Demetri Cirillo of Boca Raton, Fla., found more than $750,000 worth of checks in a gas station garbage can, but instead of stealing the bounty, Cirillo called police because, he says, he knows what it’s like to lose a huge sum of money. (Huffington Post)

Cirillo, an avid coin collector, lost at least $100,000 worth of rare currency when his SUV’s tire blew out, the car flipped six times and scattered coins across the highway — some of which were snapped up by passersby.

“What goes around comes around,” Cirillo told the Sun Sentinel. “I wanted to do the right thing,”

It’s good to hear about people doing the right thing. Cirillo is not the only person to find money and return it to the rightful owner.  A Tennessee man called police after he found nearly $13,000 in cash in a bag sitting on top of a trash can at a convenience store, according to Yahoo! News. And in Wellesley, Mass., a Brazilian immigrant handyman of modest means took pains to return the $20,000 to $30,000 he found while sorting through old books and magazines.

There other ways to “find” money and you don’t have to give it back!

Currently, states, federal agencies and other organizations collectively hold more than $58 billion in unclaimed cash and benefits. That’s roughly $186 for every U.S. resident. The unclaimed property comes from a variety of sources, including abandoned bank accounts and stock holdings, unclaimed life insurance payouts and forgotten pension benefits.

I recently found over $50 that was mine that I had no idea about.  www.fltreasurehunt.org has a search feature where you can search to see if there is any money that you are owned that has for some reason been unclaimed.  Be sure to check it out!

Also, be sure you visit unclaimed.org to search by state to see if you have any lost money that you are due.  Below are a few other sites that you can check to see if you have any money that is just waiting for you to claim it.

• State-held unclaimed property: Visit NAUPA’s unclaimed.org for a map with links to each state’s program.
• Life insurance: For benefits not held by the state, check the insurer’s site directly. For example, MetLife has an online search.
• Pensions: For Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. benefits, visit the agency’s online search directory.
• U.S. savings bonds: More than 45 million matured savings bonds, worth nearly $16 billion, remain unredeemed, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. To search the database, visit treasuryhunt.gov.
• Tax refunds: In 2011, the Internal Revenue Service said it had $153.3 million in tax refund checks that were undeliverable. To make sure you’ve received your checks, visit the IRS’s Where’s my refund? tool.
• Overbid proceeds: If a foreclosed home or tax lien for delinquent taxes is sold at auction for a price above the money owed, the former property owner is owed the so-called “overbid proceeds,” which are typically held at the county level. But, counties typically send notifications about the funds to the foreclosed address, so many people remain unaware of the extra cash, according to Mary Pitman, author of “The Little Book of Missing Money.” These funds are different than other unclaimed funds in that the property owner’s claim in some counties only last a few years. Contact the county clerk to find out which local agency holds the funds.

When money runs tight, most people immediately think about cutting expenses or picking up extra work. But what if I told you that hidden opportunities might be right outside your door—in the trash? What many consider waste can actually hold surprising value.

Recycling is one of the simplest ways to turn trash into cash. Aluminum cans, glass bottles, and scrap metals are often discarded but can be collected and sold to recycling centers for quick money. Cardboard and paper products, especially in bulk, are also accepted in many places.

Old electronics are another treasure. People frequently throw away gadgets like phones, computers, or cables, unaware that recycling companies pay for the parts. Even broken appliances may contain valuable metals such as copper, which scrap buyers purchase at decent rates.

Upcycling is another growing trend—taking “junk” and turning it into creative products. Old furniture, wood pallets, or mason jars can be transformed into unique home décor or sold online for profit.

And don’t overlook food waste! Many communities encourage composting, and some organizations even buy organic scraps to create fertilizers.

The point is simple: what looks like trash might actually help ease your financial strain. By being resourceful and eco-friendly, you can put a little extra money in your pocket while also reducing waste.

Are you owed money? Be sure to check out those sites to find out.