wink wink*
