What do you say to panhandlers who ask for money?

Usually, if someone tells me they're hungry and that's why they want money, I'll ask them what they want to eat and I'll go up the street & buy it for them...
Otherwise, I'm real leery about giving people money...
Too many of the folks back home would do that and go buy alcohol, drugs, etc. with it, and I don't want be part of digging a deeper hole for someone who's in that situation...
And we have a lot of panhandlers in the FWB area...
So much so that the local PD have put up signs in the areas the they frequent i.e. lights, that say things like it's illegal to hold up traffic, don't support drug and alcohol habits, and stuff like that... I feel bad for folks sometimes, but, you can't save everybody I guess...

 

Actually, I have really nice neighbors who are fun to be with - but there's 3 I avoid, but if they talk to me, I'm civil - then I'm gone....

 

If it's a war veteran, I'll give them money. Especially Vietnam vets. They were used and then treated like crap when they returned home, especially by hippies and liberals.

 

Yeah, I know .... that's the liberal mentality......

 

Good story and you asked the right person for that one penny, for them to be so good natured and laugh about it......

I was thinking I never gave any $ to a stranger, but remembered bout a yr ago I did. Was leaving the store and there was a young couple, her pregnant and the young guy, who was neat looking, explained they ran out of gas, not enuf $ and asked me if I could help them out. I looked at her baby belly and she looked embarrassed - he didn't look exactly proud himself and said 'sure' - gave them $8 that was in my pocket. The 'I'm out of gas' is a scam, so waited and watched them pull into the gas station at the end of parking lot..... then I was glad I gave it to them..... ordinarily, no. I don't give them $, but will buy them a burger if they say they're hungry.

One time my daughter and I were in Portland - at the stop light, a guy and his dog walked up to our car and asked if we had any $. My generous daughter handed him $5. She turned to me and said "the dog has to eat, Mom"....

 

I like it when they actually do something to deserve my giving them money. If you can play an instrument, then play it. If you can sing, do that. If you have any talent at all, show it off and you are likely to make a fair bit of cash.
There's a guy who busks outside the local supermarkets every week or so. He looks like he's a bit down on his luck, and while I don't much like his voice, he can play the guitar quite well and he turns up, rain, hail or shine, so I always give him a bit of change.

 

Absolutely! Thanks for an excellent reminder of those who are in need...

 

How do you know they are a war veteran though, and not someone dressed up, pretending to be one?

 

Well...I guess that's a risk you just have to take. I will usually give money to homeless or those less fortunate if they ask. I have never given more than $20 to one homeless person on the street. I think it all boils down to personal choice. If you feel you want to give then that's your choice. If you don't then don't feel guilty. I earned my $ so if I want to drop it from a helicopter I will.

Another way to look at it is if it makes you feel good to donate then it can't be all bad right?

 

That reminds me of the time I was asked for money when there was a concert going on.
It was some hippie show, so there were hippies all over the place (naturally). One comes over to me and asks "you got money?" and I told him no.
He goes "Well you look like you do!"

Yeah, I was totally dressed like a robber baron that day. WTF!

 

I buy them a pint if possible: it's what I'd prefer.

 

I prolly would, too...

As long as they're straight up about it...

While I wouldn't want to perpetuate alcoholism or anything like that, I hate being lied to, so if they're honest about it, I might hook em up...

Who can say???

 

Curiously, nobody has ever asked me for money.

 

I would be looking for a new place to live.

 

A woman asked my husband for a cigarette once and he offered her the one he was smoking. I told him that was rude and he said it was rude for her to ask..

 

Feeling uncharacteristically sympathetic, I once gave a fixture at a local intersection $10.00....

a few days later, she was in front of me at the grocery check out line.

Yep...pulled out a huge wad to pay for a carton of smokes, two cases of beer and a half dozen pints of cheap wine.

Never again.

 

Those are the ones that (*)(*)(*)(*) it up for everybody...

 

I give to some polite, non aggressive types, but never to others.

Bums? Are you hobophobic?

 

I apologize and tell them I dont carry money, just credit cards. So far it has only failed once...the guy asked me to go to a 7-11 and buy him a sandwich.

I donate to charities but never ever give money to people on the street. It just encourages them. I used to live in Downtown Denver, so I built up a thick skin to pan handlers.

 

On Sundays I used to go down to the corner and give them a second hand t shirt, a sandwich and a couple of dollars... maybe toothpaste and a brush.

 

Now that I would have done for him - hunger is hunger.

And the Salvation Army is known for feeding the homeless 7 days a week, so know where's it's located, so you can tell them if you don't have the $ or time to get them a sandwich........

 

There was a soup kitchen about 5 blocks away. And like most homeless people in America, he was a little chubby. He was not missing many meals.

 

Well, whatever ... but little chubby people get hungry too...

 

If he's hungry he should go to the soup kitchen and eat.

 

No wonder people are wary of giving money to beggars. You never know what they intend to use the money for.