Should I give money to  a beggar on the street?
409612
"There's a man standing on the corner \nWith a sign sayin "will work for food"\nYou know the man \nYou see him every morning\nThe one you never give your money to\nYou can sit there with your window rolled up\nWondering when the lights going to turn green\nNever knowing what a couple more bucks \nIn his pocket might mean\n\nWhat if he's an angel sent here from Heaven\nAnd he's making certain that you're doing your best\nTo take the time to help one another\nBrother are you going to pass that test\nYou can go on with your day to day\nTrying to forget what you saw in his face\nKnowing deep down it could have been his saving grace\nWhat if he's an angel\n\nThere's a man\nThere's a woman\nLiving right above you in apartment G\nThere's alot of noise coming from the ceiling\nAnd it don't sound like harmony\nYou can sit there with your TV turned up\nWhile the words and his anger fly\nCome tomorrow when you see her with her shades on\nCan you look her in the eye\n\nWhat if she's sent here from heaven\nAnd she's making certain that you're doing your best\nTo take the time to help one another\nBrother are you going to pass that test\nYou can go on with your day to day\nTrying to forget what you saw in her face\nKnowing deep down it could have been her saving grace\nWhat if she's an angel\n\nA little girl on daddy's lap\nHiding her disease with a baseball cap\nYou can turn the channel\nMost people do\nBut what if you were sitting in her daddy's shoes\n\nMaybe she's an angel\nSent here from Heaven\nAnd she's making certain you're doing your best\nTo take the time to help one another\nBrother are you going to pass that test\nYou can go on with your day to day\nTrying to forget what you saw in her face\nKnowing deep down it could have been her saving grace\nWhat if she's an angel"
1064238
Helped someone much less fortunate than myself. You should do this every day. The world would be a much better place and it would cost you nothing but your time. Of course, for it to be meaningful you should not tell anyone else of your efforts. If you advertise your generosity you are doing it for yourself, not the other person.
1079734
If you could give examples of the mooching it would be better.\n\nAnyway, be firm yet fair.  Don't give in about letting your money go.  Let the person know, in no uncertain terms, that you are not a money tree and that they can not keep coming to you.\n\nIf you go out to eat with the person, ask for separate bills in advance.  Only pay for your self.
645450
Sorry, but I work for my own money. And thanks to the levels of freedom in this country, I can do what I like with it. And that includes giving it away to your version of an unworthy cause.\n\nHave you ever talked to a homeless person? Or some teenager on the street begging for quarters? Do you know what kind of shame and embarassment these people have to endure every time they have to look someone in the eyes and ask 'Any spare change mister?'\n\nAnd despite popular belief, homeless people, and kids living on the street are not just too lazy to get a job, they are not just too stubborn to do what they are told and go back home to live with their parents (for the kids). Not everyone who is homeless chooses to be homeless. Have you ever heard a 6 year old kid in an elementary grade class telling his teacher that he wants to grow up to be a homeless person, begging on the street to earn a living? I never have, and I doubt that anyone else has either. People don't want to be poor, they don't want to be homeless, they don't want to go to food banks, soup kitchens or beg for change either. But it's something that these people have to do in order to earn a living. Most of them are NOT alcoholics or drug dependant either.\n\nSo, get a job, go on welfare or something? Yeah, nice idea. But a little known fact about social assistance is that you have to already have an address to get some money. How do you pay rent with no money?? And how do you apply for a job when you have no address, no telephone for them to reach you? It's hard enough just to stay clean, considering that you don't have access to a shower or anything like that. Have you ever wanted to work with someone that smelled like old garbage? Probably not.\n\nHave you ever thought of what you might do if both of your parents were killed in a car accident? What if you had no other family to go live with? At 16 years old, could you fend for yourself? Or what if your parents didn't die. What if instead, they split up and neither of them wanted you? Then your mother moves across the country and leaves you with your 'dad'. He gets sick of your shitty attitude almost right away and kicks you out on the street because you're too much trouble to deal with. Without ever having graduated from high school, what do you do now?\n\nAside from that, there are plenty of homeless people that have become criminalized just to prevent themselves from freezing to death in the winter. I actually met a man who would commit a petty crime every year around October just so that he would have a warm bed and daily meals inside a prison for the winter months. But he wasn't a criminal. He did those things because he didn't have access to any other way to keep himself alive. He didn't know how to make the government programs work for him rather than against him. And with a criminal record, it became near impossible for him to get any kind of job, even one paying minimum wage.