Do you give money to homeless people?

Tucker

Tucker

I'm a Lover, not a Fighter!
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Lately I have been seeing more and more people on medians/curbs asking for money/food.

There is this one poor guy with a shaking problem and he says he is a former veteran. Once I see people like this I immediately feel so bad :sad2: I mean, my heart just goes out for them :gonk: Usually I don't have much cash on me or I need it and I don't give it. I'm also skeptic since half the time it's a drugee/someone living with their parents/not actually homeless.

But what do you do? Are you a sucker and give every chance you can, or are you more skeptical? Do you see lots of beggars where you live? I mean what are you supposed to do when you see one...I just want to cry :sad2:
 
It depends on the hobo.

I don't like giving money to the hobos who are clearly drunk or will use it on alcohol, though I think 90% of them will anyway. It sucks you're a hobo but don't waste the tiny bit of money you get on fucking alcohol and cigarettes :mokken:

I remember once I gave about $5 (yes i am so great) to a hobo near my work and then I left, about 5 minutes later I had to walk past him again and he goes to me "Can you spare any change?" I was like "Mate, I just gave you my change :hmph:" obviously he was not grateful
 
The one and only time i've ever even encountered a homeless person (yes, i live in a very small sheltered corner of the US :lew: ), he told me this story about being a vietnam veteran and all and how he's just made poor choices in his life. I stood there for like 10 minutes just listening to his life story. Then, of course, he asked for any change. I was waiting outside a concert venue, and i had two $20s, a $10, and a few ones one me. I pull out the ones, separate from my big money (tshirts at the place were $40 bucks :hmph: ), but he saw the $20 sticking out of my other pocket. He said, 'Miss, you're bout to lose your money there' and not a word about any more. Then he said God bless you and your family, have a great time. And yes, the concert was amazing. :lew: i almost feel like his blessing was genuine.

But that aside, most i'd just judge for myself. He seemed genuine enough to not use it for anything he didn't need.
 
On average I usually don't give money away (I live paycheck to paycheck. Which makes it even harder to do so).. If I do then I have to get to know the person. Not just 1 bullshit encounter with the person and hearing some sob story. There's actually 2 guys that come to my work from time to time that I know are genuinly homeless. They actually have tents a few hundred yards off the property in the woods. I've gotten to know the guys pretty well so instead of giving them spare change (which I usually don't have anyway..) I'll hook them up with some food. I work in a seafood department at my store so I don't mind giving them some free shrimp when I know the coast is clear. They're always cool with it and thank me a million times. People like those 2 I don't mind helping. I'm in the process of trying to score them a job as cashier/stockers so hopefully it all works out.

I do, however, HATE the crumb bumbs that hassle me for money. They remind me of an episode of South Park. I forget the name, but its basically a parody of Dawn of the Dead, but with homeless people constantly shouting "got any change?" even after giving them $20. Those people can fuck off.
 
No.

The beggars here generally arent homeless. Theyre just smelly bastards looking for theyre next bottle of cider or theyre next baggie of junk. Lately all the beggars these days are foreign. I cant say i know where exactly theyre from but if i had to guess id say theyre arabs going by the skin colour and how they dress. If i dont give money to beggars from my own country you sure as hell can bet im not giving any to some chancer whos moved over here to take advantage of the good ole benefit system. That sounds harsh but believe me when i tell you that these people are NOT homeless at all. Ive seen them sat there texting on mobile phones.

When i was in Berlin it was worse. You had the mothers sending theyre kids up to you asking for money saying they are starving etc etc etc. Im sorry but if you fall for that old routine your a sucker. These kids were able to ask for money in multiple languages. You had to watch your pockets for the wee bastards hands aswell i swear. I hear it can be like that in a lot of the big cities down in England. Manchester etc. Thankfully you dont get that up where i live.

If i see a guy busking playing his instrument and i think hes good then il put some money down. I can appreciate that as a fellow musician. And this person is actually trying to do something to earn a penny. Hes not sitting there expecting freebies for nothing.
 
Wow, I'm quite different ... I always feel compelled to give money to homeless people or even away to charity.
I was out with my friends shopping and we were picking up something for our guy friends once for Valentine's Day.
There was a jar of change on the counter for the checkout line and the cashier explained to me that they were raising money for a girl who was undergoing treatment for leukemia. So I put as much spare change in as I could. I suppose coming from a humble background, seeing my mom struggle to feed both herself and myself and take care of me made me more compassionate ...? There's also the fact that my little cousin's mother is suffering from cancer and her family is up to their eyeballs in hospital bills for multiple radiation therapy treatments and such. It's hard. So my heart goes out to anyone who's either homeless or very sick. Granted, I have to know their story before I just give out change and i'm aware that some sick people out there scam unsuspecting and trusting people out of their money, so I'm naturally wary sometimes. However, if I feel that they genuinely need the cash and I have it on me than I won't hesitate to help. In Jamaica, as a kid when I was living there, you'd see these poor people heckle anyone for spare change and every time my grand father and I would drive there would be young kids as old as 12 trying to wash his car windows. I didn't understand it at the time but he'd sometimes give them change and sometimes he wouldn't ... my grand dad came from a very poor background so he got what it was like to live in an impoverished condition but sometimes he'd tell me, "if you keep giving to them then they will always come back." So sometimes I give if I feel they need it and are genuine but if they bed and pander for it I'll feel conflicted and either won't give them too much or if I feel that they're bluffing I'll say I won't have anything and I'm sorry (nine times out of ten this is true anyway).
 
Theres a difference between giving to a charity and giving to a beggar on the street.

