I do. In all honesty, I just go ahead and assume they will spend it on drugs/alcohol if they don't absolutely have to eat right away. I know that the joy and relief a $20 bill could provide them vs. me is much greater, and I in turn take pleasure in that.
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#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good idea. What do you think I can do when I'm on a train and there is nothing I can do but to give money? That where I get to hear most of the touchy stories.
Everyone has a story. It might be you another time so be respectful but if required be polite but firm and refuse. If its a train they will move on to the next person/carriage. If they are telling you a story, then take the lead and ask them questions. Such as they want to go home, well tell me about home. Your parents, your brothers or sisters. The cute girl in the coffee shop who you went to school with. Tell me ab…
I'm not sure I'll have the courage to speak. For example, one lady claims that her daughter got injured in a terrorist attack and for years now she is undergoing expensive medical treatments. I see this lady pretty often on the train. No way I'm going to ask her about her life.
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#83I give to street performers. I don't give to random people sitting on the sidewalk asking for money.
There is a courtyard right out front of my office building. It attracts all sorts of people, probably because it is "downtown" and right by a main exit from the underground train. Most of them just sit around smoking pot, being loud & making a mess. There are at least 5 trash cans positioned around this courtyard... yet these vagabonds just throw their crap on the ground. Not having a home is no excuse for not being a decent human being. I don't give money to them.
On some days people come to perform. Sometimes it is a band that is trying to sell their home made CDs. Sometimes it is just a guy playing bucket drums. I give to them on occasion. I'll give money to a guy playing bucket drums before I give to a guy sitting with an overturned hat and a sign.
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#84The replies on this thread make me sad. I've been homeless, sleeping rough under bushes and on building sites. I was homeless for over 2 years when I was much younger. I begged on a few occasions, perhaps 3-4 days in total. The rest of the time I attempted to earn money however I could (minus the dodgy offers I received to give blow jobs for toast and butter and other sexual services). When I begged I did it because…
Thank you for sharing. I will probably use your advice. Sometimes. And other times, I think it's still better to offer food, blanket or a ticket instead of money, just as people expressed here. At least I won't wonder if I gave someone money for his next dose of drugs.
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#85I give to street performers. I don't give to random people sitting on the sidewalk asking for money. There is a courtyard right out front of my office building. It attracts all sorts of people, probably because it is "downtown" and right by a main exit from the underground train. Most of them just sit around smoking pot, being loud & making a mess. There are at least 5 trash cans positioned around this courtyard... y…
I do that too. I like street performers and sometimes even wish there would be more (not poor, of course). They make the place much nicer. Sometimes the music is even great. I don't have problems with those, they earn their money.
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#86I give to street performers. I don't give to random people sitting on the sidewalk asking for money. There is a courtyard right out front of my office building. It attracts all sorts of people, probably because it is "downtown" and right by a main exit from the underground train. Most of them just sit around smoking pot, being loud & making a mess. There are at least 5 trash cans positioned around this courtyard... y…
I do that too. I like street performers and sometimes even wish there would be more (not poor, of course). They make the place much nicer. Sometimes the music is even great. I don't have problems with those, they earn their money.
In my case I was devastated by natural disaster, leaving me with challenging anti-social obligations.
When I am not worse off than the homeless or domestically compromised, I still help the ones whom I am personally acquainted with, providing cash sometimes or rides in my vehicle.
There are numerous needy individuals I encounter regularly and they are not always worse off than me.
With needy strangers, until I am out of debt or at least have positive cash flow, I can usually be honest, and get an honest reaction when I ask if they have lost everything. If so, it's easy to relate how I'm looking forward to working 12hours a day, 7days a week for a couple years so that I will recover well enough to then have nothing myself.
For someone who is truly homeless, it's usually easy for them to understand that I am non-domestic myself, plus it takes a lot to keep a vehicle on the road so I really don't have anything to spare sensibly.
Since I'm older than most, the sensible beggar recognizes he may be worse off in my position.
This year I often have food with me when I am driving, so I sometimes can share some of my rations or occasionally even have surplus to give.
I am a surplus-seeking individual. My entire (ruined) operation was built with recycled or surplus materials.
One man gathers what another man spills.
I don't plan to beg on the street, I'll learn how to accept financial help from a capitalist instead, and I'm not looking for a donation unless a venture turns out to be a non-profit org. Otherwise I'll make them as much return as they prefer.
But it has to be a generous capitalist with surplus funds to combine with my surplus technology, then we fly. The same backing from a greedy partner could only offer further deficit for me, may still get off the ground but not true flight with that baggage.
I look forward to the time when I can once again exersize my generosity to a greater degree. __________
- now you're considering street performers while I was typing, so I'll post this here. Don't think I'll do that either unless I finally lose critical mass of industrial surplus which could happen any time, but looks like I've got a better chance singing for my supper at my favorite restaurant than I would in the street, which is illegal here except in the (uncrowded) museum district with a very restrictive permit.
sorry this message turned out to be so personal, hope it helps anyway, this one hit "home"