# Do you ever give money to a beggar?



## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

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## Cosmin (Mar 16, 2007)

Not usually, at least not in the traditional "-Spare some change? -Here you go."
If they perform a service or something (which is not really begging anymore) I might consider it, that is if I have any money on me at that time.

One thing I tried lately was talking to them (this is good for the SA aswell), well more or less. For instance, over here we have some supermarkets where you use a coin to take a cart. Sometimes there are people outside waiting for you at the car asking for the cart to take it back and thus keeping said coin. When one approaches me, I ask them what do I get in return for the cart; so far I didn't get an offer, so they just moved on to the next customer.


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## Thomas Paine (Mar 29, 2008)

Yes, I give money to anyone who asks for it. What's the line from the song... something like: "There was this bum asking for money and I didn't want to give it to him because he was just gonna spend it on drugs or alcohol, then I realized, wait, that's what *I'm* gonna spend it on.

I think if you end the war on drugs then you won't have very many people begging because they would be able to afford their habit and still have time to make a living as well. So I fully support them seeing as their own government has declared war on them. Can't be an easy life. I think they deserve to be able to use whatever drug they want.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

I used to give some money to the beggars that I saw in the underpass when I walked into town. Most people just walked straight past but it was freezing down there and I couldn't imagine that anyone would put themselves through that just for a few pennies unless they were _really_ desperate. I nearly got a new best friend one Christmas when I gave one guy a £5 note. :b

I don't doubt that some of them are not destitute and/or they're going to use the money to support an addiction, but if I'm able to help even one genuine person then that's good enough for me.


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## Tangent (Jul 1, 2009)

Yes, all the time, when I have money to spare.

I find it odd that one of the reasons people give for not giving money to the poor is that they will "spend it on drugs" - I fail to see what's wrong with that, if I was living on the street I'd want to be intoxicated too.


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## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

if they ask nicely and I have some spare change I'll give it to them.I figure they can use the money more than me.But I don't always give money to beggars.


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## steelmyhead (May 31, 2009)

I did one time when I was in a good mood. I gave him all the change I had in my cup holder. I think it was more of a pesonal triumph cause usually I'm too embarrassed even to make eye contact.


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## scintilla (Dec 10, 2008)

Yes, I usually do.


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## KumagoroBeam (Sep 15, 2008)

Sometimes I do, but often I'm too scared to walk up to them and give it to them. :roll


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## Havalina (Dec 18, 2004)

I give. There aren't many visible homeless in my city, but when I visit Toronto, my pockets empty quickly. I usually like to give them food too (since I almost always carry around fruit/granola etc.). So even if they do spend it on 'drugs', at least I know they had an apple as well.


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

Wow, seems like there's alot of people who do give than I thought (or perhaps Americans are just less stingy). I think it has something to do with the area I live - it's _extremely _deprived so most people are very stingy.
Where I live specifically (a very multi cultural area), you get some beggars who look like they've come straight from the backstreets of Mexico or something in the sense that they dress in a very ethnic way and are the type that stand in the middle of the road, speak/"beg" in a non-english language and hold out their hand to passerbys. Of course, I may be wrong but I get the feeling that not nice words escape their lips, especially if you don't give anything.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I give when i have something to give. But my pockets are usually as empty as theirs.


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## ecotec83 (Sep 7, 2009)

Voted no, haven't seen any beggars around here, i dont carry change with me either.


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## Squid24 (Nov 23, 2009)

I often do, but I hate them for forcing me to interact with them in public, I never know what to say.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

Banzai said:


> Wow, seems like there's alot of people who do give than I thought (or perhaps Americans are just less stingy). I think it has something to do with the area I live - it's _extremely _deprived so most people are very stingy.
> Where I live specifically (a very multi cultural area), you get some beggars who look like they've come straight from the backstreets of Mexico or something in the sense that they dress in a very ethnic way and are the type that stand in the middle of the road, speak/"beg" in a non-english language and hold out their hand to passerbys. Of course, I may be wrong but I get the feeling that not nice words escape their lips, especially if you don't give anything.


