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Giving money to bums
Is it wrong that I refuse and pretend I have no change on me?
I mean yes I know, homelessness, etc., but I've been taught that often times bums will just use the money for illegal substances.
There's the idea that I could give food instead, but even with that, if said bum is in an area I frequent, there's the possibility that they'll abuse my kindness and nag me for food every time they see me.
Comments
So basically, "I don't wanna do these things because homeless people might abuse it."
?
I normally just straight up tell them that I don't want to throw away my money on them.
Which has led to some interesting variety of reactions, but nothing new really.
I usually mostly lie when the only change I have is change that I need for a bus.
I had a woman approach me and I gave her a few cents.
I feel that I was obligated to, and it probably helps that I was sitting in a Porsche at the time.
I am a bit sketchy about giving the homeless money, for the above stated reasons. While not quite as efficient, I feel safer giving to charities dedicated to helping the homeless because then at least you know what exactly the money's being used for.
I keep five dollars worth of ones in my wallet most of the time in case somebody needs money. Granted if I spot somebody going around a parking lot/lobby/common area asking multiple people for bus fare after getting some money I will avoid them.
I just tend to give them whatever loose money I have floating around in my wallet, so long as it's not a twenty dollar note or something.
I'd just feel terribly guilty not giving them what I could just because they might use it for drugs or whatever.
Helps that there's no homeless people living near where I live in this town, so I only see homeless people when I go to Sydney.
Also, Swype is gonna take me a while to get used to...
Understandable. It's a problematic situation all around (well, duh, this is homelessness we're talking about), because, if it turns out that they are going to use this money for drugs, that would just make their situation worse, unless their withdrawal symptoms are already fatally threatening, in which case a more involved intervention is necessary. With that said, I'd probably offer up loose change, if I had it, but I would rather give food, if I had that. But of course, then a conflict arises, like Raydere said in the OP, that they might see you again and ask for more. Again, problematic situation all around.
Another good compromise would be to donate to a charity that aids the homeless.
Luckily, I've never had to deal with homeless people like this. In fact, I don't know if I've ever observed a homeless person except through a car window on the way to some other thing I/my parents have to do.
I would not be able to keep walking, it would nag on me all day.
It's like a more serious version of when I walk past buskers. I always feel like I should drop money for them, and when I don't, I feel guilty.
Well, the thing is, on the few occasions when I've been in a place with homeless people begging, there have just been so many of them that they all kind of blur together, and I can't give money to just one, but I can't give money to all of them.
?
People who sit on the side of streets playing music, with an instrument case or something open in front of them for people to drop money into.
The term includes other kinds of street performers as well I think. Though musicians are the most common for sure.
There's a methadone clinic in the street were I live, so I feel very little guilt for refusing them. The fun of living in the same city for most of your life is that you actually know some bums by name and addiction. Besides, homeless people get an allowance from the gubbermint over here.
jugglers and comedians count as buskers, too, yeah
also fun fact: every single hollywood star you know has been a busker
I think it does, but the only people I have seen besides musicians have not been looking for money.
Toronto has a Buskerfest which is mostly non-musical, and...yeah other than that I've very rarely seen non-musical buskers.
Huh. Didn't know there was that term for them. I just called 'em street performers.
I think street performers covers everyone who performs on a street, while busker refers specifically to someone who does it for money.
I usually feel guilty and end up giving them anyway. Nowadays, as member of the unemployed masses, I feel even guiltier for I can no longer afford to give them what little I have.
I've had some odd run-ins with bums.
One was more concerned that I didn't read some sob story (read: TL;DR, the print was small as fuck) that he wrote on a slate of pizza box cardboard. He started going on some massive rant about how he used to believe in God, but after having been brutalized by mobs of thug youngsters and even raped (!!) by other bums for the past 10 years, he's convinced there's no such thing.
"I don't know why you punks don't find it in your heart to just kill me." He said.
I tell him "Have a nice night anyway, sir."
"Impossible. Stupid kid."
I regret giving him those fifty cents.
I prefer to just do stuff for the shelters anyone getting back on their feet would be going to. This part of the state has really bad meth and pot problems, and in Eugene in particular it's not uncommon to see a panhandler showing you a big cloud of exactly what he's spending his money on.
There was also that time one of them tried to get donations by claiming he was a zen priest while wearing a pasteboard collar.
I don't see beggars here in Singapore, but I do see wheelchair-bound folks selling packets of tissue paper for a dollar. I buy from them a lot, so I end up with much more tissue paper than I can use. Sometimes I try to just leave them money and not take the paper, but they tend to force it on me.
One day I'll try to just give them the coin and run like the devil.
I think that might end up making them feel bad.
Turned out I gave a completely different guy change - a non homeless man - and the homeless guy was still outside
So I essentially confused the fuck out of a guy with aggressive kindness
So yeah...
If it's someplace that I won't be coming back to for a very long time, then *maybe* I'll give something. I'm not going to get taken advantage of.
I see homeless people all the time. Whether I give them money depends on my whims, really. Sometimes I give them some spare change, and sometimes just ignore them (though I usually end up feeling like shit later).
I usually give them a bit of change.