Charities tend to go to a good cause. Or at least thats what your being told. (cynic) But yeah they do. Why should i hand over my wages to some guys whos gunna piss it all up against the wall an hour later.
 
Big Casino said:
Theres a difference between giving to a charity and giving to a beggar on the street.

Charities tend to go to a good cause. Or at least thats what your being told. (cynic) But yeah they do. Why should i hand over my wages to some guys whos gunna piss it all up against the wall an hour later.
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I have to agree with this; the majority of people in my area are most likely going to spend it on something they maybe shouldn't, and in my eyes they could just be really good liars. It's bad of me to think that way, but I don't know... I've just heard a lot of stories from people in my area about people lying their life story to make it sound sad. Not saying it's the case everywhere.
It also didn't help when one man I see a lot around the town centre got out some relatively posh phone when he got up and left his usual spot. :gasp:
 
I do give under certain conditions because I know what its like to be hopelessly gunned and without hope at times. These guys might have had good lives before they were permanently ruined through many vices or bad decisions. I give mine to those who I feel can make a turn about from their fate one way or another and through other means later in life.
 
I'm of the opinion that you should only help in ways that can help a person pull themselves up from their situation and stop being dependent. If I were completely honest, I am kind of a bleeding heart that wants to help everyone though. Thank god I normally have other people with me to restrain myself.
 
It depends on who the person is, if they look generally homeless then I might throw in a few quid, but if they like have a mobile phone or that then I don't cuz sadly in this world there is alot of beggers or homeless people who go home to their big houses. I hate stuff like that, and it bugs me that people could do that :/
 
Instead of giving them money..Which I find to be very risky because we never know the beggars true intentions. If someone asks for money to eat I give them food instead of money. Basically giving people things they need instead of money is my policy.
 
Only once I think, I'm a sceptic though and I'm convinced these people really have BMWs and 5 bedroom houses.
 
I generally give people change if they seem grateful. I've never had anyone who seemed 'well off' ask me for money aside from some kid who wanted to buy a tattoo; I didn't give her any money.

If I didn't give my money to beggars, I'd spend it on something stupid that I don't really need anyway. I don't really care if they go and by booze with it, I don't have any obligation to give them my money and they shouldn't have any obligation to spend it on anything in particular.
 
I've always had rather mixed feelings towards giving 'homeless' people money. :hmmm: I'd rather not pay for unhealthy habits; whether or not someone is lying about being homeless doesn't concern me as much.

I have only encountered one man whose situation seemed genuinely desolate. He was in Blackpool and I saw him one bitterly cold morning in winter, without shoes, in rags, shivvering. I was being led through the city at the time by my then-boyfriend, so had no time to really think about what to do. My boyfriend was fairly damning of homeless people too, and rather hardened against them, which didn't help; I felt judged for actually caring, which is stupid. -_- Thinking about it, a little money wouldn't have made a difference were his situation genuine. :/ But I would have liked to get him a hot drink to make that morning a little bit less painful!

I met a few in Edinburgh - in fact, I don't think I've seen as many anywhere else! One particular woman sticks with me because she made me feel guilty for not giving her any money. However, I was young so had no money on me and my parents were speeding through the city. Another man I remember for shouting 'God bless you' down the street after I have him a little change, which my parents had kindly given to me. He was selling copies of the Big Issue, but I told him to keep the change and the magazine. :)

I am more likely to give money to those who sell the Big Issue. :hmmm: I feel they are trying to make a difference. Whether or not these people are really homeless doesn't matter to me; what matters is whether or not those who ARE homeless are doing their bit to improve their own lives. A life cannot be improved by a few free pounds; each person has to be determined and committed to their own positive future.

When it comes to getting food/a coffee instead of giving these people money...I'd do it were I not afraid of having the food and drink thrown in my face. :gasp: I'm also worried that people will have dietry requirements and I'll do something wrong, but they'll be so starving they're unable to turn the meal away. :/
 
I have been approached in my town by a few beggers asking for money, I always say no and here is why: one I was woking when a begger asked a couple coming into my shop for money "cause I haven't eaten in 4 days!!!" to which they said sorry and they didn't have any change, after they left my shop they went into Gregs (a bakery) opposite my shop and bought the guy some food, then went back and offered it to him "I don't want that I asked for money!" at this point I said went outside and told him that if he didn't move away from my shop then I would call the police and have him escorted from my premises.

He shouted curses at all 3 of us (the couple and myself) and stormed off.
 
I occasionally give change to select homeless people if I can spare it but I tend to stay away from those who randomly come up to me in the street. I don't even mind if they go to the Off Licence to buy booze with their begged cash. Have any of you spent the night rough in the dead of winter? I have and fuck if I would have to put up with it all year 'round. It's hard. So if they want to go and grab a bottle of booze to help them through the night I say fair fucking play. It's not like the fiver they saved up is going to rent them a house now, is it?

As a general rule though I DON'T touch charities unless completely trustworthy, because you don't know where its going and how exactly its really being used. At least by giving directly you KNOW its being put to use.
 
I try to never give money, but food, because they can spend my money on drugs/drinks. I don't want my money to be wasted on such things (no one wants I think).
 
Not money, no, but I will donate food and clothes and other items in a heartbeat.
 
It depends from what country you are from. In the United States, there is no reason for anyone to be a homeless. If you are unemployed, there are great government programs to help you out meanwhile you get a job, and they will even help you find one. If you are sick or impaired or suffer some other type of ailment, there also great government programs for that as well. The United States is a country where the homeless have cell phones (no joke, here in Southern Cali I've seen it personally). There is no reason for me to give anyone my hard earned money, if I feel like someone needs some help, I am willing to give them FOOD or some clothing, but never money.

If you want money, buck up and hustle biotch!
 
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