Dont think I would have made a thread about this until I was approached by a homeless guy in the next city over while heading to my car from a take out (not the first time). Buddy asked for some change, and as usual I give what I can, so I gave a few quarters and some dimes I had in my pocket from the take out. I sat in my car and watched him head straight to the market opposite of where I was just at to get something to eat. Most of the time if you give change to people, you really dont know where its going, even if its to a foundation. This was probably the first time in my life I actually saw a homeless guy immediately go get food. It kinda hurt inside. Over the years I observe how my friends treat the homeless when they ask for change. Some would refuse and GTFO, some would just keep walking pretending they dont even see them. Countless times when I am at a stoplight and there are people asking for donations for an orginization to help the needy, it seems like I am always the one giving away my change while everyone rolls up their windows, ignores them, and eagerly waits for the green light. There were times when people would ask me for change at the gas station (not homeless, just broke at the moment), and I do what I can. I even gave someone at my apartment a few bucks for gas. She said she would pay be back, but my logic is, when I give money out, I dont expect it back. The strange thing is that I'm not rich, but I choose to help if I can because I cant always say no. There are some people who think these people are faking it and actually have a home. There are some people who would rather insult, tell these people to get a job, or even abuse them. Do you help the people that ask for change?
Depends honestly. One time I gave a guy my sandwich after he asked me for money. I said I wouldn't give him money, but I would be happy to give him my sandwich. he thanked me and walked across the street, down the alley, and I noticed him promptly go to the first dumpster he saw and turf it. After that I find it hard to want to openly give money to people. I know that he is just one guy, but I find that most homeless people would scoff at the idea of taking food from me.. what they really want is money since I have no idea what they will do with it, and in most cases (at least in my city) that cash is going to the nearest drug dealer or liquor vendor. Also there are lots of people here that will try to squigee cars or sell tickets at the bus station, crap like that. Maybe I've just seen it too much and am now complacent by it all, but I swear some of these people seem perfectly able to get a job and do something with themselves. The reality is though that they can live far easier off of my country's welfare cheques and unemployment benefits than they could working for minimum wage. You mentioned that some people panhandle that already have a home or job, and you're right. There are many people here in Vancouver that panhandle and they have a house and two cars. Its actually pretty absurd, and for that reason I don't like giving out money anymore. Maybe back in the day, but nowadays people want money for nothing. At least one time I told a guy I'd give him a buck if he climed a tree right to the top and sure enough he did it.. he earned that buck! I would far sooner donate money to organizations like the Canucks for Kids fund which I know helps out children in need and the Vancouver children's hospice.
It's just a bit of shrapnel in my pockets, I always help people when I can in hopes of a few credits in the karma bank later on. Although, when I was living in a small town out in the sticks, we had a guy who would pretty much stand on the same corner every day and ask the same people for change every day just to collect enough money to walk up to the bottle shop for a box of wine. Everyone knew who he was, some newbies would be sucked in, but most would just pass him by. There were a few stories around that he had robbed old ladies in the past and such.
We were in Wakiki and surfer dude asked for change, gave him a buck and off he went, 15 mins later same dude walks up and asks for change again. I'm like wtf. So we followed him for about ten minutes for entertainment and he must have stopped 200 people in that amount of time. If half gave him a buck damn, dude is making serious bank.
The economy the way it is, you never know who really needs to eat, or who needs a bottle of wine.It don't help either to see stories on tv how they drive up in nice cars, change into rags, and beg.At the end of the day, they go home to the quarter million dollar house. Honestly, I like to think I can read people pretty well.If I believe they need help, I will help.If I think I'm being scammed, I'll walk. Amusing story: One time I was out with my wife when we were still *SPAM*.We were at a restaraunt on the water, and some beggar came up from the docks claiming it was his birthday, and asked for some money so he could go eat. I asked for proof, and he actuall had a state ID, and yes, it was his birthday. We invited him to join us, and we bought him drinks, a steak dinner, and offered him desert, but he declined.he was about as funny as Eddie Murphy, and we actually had a very good time. On the way out, the manager ripped my bill up, saying it was so cool of us to do, he wasn't going to charge us either.