I've never come across anyone begging like that. The closest to that was when a couple of kids approached me in town asking for change so they could get home to somewhere local. I said I didn't have any change (which was true) and I'd catch them on the way back from the bank (also true, but a stupid thing to say when you have a wad of notes in your pocket) but then with all the to-ing and fro-ing I was confusion-mugged... they had no money to start with but they managed to give me change for a £10 note. :con I went home with a pocket full of shrapnel. :roll

Edit: My missed point being, they only needed something like £1.50 to start with (which was more than enough to get them both home) but I ended up with about £7 in change so they not only had enough to begin with but they also took more than I wanted to give them. They seemed to be sober but they were both slurring their words so I doubt if a nice bus ride home was top of their to-do list.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

I used to, but I'm more wary now after seeing a show that had people who act like they are poor or homeless when they really weren't. Some were making a couple hundred bucks a day.


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## El Sonador (Sep 25, 2009)

Yes, I usually do, it feels right and nice.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Sometimes. I don't care what people spend it on, though.


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

i get so used to seeing them on a daily basis, but i occasionally will when i have change i can easily access (so i don't stand there for two minutes rummaging through my purse). i feel a lot of sympathy for the homeless since many of them suffer from a mental illness, some of them with the same illness that myself and other close family members have. i can easily imagine them ending up in that situation if they did not have people in their lives to help them out and have access to adequate treatment, so even though it's a small amount i still like to give a little and i always make sure to treat them with equal respect because not enough people do.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

I do sometimes, and I know that it's most likely going to feed their addiction, but that's ok. One time I was asked for change and I said I didn't have any and he said "That's ok, your smile was worth it." I felt kind of bad afterward.



markx said:


> they had no money to start with but they managed to give me change for a £10 note.


There's a guy around here who will always ask for $3.25 (it used to be $2.65, the economy is even impacting panhandlers!), but if you have a five he can give you change.


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## TRENNER (Sep 21, 2009)

My religion teaches that one should give to beggars and where I live, NYC, has a fair number of them.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

TRENNER said:


> My religion teaches that one should give to beggars and where I live, NYC, has a fair number of them.


Give to beggars? Or charity?


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## Cosmin (Mar 16, 2007)

zookeeper said:


> There's a guy around here who will always ask for $3.25 (it used to be $2.65, the economy is even impacting panhandlers!), but if you have a five he can give you change.


You know, that kind of thing might make me actually give the man the money because it would be different, intriguing...

Ha, I just realised something. I'd consider that guy because, if he can come up with such a thing given his situation, he must have a great spirit. If he were just any regular beggar, sad and depressed, I'd probably just ignore him.
That's the thing with life in general. If you have a positive attitude, people want to be around you, if not, well, they don't and ignore you. 
I'm such a thinker... I need seep (it's 01.30 AM here). But I'm pretty sure I'm right about that. So, basically, the secret to happiness is... happiness. Now, where's my Nobel? :teeth


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

Cosmin said:


> You know, that kind of thing might make me actually give the man the money because it would be different, intriguing...


I definitely give points for creativity. There was another guy here who piled a bunch of pennies in front of him and told people he was collecting coins to build a sculpture.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

I used to give money to people who asked, but not anymore. I read a couple of stories where passersby were being intimidated into handing over money, and young mothers with small children were being targeted specifically.

Then there was the morning i was on my way to work, it was early, and there was a guy ahead of me, standing around selling the Big Issue. coming toward him from the opposite direction were two guys. We were about equidistant from the Issue seller, and he was facing toward the two guys. he saw them, turned around, saw me and asked me point blank to buy one. I said no thanks, and passed him just before the two fellas did. he didn't say boo to them, I mean not one word. 

So I decided to do a little informal research. I watched, and saw this seemed to be a pattern. To this day, I notice that women give more often than men, and are approached more than men. Generosity is a desirable trait, but now there are so many homeless, charities, action groups, etc etc asking for money in the town centre, if i gave to everyone who asked i wouldn't be able to feed myself. It's a terrible sign of the state of things. 

I spent a few years handing over change, feeling guilty because it wasn't more, feeling guilty and awful if I didn't have anything to give, and hearing stories of people who made a regular living out of it and doing fairly well, wondering if it was actually true, am I being taken, should i care...

it got to be too much, and oddly enough it was anxiety producing. So, I picked a charity that I believe in that helps abused children, figured out what I could afford to give, and give it all to them. Now I can walk through the city centre and not worry about if I'm doing enough, AND I can get to the grocery store before it closes. 

The charity I give to - their emergency helpline would have been shut down last year were it not for donations. So I'm pretty proud of that.


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## phillipk128 (Jun 28, 2009)

Depends on the mood I am in.. Most of the times I ignore them..


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

Yea sometimes. But i don't go out much and am not in a big city, so this situation doesn't happen constantly or anything.


