The creators of CashMeIfYouSpokane don’t want any recognition for the thousands of dollars they’ve given away. The smiles they see on people’s faces when someone finds the money they hide around Spokane is payment enough.
“It’s awesome to see the joy in their faces when they’re able to come out and actually win, it’s a small gesture but it seems like it means a lot,” one of the co-creators told him sitting on a bench in the spot of their next drop on Monday: Finch Arboretum.
The pair don’t want to be identified or named. They both grew up in Spokane and love the town. One of them owns a small business in Spokane and about eight months ago, decided they wanted to find a way to give back to the community they love so much.
Enter “CashMeIfYouSpokane” on TikTok and Instagram.
The pair go around Spokane, occasionally to surrounding towns as well, and hide money. Usually around $50 – $100. They will hide it, post a video of where it is and then wait for one of their thousands of followers to come find it.
Where does the money come from? Their own pockets.
They said they haven’t quite qualified to be making money on their videos yet, but even if they did, it’s money that would go back into the mission of the account: To give back.
“We’re trying to grow to the point where we can give out more money and get more local businesses involved,” one of them told me adding they’ve partnered with several small business for a few of their drops and have given out gift cards as well as cash.
Sometimes the money is found in 5 minutes. Sometimes it takes a little longer. The key is to watch their account because they always post updates with the winners when the cash is found. Make sure you follow those so you’re not out looking for something that isn’t there anymore.
It’s become a fun little activity for their followers, even if they end up not finding the money. Often times, even for long-time residents, you’ll find a new place in town that perhaps you haven’t seen before. It’s a way to get out and explore the area.
“We just wanted to highlight our city we live in a beautiful town and a lot of places people don’t know about and a lot we have to offer and when we do these films you get to see that,” one of them said.
“We love this city and we want other people to get to see how beautiful it is,” the other added.
They may be anonymous, but they’re making a big impact and bringing a little joy with each drop they do.