I use to give them money, but these days theres a lot of criminals who get kids to beg for money so they can fund their trafficking/drugs/etc. I think its better to give food to the homeless, at least that way they can't spend it on alcohol/cigaretes.
Something my dad always says: yeah maybe they r fraud, acting as beggar but at the end of the day they r still poor, if u have it, just share. i was complaining this 8 years ago but today i think the same way. if u have, just share.
I do help out when I can. I have been in their shoes before. I have been homeless a few times. Its the worst feeling in the world not knowing where u will get too sleep let alone eat. Around TN here alot of homeless people are selling a homeless newspaper for $1. I dont how it got started either. I have watched them take the money made and actually most do buy food. The few buy alcohol though also. Id be homeless right now if it wasnt for my girlfriends family. Ive been laid off 4 times since 2008. Its quite the frustration. Its very hard trying to go too school, look for and have a job and not be on the streets all at once.
I don't give any as I'm sick of drug addicts and liars. One was like you'll literally be saving my life I need money to get to the hospital (a 15 minute walk away), and said he would die as he's epileptic and to proved it pulled out an epipen (What a tool, I'm not that stupid), saw him doing it for like the next 2 hours as I was shopping. This woman walks around with a picture of a kid in hospital and claims she needs money to see her daughter in hospital (again a 15 minute walk). Honestly most are scum and don't deserve it.
hmm well , iam not giving them sht, i mostly dont give to young people too.. just poor people, u can understand it. For an example, there was man with no feet and only 1 arm.. What else he got? i mean..even money cant save him..i always try to help him when i see him.
More likely to give them bread than money. I believe its safe to assume alot of the homeless we see are most likely going to use the money they get on booze, drugs or cigs rather than food.
maybe if i ever had any money on me but as i do not. and i never would if the guy/woman smells like cigs and booze.
I do sometimes, depends how much money I have in the bank at the time (if I think I can make it to next payday comfortably). Last time I was asked by one outside a shop, I said no but asked what beer he likes, went in and bought him a 6 pack and gave him them lol, not really 'helping' but it's what he really wanted I guess I remember stories of 'bums' in London who would sit in the street all day looking like a hobo asking for change, then at the end of the day they'd get up and get in their BMW and go home having made more than most workers.. lol Also my gf is addicted to an App on her iPhone called iHobo, basically a tamogotchi of a hobo and if you don't feed him he turns to drugs and stuff lol
i think "homeless" in Turkey is different than other countries lol..u cant see boozers or smoking homeless around here..infact u cant see alot of homeless around here.. i just can talk about BEGGARS i guess.
A homeless man was always on the same spot asking for money to eat, one day a friend of mine picked him up and took him to a bar to give him some food, the guy dint wanted to go and ran away, later on we were told be the people at the bar than that guy only wanted money to buy Drugs or alcohol, there are many places that homeless people can go to get free food and a place to sleep but most of them prefers to live in the streets because that way no one stops them from getting drugs or alcohol, some others just like to live in the streets. i have an uncle that became very poor and because of all the depts accumulated he had to live in a homeless care center, he told me lots of stories about that people and most of them are not wait they pretend to be. there are options over here for that kind of people but they dont want to take it because they prefer to live in the streets than work.
I live in a rich neighborhood, so I've never even seen a homeless person ever. If I did, I would not give them money.
I used to be homeless. Worst thing ever to go through. But there are those that are just lazy and live that way because they have no self respect and feel the world ows them everything. I know. I used to hang out with them. They have there own philosophy. When I got back on my feet and moved into an apartment in the city (thanks to some of the best friends/people one could ever have in their lives) I used to give a "homeless" man my spare change every day on my way to work. Until I found out he was renting the apartment accross from me. That changed what I give people. I used to hand out food if I had some. Most would turn it away and ask just for money.
