When downsizing or closing an estate, people often give many things to charity. But before you donate, be sure to search every pocket in clothing, inside and under every drawer, behind framed pictures, and inside purses. A Pennsylvania woman found $30,000 in the pockets of clothes that were given to her for her mother. She said she was brought up in an honest family and she believes in karma–so what you do, good or bad, comes back to you. She returned the money and was given a $1,000 reward.
Photo: Wardrobeadvice.com, iStockphoto
Several years after we bought the estate of a woman who collected antiques, we found $200 tucked into one of her reference books. If I hadn’t paged through the book to decide whether to keep or sell it, the money might still be there. At that point we had no way to contact her family, so we considered it a nice bonus.
10 years after my great-aunt died I married and my mother gave me some furniture from my aunt’s huge Victorian house. Two-thirds of my aunts household goods had long been auctioned off at the time the house was sold. When I had a chair recovered I discovered a hundred dollar bill in the old lining of the chair. When I had a lithograph re-framed the framer called me to say she found $100 between the backing and the picture. Depression era people! The did not trust banks.
My mother and my grandmother both hid money all over their bedrooms. We found money in pockets, purses, boxes of scented soaps, and under drawer lining paper after they passed. Look everywhere!
When dealing with a company for an estate clean out, check references. As a professional in this business, there have been several times that we have found $30,000 and more. In addition, look for savings bond, stock certificates, jewelry and more.
How Nice to be able to afford to FORGET that you have 30,000 squirrelled away! I would have given at least 10% in the circumstances!