What do you say to panhandlers who ask for money?

Discussion in 'Finance' started by ELOrocks17, Jul 12, 2011.

  1. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    Seeing this topic seems to be centered around the issue of schizophrenia, I might state that I was actually misdiagnosed with this illness many years ago when I was around 15 years old. I had depression as well, and my counselor had me on medication for the depression and also medication for the schizophrenia.
    Neither medication did anything for me - I was on the highest dose of my depression meds and that didn't stop me from another suicide attempt. Eventually, I simply learned to cope on my own.

    I was on medication for schizophrenia for around two years before I was finally weaned off. It was awhile before anyone realised that I didn't actually have it.

    It's still on my medical file though. Every time I go to the doctor its there, on the screen. Its very difficult to get that misdiagnosis removed. Its not a matter of saying you just don't have it, you have to prove it. They know I don't have it, but still won't remove it from my record.

    So I guess if I can be misdiagnosed, anyone can. It probably is a very difficult illness to diagnose, which is why we need to have psychiatrists who know what they are talking about, and who will actually investigate properly before just throwing a pill packet at someone.
     
  2. ELOrocks17

    ELOrocks17 New Member

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    You should say "Yeah..I sure do..thanks for asking" and then just walk away. If they get rude, just tell em that they didnt ask for it..they just asked if i had any..
     
  3. liberalminority

    liberalminority Well-Known Member

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    agreed but they like family physicians make more money with prescriptions as opposed to surgeons or other physicians who have to perform procedures so they are easily influenced to make a misdiagnosis to throw pill packets.

    would add to an argument for tort reform.
     
  4. ELOrocks17

    ELOrocks17 New Member

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    I work downtown..so i see alot of panhandlers and homeless walking the street..one thing that unnerves me is how thet all raid the ashtrays for cigarette butts..even ones with lipstick on em...ewww..
     
  5. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    I know a guy who fishes through the bins for old cans and bottles. You get 5 - 10c per can/bottle, so I guess this is how he earns a little extra money.

    I've known people to pick up old cig butts and smoke them. Disgusting.
     
  6. Albert Di Salvo

    Albert Di Salvo New Member

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    When did you meet Obama?
     
  7. sherp

    sherp New Member

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    Out here in Sin City, these poor folk stand on the Medium Strip. I give them a buck and say "Take care of yourself".
    Faith, Hope and Charity but the greatest of these is Charity. Bible
     
  8. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    Why give them money when they won't use it to better themselves? They'll just waste it.
     
  9. Albert Di Salvo

    Albert Di Salvo New Member

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    What do you say to a panhandler who asks for money?

    Hello Mr. President.
     
  10. frodly

    frodly Well-Known Member

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    What do you say when some one tells an incredibly unfunny joke?
     
  11. Pasithea

    Pasithea Banned at Members Request Past Donor

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    Never had a panhandler ask me for cigs and even if they did I don't smoke so I wouldn't have any to offer.

    When they ask me for money I instead offer to buy them a burger and a drink (non alcoholic). If they insist on just getting money I tell them I have no change.

    I don't mind helping people out if I know it's not going to support their bad habits.

    Should always be careful of who you give money to. My brother told me he used to go to a ton of gas stations and ask people for gas money. It took him 3 hours to get about $150 and then he'd go and buy a gram of black tar heroine to smoke. So yeah. Who knows who's habit you're supporting by just handing out cash. I think this is one instance where I wish people hadn't been so generous.
     
  12. youenjoyme420

    youenjoyme420 New Member

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    If I have a single or two (occasionally a 5), ill give it to them, and I won't deny them a cig.

    Why give it to them if they won't use it to better themselves? I dont care if they use it to better themselves. If buying booze with it makes there lives on the street more tolerable, then go for it.
     
  13. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    What if those people are on welfare, and your handing over a ciggie is keeping them in the public purse?
     
  14. Albert Di Salvo

    Albert Di Salvo New Member

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    You laugh any way because you are afraid of what he might do if you fail to demonstrate approval of his humor. :)
     
  15. HillBilly

    HillBilly New Member Past Donor

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    :mrgreen: ELOrocks here's what I did ... and it worked real well .

    I worked with a guy years ago that was just the biggest bum you ever saw , like you said , the bum was always asking for a cigarette or for $50.00 dollars , just to tide him over 'till payday , ya know ??? and he made more money than I did ... and I had kids to feed , but he was a nice guy , and I had to work with him , ya know ? and he always paid me back ....

    but anyway , I digress ...sorry ... anyway ...

    I broke him from bumming cigs by offering him a Kent Light 100 ... worst tasting cigarette there is ... yuk ...
     
  16. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    My neighbor used to come and ask me for money. I thought she was having a rough trot and couldn't afford the groceries.

    I found out the real reason she was always broke - she was gambling the money away and smoking like a chimney.
     
  17. PatrickT

    PatrickT Well-Known Member

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    Not many liberals believe in charity.

    I give away a lot of my money. I'm retired now. I never give anything to drunks or junkies and simply say, "No." I've had a few who didn't accept a "no" and wanted to argue. I'll argue but I won't give them money.

