I used to give money to bums - now i don't

the reasons for this are a few times when I did not have change the cheeky fucking junkies would slag me off as if it was some how their right that i give them money for their fucking skag and also there used to be some deaf spastic in Cambridge who'd always bum money off everyone till I saw him shortly after he had limped up to me asking for change - which I gave - walking about normally and chatting normally to another down and out. Next time I saw him I told him to fuck off and pointed out to him that I knew he was faking and that I knew he could hear everything I was saying.
He kept it up though (I imagine he was surrounded by regulars and didn't want his cover blown) and several people I was with thought I was a total cunt until they discovered I was right some weeks later.

I know not all 'panhandlers'(I like this expression) will be such cunts and some can't help the position they've found themselves in but I'm afraid the fucking twats have ruined it for the rest. I'm keeping my twenty five pence and giving it to the busker who's at least doing something for the money.

If you're worried about your money going on stuff you don't want to sponsor (be it skag or scotch eggs), or to people who might be misrepresenting themselves, you could always choose to give money to a homeless charity.

Over here, you can donate to Shelter with a fixed direct debit of just £5 a month, for example. I have to admit that I am not the best at researching charities - I have a friend used to work a bit in this area and he can be quite scathing over some of the financial waste that he witnessed - but the information is all there if you want to make an informed decision. In the UK, charities are required to make publicly available their financial statements. Here're Shelter's. Having had a quick look, I'm fairly impressed with the depth of information available (the expenses breakdown is far more detailed than for a non-listed company). Without knowing more about the sector and descriptions, though, I still cannot get a handle on how well donations have been spent.

I digress. But worth looking up if you're interested.

I'll give a busker money.

Dudes begging on the street is sad but, in the UK, uneccessary. We have a pretty good benefits system and whilst it may not leave much room for luxuries, it means that you don't have to beg to live.

I'm happy to pay my taxes to help out those in difficult circumstances but I feel that giving cash to beggers is like helping them feed some sort of habit.

Andrew L. wrote:Maybe it's a "Canadian thing," but 9 of 10 times I don't give someone money, responding "sorry I can't" or whatever, the response is a sincere "thanks anyways." Really. Panhandlers around here are polite when you don't give them money.

It certainly seemed that way in Toronto, the same did not apply when I went to Vancouver, some right arseholes there.

There was an interesting series on panhandlers in the nytimes back in the early 90's. Basically the reporter profiled some famous pan handlers such as the guy who had the raw/bloody leg which he created using a fork.

anyway, most of them were obviously mentally unstable, some had drug problems and a few, but not a huge percentage were scammers who lived in a house and all. seems kind of like a crappy job to me.

anyway, he ended the article with one of those "knowing what I know now, what would I do?" type of questions. His answer? He'd still give money.

I can't do nothin for ya man.

I make a point to carry around a couple extra pieces of fruit and some clif bars to give out to those who ask for money. I have a strong desire to help people in need but as a 5 foot 3 inch woman I don't necessarily feel comfortable whipping my wallet out at all times and in all places.

As a rule I take leftovers from restaurants and pass that food out as well. There is no need for food to go to waste when folks are hungry.


As far as scams go, I remember settling in for a long wait at a train station and noticing some teenaged kids hanging out. Most were just talking to one another about this concert they were going to but one of them just randomly started asking the white people coming off the train, "you got any money?" "You got any money?" I saw so many flustered people feel obligated to hand the kid money and he was clearly trying to see what he could get away with.

He saw that I was watching him and kinda laughed and stopped asking people for cash.

On the one hand I could see how it's tempting for teenagers to see exactly what they could get away with. And despite the fact that he was this cute little non-threatening kid I think that the fact that he was black and they were white threw them off. So maybe they were dealing with their own issues about race and public places and money or whatever but he was clearly messing with them.

On the other hand, he made no attempt to fool anyone about what he was doing. There was no story that he was spinning. He didn't try to look sad or destitute. I don't really think that this was a scam. I think he was just shamelessly asking for cash.

Like I said, I would have handed him an apple but he didn't ask me for anything.

noise&light wrote:I make a point to carry around a couple extra pieces of fruit and some clif bars to give out to those who ask for money.

I carry dog biscuits for when i see friendly doggies





I like dogs

Never to junkies. Average junky probably goes through twice as much money as I do everyday. That includes my rent, food, etc. At the end of the day junky is still homeless, malnourished, etc. I've made no difference in his life. Might as well just make out a check to the CIA.

For everyone else I try to decide on a case to case basis. Go with my gut.

There are two types of panhandlers that are serious crap though.

The first is the kind that can't recognize a guy with no money. If you, the panhandler, have better clothes and shoes than I do, don't ask me for any fucking money. Nothing bums me out like being constantly reminded that I can't even spare a little change.

The second is the really lazy kind. If I'm walking down the street it's usually because I'm going somewhere, and there's a good chance I'm late. These guys (often kids) just lay up against buildings and yell at everyone passing by, expect you stop what you are doing and come to them. When you don't they're all indignant with a whiny "come on man" if they don't just tell you to fuck off. For these people I'd prefer nature run it's course.

Not crap.

I'll always give at least a little bit of money to panhandlers if I've got it, and I really don't care what they spend it on. Chances are, if they're buying drugs, they're buying harder ones or larger quantities than I am. They could use the extra cash.

A few weeks ago, however, giving money to a panhandler was CRAP. There's always a few guys around the liquor store I go to, and usually they're pretty polite about asking for extra change and what not. So one dude confronts me when I'm heading inside, and I told him I'd be happy to give him whatever change I get from my purchase. I made the buy and walk out realizing that I only got about a nickel back (they rock!) from the bill I paid with. So I go in my wallet and find a dollar to give the guy. Another bum, who is a lot younger, sees me giving the guy the dollar and runs over to me and asks me for money. Now this was honestly my last dollar, and I tell him this, but he begins to give me one of his panhandler raps. I looked in my car and managed to dig up about fifty cents to give him. He just looked at me disgustedly and walks away. Then he murmured, "I hate you fucking Georgia Tech kids."

This pissed me off. I gave him FIFTY CENTS! That is a lot of money to be paid for NOT DOING A GODDAMN THING! And I do not attend the Georgia Institute of Technology! I listened to this dude's spiel about getting four open-heart surgeries, I spent five minutes looking through my car, and this guy gives me shit for it! Not cool!