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## pollster (Oct 4, 2009)

I occassionally give money to beggars, but most of the time I don't actually have any on me to give (I use my bank card a lot for purchases). I also don't like to have to dig through my purse/wallet in front of them -- at least with men you might have easily accessible change in your pocket or something?

Also, throughout the year I make financial donations to a local mission. At least I know what that's being used for, and it makes me feel like I'm contributing something to my city's 'down and out'. (I also sponsor a child through World Vision.)


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## Canadian Brotha (Jan 23, 2009)

If I have some change & I'm having a good day & I come across one that's when I'll give to them. It's a sort of Karma thing, pass on the good vibe of my day.

Some years ago a homeless man walked up to me & said "I'm $2 short of a 6-pack". We were standing in front of a liquor store & I gave him the $2. He was honest & I had it to give so I did. I'm not saying I want to support their habits but if it's all they've got in life & they mind their business in their alley not causing anyone harm then that's the best I can offer them.

I find when they ask in a rude way you don't want to help them out but when you feel good & you do so it just adds to your positive mood


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## pollster (Oct 4, 2009)

Yeah, one guy walked up to me one morning while I was on my way to work and basically told me he'd just gotten off his shift at work and wanted money to buy some beer to drink at home. So I gave him some. I appreciated his honesty.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

No...I'd rather donate to a charity. I gave a drifter a ride to the next town once but I can't remember ever giving a beggar money. I don't see many bums around here but one city I go to frequently has a few that have made a full time job of begging. One in particular works a busy intersection holding a sign that says "stranded veteran, need bus money" or something similar. Normally I could sympathize with him, but he's been "stranded" at that intersection for close to a year now and every time I see him, somebody is giving him money. I bet he probably averages more per hour than I do working my regular job, and it's all tax free. I've been seeing want ads on craigslist lately with people asking for money so they can buy their kids Christmas gifts. While I'd gladly help out if I knew for sure they were real, I can't help but wonder how many of those are scams too.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

Most people that beg for money around here are mental health clients. Since I work at mental health I know all of them. They just want money to buy smokes. I don't give them money at all if they ever ask me. I don't think they will ever ask me since they know where I work.


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## kindasorta (Apr 20, 2009)

I have on a few occaisions. However I rarely see any in my town nor in the city I live.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Yes, my religion promotes such kindness. But, I'd do it anyway, because it is the right thing to do. That is what truly matters, no? To do because you want to, not because you have to.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Tangent said:


> I find it odd that one of the reasons people give for not giving money to the poor is that they will "spend it on drugs" - I fail to see what's wrong with that, if I was living on the street I'd want to be intoxicated too.


I'm not aware of any charity that hands out bottles of vodka, whiskey, Night Train or any other such beverages to the homeless, so I gather many dislike the idea of their money being used to intoxicate the homeless. Especially, when alcoholism may help explain why they can't work and thus don't have money for a home. Some might think food, shelter, and treatment for alcoholism might be more helpful.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Lonelyguy said:


> I gave a drifter a ride to the next town once...


A nice gesture, but obviously one filled with potential danger. Given that Dave is a rather tough-looking guy he's clearly at less risk, but such acts of kindness can leave one bleeding at the side of the road while their vehicle drifts off.

And, no, I've never given a cent to any beggar. It's been so many years that I can't even recall the last time I saw someone begging. It simply isn't something that is typical in a suburb and I'd make an effort to avoid areas where begging was common.

I've also never given a cent to charity, unless you count the profane two cents I have for charities that dare to hound me by phone. Not giving to the poor may sound heartless, but I need to look out for myself. I have only finite resources that must last a lifetime and can't work, so I'd like to keep my money so that I don't end up as a charity case.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

UltraShy said:


> I'm not aware of any charity that hands out bottles of vodka, whiskey, Night Train or any other such beverages to the homeless, so I gather many dislike the idea of their money being used to intoxicate the homeless. Especially, when alcoholism may help explain why they can't work and thus don't have money for a home. Some might think food, shelter, and treatment for alcoholism might be more helpful.


There are a few communities that have "wet" shelters, where liquor is dispensed on site. These are limited only to long-term, hardcore drinkers though, where every other option hasn't worked. We're talking the guys who drink cooking wine and aftershave here. And it's interesting to note that once they have (relatively) stable housing at the shelter, a fair number of them are able to reduce their drinking and often stop. It seems counterproductive, but well worth a try.


