When I first moved in with Fiancé I found that he likes to leave things just sitting where they are when he is done with them. He also empties the contents of his pockets when he first walks in. Sometimes he will place them on the fireplace mantel, the table right inside of the entryway, or even the floor next to him on the couch. This then causes me to find little presents just sitting around.
One of these items is change. I think you know where I am going with this.
In the beginning I would just yell at him to clean his mess up and pick up the change that was scattered about the living room floor, mantle, entryway, etc. But, eventually I got sick of it. I told him, “If I ever see change sitting out and not put away in your bowl (he has a bowl that he puts his change in) then it is mine.”
I honestly think that he thought I was joking. He should really know better by now.
I knew this plan would only work if I told him how much change I found and deemed it mine, or if I did it in front of him. The first time it happened I told him when he got home from lab.
“I found $1.50 in change today! I put it in my panda bank.”
I think he thought I was joking, again.
So, the next time I waited until he was there. I found about three different dimes on the floor and picked them up while he was sitting in front of me.
“O look, 30 cents! I’m rich!!”
“What?! That’s my money,” he replied.
“Uh, no, it’s not. I told you that if I ever find your change sitting around then it was mine.”
“That’s not fair! It’s MY money.”
“Nope, not anymore. It belongs to my panda bank now. But don’t worry too much, in June it will be /our/ money. I am just keeping it safe for you.”
I then walked into our bedroom and proceeded to drop the change into my awesome panda bank.
Sadly, he started to actually learn from the lesson I was trying to teach him, and has been leaving less change out in the open. But who knows, maybe he’ll forget again and I’ll be rich!
(Disclaimer: I only take the cents, not the dollar bills. I’d feel guilty if I took the dollar bills).
Boys Smell 
I do that with my husband. I find pennies and dimes all the time. in the washer, on the floor, on the sink in the bathroom. everywhere, it seems! I put it in my pig piggy bank!! even though it technically is /our/ money, it still makes me feel good. sometimes I think if I find it, it’s mine to spend on fun stuff 🙂
Glad to know I am not alone in my sudden wealth! And I have often thought about the things that I could maybe buy, one day, with my millions. Like a cup of coffee or some gum that he will steal.
I do the same! 😀 Except I don’t tell him I’ve done it, because then he goes looking for it eventually.
But, you see, I don’t think he realizes that he could easily go get it out of the panda bank. Or he is really really lazy about certain things (AKA most things other than science). Yeah, I shouldn’t fool myself, it’s definitely the second.
I approve of this panda bank. It will make you rich, I say!
Huzzah! He has made me very rich over the past like 9-10 years.