Have you ever given money to a beggar / street person?

I was coming back from watching World Cup qualifiers at the bar tonight & a guy asked me for some change. I would normally just keep wallking because I think giving money to people who beg just makes them keep begging but for some reason - maybe the six beers I had - I stopped and gave him some money. I guess I felt good about myself for a minute but I think I'm gonna be angry when I see him again some time, still bothering people because he knows that he will get enough money to make it worth his while. What would you do?

I have not and most likely will not ever give my money to a beggar.

I saw a woman begging, and she had two young children. I gave her everything in my pocket, and I kinda felt neutral afterwards - I felt good for helping the family, but annoyed that the woman would use her children to get money.

Also, I once saw a beggar with a dog, so I gave him some dog food.

I've done it before. Mostly so they stop bothering me. Sometimes because they might be in some real need of help, and sometimes it helps me so I don't have to carry a bunch of change on me.

yes i have

Yes, especially to older beggars.

No. I give them food/something to drink direcly, I don't wanna support their addictions and habits. Like for example if there is a beggar outside of some fastfood place I might spare a bit of my soda/fries/pizza and give it to them.

I do on occasions or if they have a health or mental problem then i do. Sometimes i see people in Vancouver that beg for money but they are not homeless. They wear ok clothes and look like they showered that morning. I get upset when people do that.

I've done it plenty of times, usually to every one of them I see. I once gave up the money I needed to buy dinner that night to them; incidentally it was in Vancouver as well, I suppose it has a bit of a reputation for its homeless problem.

yes I have but in hindsight next time I do something like that I will go into a fast food place and buy them some food rather than just hand them cash. also I will grab a job app for them while I am in there.

not since a few years ago when i threw at coin across the street to a tramp, overthrew it and smacked him on the head

he wasnt impressed to say the least

I gave money to a homeless guy once in my city centre and when he smiled I saw that he had a gold tooth... never again.

One sunny day, I had two dollars in my hand while waiting for a bus ($1 bus ride) and a beggar came up and asked if I had any change to spare, I gave him my extra dollar, he didn't say "Thank you", he pointed at my remaining dollar and asked "What about that one?", I got red in the face and yelled, "That's my bus fare!!!!", then he said "Ok, sorry, thank you sir". I was sooooo peeved, I haven't given any money to one since, but I have handed out cigarettes instead (back when I was a smoker).

I do it whenever I have change on me. When I was working I would occasionally give out singles, but now I'm broke so I really need them. I personally don't get people who get bent out of shape over it. My view is that I'm pretty lucky in the long run and I have so much crap I don't need, so what's the big deal about giving out some change to people who aren't as fortunate as me? That, and if there were no beggars that would mean employment was at 0% and that would drive down wages. Part of the reason you make as much as you do is because of people who don't work, so I see not giving them change as being just as bad as not tipping a waitress. They're providing a service and not demanding for that service, the least people can do is be a little charitable.

I do it whenever I have change on me. When I was working I would occasionally give out singles, but now I'm broke so I really need them. I personally don't get people who get bent out of shape over it. My view is that I'm pretty lucky in the long run and I have so much crap I don't need, so what's the big deal about giving out some change to people who aren't as fortunate as me? That, and if there were no beggars that would mean employment was at 0% and that would drive down wages. Part of the reason you make as much as you do is because of people who don't work, so I see not giving them change as being just as bad as not tipping a waitress. They're providing a service and not demanding for that service, the least people can do is be a little charitable.

theone86

This..exactly

I came into this topic all fired up to post what I thought, but this sums it up nicely.
If you are in position to help people, why not do it...those few dollars will not mean much to you, but they could mean the world to someone else.

I have never regretted tipping too much, but I have regretted tipping too little.

Nope. I only donate to causes, charities, and my savings account. :D

Lilyanne46

Same!

Yes of course.

But now that I have moved to a much larger city (for a year now almost), seeing beggars is like expected in every corner of a busy street, so you end up avoiding to give them otherwise you'll have spent a good 10 euros every day just giving beggars your change.

Yea, not too long ago I gave some guy 1 or 2 euros...not sure how much. And some time ago I wanted to give this accordion player at the train station some money, but before I could put it in he asked me for a cigarette, so I gave him one.

Twice. One time in Chicago there were these 4 dudes bucket drumming and it was really cool, so I dropped a few bucks in the dish. The second time, there was an old man on a bench, so I dropped some spare change in. I think I gave it to the wrong homeless guy though because not even 10 ft away, there was a blind and crippled homeless man. I think he could've benefitted more from the money than the other guy.

as long as there not drunks, i gave 3 bucks one time to this guy and he walked straight into a pub i was pissed, but i've also helped people that are really in need. I remember when i was young, there was a family that was homeless and he came into my mothers old cubsn resturant and asked for some food for his children and offered his piano for payment, but my mom said no and gave him and his kids food. Then 6 months later im there by my self taking orders and i saw the same man leave me a 100 dollar tip.Javieralijandro

I didn't think they actually existed

Yes I have. There were tons around my college campus. They always thought of the greatest stories.

No.

I'm scared of beggers...

One time I gave a couple of sodas to a couple of children Vietnam. I didn't have any money on me and there were a lot of beggers and little children asking for money and selling what I believe to be tickets. It was pretty sad because the majority of the families there didn't have a good enough job to substain themselves.

Heh, nooope. I see them alot whenever i'm in Boston too.