    I will give money to poor families that need help. I was also contacted by a man in a filling station. He was wearing a suit and tie but the white shirt had seen better days and had frayed cuffs and collar. He said he had a job interview in a neighboring town but needed gas for his car. I bought him gas, gave him money for a haircut, and enough to get a hamburger before the interview. A friend with me said I was a sucker and I shrugged and said, "It's my money, isn't it?"

    My problem is my money that's taken and given to deadbeats to buy votes. Screw them.
     
  18. Dorkay Winthra

    Dorkay Winthra New Member

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    ^I'm sure it would be far more respectable for all Americans to buy our own politician instead.

    People that receive any kind of assistance should instead take the 'business friendly, economy boosting' panhandler life style to greet potential customers as they approach a business?
    Gee they couldn't help with election costs and all they had was a not so super vote to give so now they are begging to survive. No assistance for them but maybe at least we know they can be armed.

    I like the idea of living in a nation that softens the edges of the troubles people face that for whatever reasons aren't able to finance what they need to survive. It can't be a matter of individual Americans needing to approve or judge individual choices, (but it can become that way when you're confronted with a panhandler) It's knowing there will always be a need and that no matter where the source of charity is coming from, (government or private) it helps the community, including the people who aren't in need of the services, to help the people.
     
  19. bee

    bee New Member

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    Wow what a bump in my email. :smile:

    I'm a registered nurse now, since I last replied, and I've seen things that make me glad I'm able to give.

    Bee
     
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  20. tkolter

    tkolter Well-Known Member

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    As a Busker we are not BEGGARS the arts of street performing go back in historical accounts for many centuries Cleopatra hired them entertain Roman dignitaries and Benjamin Franklin in a letter noted "performers were around the city singing, playing instruments and acting for coin" when the Constitutional Convention was held. Lowly or gifted or in between we earn our money and no one is forced to give us tips. So if he is frumpy and clean he would be respected by me as a hobo musician would have been in the Great Depression.

    I tip one to I know its professional respect and in my city its legal to sidewalk perform its not soliciting if some small rules are followed.

    Do I give money to panhandlers, no I don't.
     
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  21. Bezukhov

    Bezukhov Active Member

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    Sometimes yes, many times no. If it is someone younger than me I tend to refuse, if they are much older than me I give them a break. The ones who are honest and tell me they need a drink are always welcomed, if I can spare it. I remember one Saturday afternoon sitting on a bench listening to a Red Sox game. I was approached by some guy who admitted he was having the shakes, and could I pitch in for a half pint of vodka. Sure I said, only if you also pick up a 6 pack and a half pint for me. Believe it or not he came through, and we listened to the game and we got drunk together and shared some sandwiches I made.

    One thing I can't stand is this. I don't own a car, so I either walk or ride a bike. But don't you know many times that I have walked past a gas station and some reject comes over and asks me to give him some money for fuel. I always answer "Wow! You own a car? You must be rich! I wish I could afford a car."
     
  22. Zo0tie

    Zo0tie New Member

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    I depends. But I always try to be polite. A real destitute person may have little left but his feeling of self worth and to take that from by being rude would be theft. If I'm short on cash or feel he doesn't need it I say, "Thank you, but no." If I feel he really needs it I'll give him change from my pocket and wish him good luck. Sometimes I'll commiserate with his bad fortune, hear out his story, and remember that here but for luck and fortune go I. There's a lot of that around today. And sometimes, rarely, I get a feeling. It's hard to explain. Although I'm not a believer I remember a line in the bible about unknowingly entertaining angels. Anyway at that point I'll open my wallet and give them enough for a meal. It's not my responsibility to see if he/she uses it for food instead of booze or drugs. That I wisely leave up to him/her and the forces of the cosmos.
     
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  23. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    I had someone ask me for 2$ because he was hungry, he was in a sorry state I thought how can I refuse this man food?..since 2$ won't buy an adult a meal I offered to buy him a full meal at a street vendor...he was surprised at my offer and agreed but when I went to the vendor he had walked away, it wasn't food he was after it was drugs or alcohol....
     
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  24. AndrogynousMale

    AndrogynousMale Active Member

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    I volunteer at the local soup kitchen and while most of the people there are good people who are down on their luck, there's many that just smoke, drink, and (*)(*)(*)(*) their life away.

    There's one man in particular in his 70's who used to beg me for rides. I felt like an ass if I didn't, so I would give him a few rides a week. Eventually the soup kitchen manager told me to quit doing it as it was against the rules for volunteers to be giving rides to those who ate there. Trying to ween this guy off of asking me for car rides took a great deal of work. It was like he was addicted to handouts. He also would try to bum cigarettes off of others and then sell them to people like me, even though he gets government assistance in the form of $500 a month.

    Many of the ones like him are also very pushy and want all the volunteers to cater to them. It says a lot about their state of mind and their inability to be grateful that there's people even willing to feed them and give them the time of day. Sadly, people like that are their own worst enemy, and enabling isn't going to bring them out of their misery. They have to find the right mindset to do it.

    Yesterday, there was a man causing trouble there and the cops were called on him just as I was leaving (I was only eating, not working). Unfortunately, there's a lot of scumbaggery that goes on around there, but I stick around cause I like to help the honest folks who actually are hungry and looking for a meal to feed their family.
     
  25. ctarborist

    ctarborist Banned

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    I usually invite them and their family to my house on tueday nights for dinner and a bible study. in the past 4 yrs. Ive had 3 that took us up on the offer.
     

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