\n\nWith many cities making anti-panhandling legislation, even asking someone for spare change has become a criminal act. Do you realize that it is a crime to be poor? People treat you like dirt almost everywhere you go, and you develop a nasty suspicion that every time the police are around, they are there to do something to hurt you. Besides, you really think that it makes sense to give someone a fine for pan-handling when the reason they do it is that they already have no money?? What kind of sense does that make?\n\nAs for fining people that give poor people money, that is also an unfair idea. It's not against the law for you to give your money to the Heart & Stroke Foundation is it? Who has the right to say what I should consider worthy of my hard-earned money more than I do?? Hopefully nobody!\n\nAnd take some free advice: take an afternoon, walk down the streets where some homeless guy has had the nerve to bother you looking for a handout and take a minute to TALK TO
118093
no..ive asked my preacher about this cause ive been through the same thing and they just want your money and its wrong of them to use jesus ...theres plentey of people who will pray for free..they are evil people who do that..don't trust anyone who asks for money..i'll pray for  you and im sure many others will
281763
I'd prefer that they use the money for food, clothing, shelter, toiletries etc. Someone suggested giving out $5 fast food gift certificates instead of money and that sounds like a great idea.\n\nI certainly don't like to encourage harmful habits but out of sympathy for their psychological plight--since I know they may face hopelessness and despair-- I give to provide any kind of comfort and support I can in a hard world.\n\nYes, I do sometimes give money to the homeless knowing they will likely buy booze.
244066
Are you asking for money?  I'm confused.
402054
When i was in Washington D.C. I gave a homeless man my $100 dollars spending money. Instead of spending it on something that would probably rot my teeth or brain. I gave it to him, because i knew he was much worse off, and needed it more then i did. and if he was lying, well who am I to judge, God will do that in the end. I was just doing my part and being nice.
972346
Totally man - do both. Blackmail her into giving you cash and her body, lets face it she is of low morale fibre anyway. Nevermind your friend he would thank you for it. These little ladies that are replying don't realise you are dong it for his own good as a favour to him. Imprgnate her and tell him it's his - you'll make him so happy.
425182
i will not consider this till my pocket allows. I will like to give him/her the best, i can. \n\nThe money can be earned again and again, but friends can't be. Whether they are there for you, otherwise not. No other option.
707792
If Oprah gave me a thousand dollars to pay it forward, just indeed, I would give it to someone who needed it.  I am working and to be honest, a thousand dollars isn't something tempting enough for me to keep. :)
184881
I think, as many people here have pointed out, that it's wise to be very cautious when people contact you requesting money. There are a lot of scams going on out there and the Internet makes it easier for the person contacting you to hide his or her identity.\n\nOn the other hand, using payment sites is pretty safe so if I felt that the person contacting me was genuine, I would make a small donation. There are so many people in the streets asking for money, and giving the money to them is no "safer" than doing so online. \n\nFor example, if someone approaches you and asks for bus fare to visit his sick mother, you don't know that that's true just because you can see their face. \n\nSo, donating online doesn't really make that much of a difference to me, I guess it all comes down to how a person feels about giving money in general.\n\nHope this helps
789294
I would prefer the cash thx lol anyway i thnk if it's someone that you have never met then yes.
421825
It depends, but most public servants are not allowed to take money from those they are helping because it is a conflict of interest.\nIt can be misconstrued that they got good service and will continue to get good service only if they "tip" you.
156702
They can average around $20 a day for a few hours "work".  They are usually NOT homeless.  I have heard that many of them refuse offers of work.\n\nMy grandson gave one outside our grocery store his allowance (4 quarters), and when we went to Pizza Hut after\nshopping, we saw him putting the quarters in the arcade game machine.\n\nIf you are planning on begging this way, be aware that there are territorial people (beggars) who will steal your money and beat you up.  There are also mean-spirited thugs who might attack.  In some areas thugs are going around with baseball bats and ruthlessly assaulting "bums".
520220
If I had extra cash and time, I would go buy him/her a sandwich (if they were a nice homeless person- the crazy ones scare me).  \n\nBut, with that said, most of the time, I tend to ignore them (as much as I hate to do so).
1170171
Your friend offers to steal something for you.  Is that all right?  He's not making a profit.  Is that what you are asking?  If you can't afford it, you don't need it.  Stick with the radio for now.