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## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

Wow, it's pretty unfair to say "homeless people spend all their money on drugs, so don't give them any." Sure, some homeless people have substance abuse problems. Some don't, they're just ordinary people who have fallen on hard times, and just want to get a job and a place to live, but don't find it that easy. How do you know that one particular beggar is a drug-using scumbag who is entirely to blame for his own poverty?

When I see someone living on the street, I think "There but for the grace of god go I." (Yes, I'm an atheist, it's a figure of speech.)


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## ostorozhno (Sep 21, 2009)

Havalina said:


> I give. There aren't many visible homeless in my city, but when I visit Toronto, my pockets empty quickly. I usually like to give them food too (since I almost always carry around fruit/granola etc.). So even if they do spend it on 'drugs', at least I know they had an apple as well.


I really appreciate your kindness. You're doing such a wonderful thing and I admire you for it.

I don't live in a place where there are_ any_ homeless people, but if I was to run into someone who needed help, I'd try to help them in any way that I could. I've thought about carrying extra blankets and clothes with me because money and food aren't the only things they are lacking.


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## AstronautsGrapes (Sep 29, 2009)

never. its a recession & these people want money for free? gtfo.
i already have my own problems to worry about financially, so i need all the money i have.
i just ignore them & walk right past them.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

hi im joe said:


> never. its a recession & these people want money for free? gtfo.
> i already have my own problems to worry about financially, so i need all the money i have.
> i just ignore them & walk right past them.


That's very generous of you.


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## huh (Mar 19, 2007)

No, I generally don't. However, it's not very often I see a beggar where I live. In fact, I was only confronted by one once in Wisconsin...that was in downtown Milwaukee near the Oriental theatre. The guy was really persistent and had an elaborate lie about why he needed money. I would've been more inclined if he just said he was hungry or something. When I was in Chicago I saw quite a few though. It's a sad situation to live like that.

I donate my money to various charities instead. I also work for a non-profit that tends to help the homeless and less fortunate. I feel like I make more of a difference by helping through donations and work then I would by giving to beggars.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

zookeeper said:


> There are a few communities that have "wet" shelters, where liquor is dispensed on site. These are limited only to long-term, hardcore drinkers though, where every other option hasn't worked. We're talking the guys who drink cooking wine and aftershave here. And it's interesting to note that once they have (relatively) stable housing at the shelter, a fair number of them are able to reduce their drinking and often stop. It seems counterproductive, but well worth a try.


OK, then there are charities that hand out booze. I had no idea such things existed.

Though these "wet" shelters still have as their mission to get alcoholics to stop drinking. The free liquor would appear just to be a way to get them in the door, plus the fact that it can be fatal to instantly stop drinking if you're used to huge amounts of alcohol.

Yeah, I know some alcoholics will go to extremes to get their alcohol. I remember posting a link to an article about one store that had to lock up the mouthwash that homeless alcoholics would otherwise steal since it's 22% alc -- so less than half the price of a bum wine like Night Train.


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't give money to panhandlers because I'm not interested in adding a single cent to anyone's alcohol or cigarette fund.

If I had money to throw at them (which I don't), I'd give them gift cards/vouchers for food or clothing, or put them up in a hotel for the night. No cash, though.


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## james25 (Jan 1, 2010)

I never do. I think there are better ways of helping needy people than giving handouts to individuals you happen to pass on the street. In fact, giving cash to these people may ultimately have negative consequences, because they may continue to seek handouts instead of getting help through channels that can hold them accountable.


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## Bewil (Jan 3, 2010)

Yes but not lately now that i am so close to joining them.


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## VeggieGirl (Dec 11, 2009)

Nope I never do.


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## SuperSaiyan (Dec 8, 2009)

Yeah and people who are collecting or people who say they need it 'cause they ran out of gas, I might sound like a jerk if I refuse but I like to think afterwards if they wern't desperate they wouldn't ask and I'm doing a good deed and if I needed money I'd apretiate money being given to me although I don't think I'd ever ask


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## Toad Licker (Nov 2, 2007)

I never have.


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## eagleheart (Jun 14, 2007)

Banzai said:


> When I was younger, about 8 or so, I would [rarely] give a few pennies until I later learnt that some beggars aren't as innocent as they seem with a few being quite rude and for all we know, they could actually use that money to fund a drug/alcohol addict instead and from then on, haven't given any money since.


I HAVE, but not always... I know it sounds bad but like you said, I just don't know.. Now I rarely see the in this small city where I am..


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