Unexpected windfall.

My Mother did not have a bank account, so maybe that is why they refused them.

This was in the early 1960's, and my Mother took the White fivers to the bank, and they refused to take them.Not that it matters now of course, but the money would have been useful back then.

Same here for my parents, glamma. Inside the table leaf extension, my mum's knitting bag, sellotaped behind a picture of grandchildren on the wall, in the coal scuttle. My dad mentioned that we shouldn't let a stick of furniture go out of the house without checking it first. All because he believed that banks couldn't be trusted with any more than basic savings. Hmm....maybe he had a point

My FIL had money hidden all over his house,even in the coal shed and under cushions when we emptied out his house we found unopened wage packets from years before we are convinced we missed finding other money he had hidden over the years and that the next tenant had a nice little windfall.

Just had a glance on Ebay and there are White fivers selling for about £40 each!

Yes. Our find was in old notes which our bank accepted, no questions asked.

It is true, bank notes can be exchanged at the bank of England forever, deliver in person or post to London and you get face value. never throw money away.

Oh crikey Liz! I hope rosesarered doesn't read that !

I thought out of date notes could be paid into a bank account. I worked in a bank and we used to accept them and send them off to the cash centre.

Windfalls, Bramley apples from next door's tree, mice, both alive and dead that the cats used to bring in, and years ago ( really, years ago) a bundle of white five pound notes from my Grandmas house, ceased to be legal tender so no good except to chuck on the fire.

absent my dog only nicked cooked meat joints and children's toys from who knows where, the cat was utterly useless

I had an unexpected Tax demand, paid it and then received a refund (sadly not as big as the demand though)

DD found about £2.50 on the floor under a chair this morning!

There's a rude version of that * downtoearth*! [ grin]

I once had payments from DWP for a few weeks. I rang them after the first payment and they said it was the banks fault. I contacted the bank and they passed the buck back to DWP. I tried again. No luck. I wrote to them. No luck. After a while the payments stopped and a few months later the bank contacted me asking for it back. As I had tried very hard to return it I told them I had spent it and no longer had it. They didn't ask again !

But put it into the bank while you wait for it all to be sorted out. The interest it gathers is yours. Just remember the capital may not be staying there!

A few years ago I received a tax refund for £200 from the Inland Revenue. I didn't think I was entitled to it so phoned up and was on for ages (at my expense). I agreed to post the cheque back (at my expense again) and I did this straight away. I received an unpleasant demand for the money which annoyed me. The following year I received a cheque for £200 'in relation to previous year's overpayment'. I spent it!

Yes, query it because if someone made a mistake and you are not entitled to it, you will have to pay it back, which is a pain if you have already spent the money.

The DWP placed a huge payment into my bank this week. Not a clue what it's for and totally unexpected. Now, should I query it?

My dog – now sadly deceased – quite often retrieved a £5, £10 or £20 note that someone had dropped in the street. One of my cats – also now sadly deceased – retrieved only lettuces, socks, towels and, on one occasion, a fabric Christmas reindeer.

Five premium bond wins this month

Blimey, Charleygirl, a £50 note! What kind of waiting room was that...?

I have regular windfalls - slates off the roof when it's particularly blowy. I need the other kind of windfall to afford a new roof.

£25 x5 from premium bonds this month.

Whenever I clear out drawers (which is not very often) I always find some money- usually several £1 coins. Every little helps.

I was in a waiting room a couple of weeks ago and I noticed a man drop a note from his pocket and he did not notice. It turned out to be £50 so he was very grateful to me.

This morning I found a dried runner bean seed on the floor when I cleaned my spare bedroom. I had left a tray of them to dry out in there the autumn before last! Does this count as a windfall? Perhaps I should plant it in case it is a magic one!

no..could fall in a barrel full of jelly babies ..and come out eating my thumb...