Do you give money to beggars?

[Drew]

This is a dilemma I face everyday. A couple of disappointing experiences in the past (seeing them using the money I gave to buy a pack of smokes) have made me really cynical about beggars, but more often than not I find myself feeling guilty for ignoring beggars on the street. Mostly because I am aware that I have a comfortable life and that I will always have more than I need.

I've had some pleasant experiences too. Just last Saturday, I was out late and this poor woman was going around the tables asking for money - everyone ignored her as they enjoyed their expensive dessert and drinks and I felt so sorry for her. I was the only one who gave her any money in the end but her response was so sweet and it just made me really happy. So yeah, I guess it depends on what I'm feeling at that point in time. What about you?

[Alysha]

Ever since I got off a train this one time and a homeless man tried to force me to give him money I just avoid it at all costs. He tried to back little old 14 y/o me into a corner after I'd given him a couple of £, and pressure me into giving him everything I had, my dad arrived in the car to take me home and got out to chase the guy off, but pretty much since then, I will just not offer money up. I'll still give to certain charities though.

[Cerys]

Ummm no and I don't think I really ever would. All the people that I've seen begging out in Leeds are always so aggressive like they'd follow you till you give them stuff or tell them to go away.

My mum gives a bit a month to certain charities who deal with them so I guess that's something

[xxMATTGxx]

Nope, not at all. I just walk past them. Mainly because I don't know who is legit and who isn't and that I'm also not made of money.

[Samantha]

It's very rare I would give them anything, when I worked in Bradford there used to be a homeless person or homeless people under the tunnel connecting both the retail parks and I would rather just avoid it.

[Matt]

I don't give money to beggars simply because I know so many people fake it and it makes me feel like I can't trust them to spend the money on something actually worthwhile.

[Hannah]

In my local area we don't really have any, surprisingly enough.

The biggest beggar we have in my local town is the people selling Big Issue and getting aggressive because you don't need any more issues. ;)

If I've seen homeless people though, who genuinely look homeless, I'll get 'em something to eat and some dog food if they have a dog - I don't trust them to spend my money on ideal things because of their situation makes it pretty difficult to not want to drink and smoke.

[David]

"If I had a dollar for every time a homeless person asked me for money, I'd still say no."

if you want to help people but don't trust them, don't give them money give them food or something else.

[Empired]

I saw a guy in town on Saturday who was sat in a sleeping bag and it was so cold and he looked so miserable and sad. Someone had just given him a pastry from Pret and I asked him if he'd had anything to drink and he said no so I went and bought him a hot chocolate and a box of fruit. Idk normally they annoy me a bit but this guy looked so small and he can't have been more than eighteen so I just thought I had to. Made me really sad after too when I was walking away.

But I would never give just money, only offer food and drink.

[Kellie]

I'd never give them money. If I was feeling nice enough I'd buy them a sandwich and some water. I did that once when I was in Bognor but they didn't beg. Was an old man with his dog, also bought his dog a treat. I felt bad, I used to see him lay there everyday I walked to work and back again

[buttons]

"If I had a dollar for every time a homeless person asked me for money, I'd still say no."

if you want to help people but don't trust them, don't give them money give them food or something else.
ye i agree, buy em food/blankets!

personally no, i never have money on me even if i wanted to

[FlyingJesus]

Not directly and certainly not cash if I were to do so, but I do a fair few things for the local homelessness charity as I have friends working there and know exactly how much good they do. Would rather pay for the resources to help people long term than a one-off handful of change that won't likely make much difference

[-:Undertaker:-]

Most of them are druggies and alcoholics who choose to live on the street. So, no.

I do feel bad for the genuine cases out there but there is help for those who are genuinely looking for a way out of living on the streets.

[Expling]

this is funnt actually
i seen an article on fb just a few days ago about a woman who assumed a man sitting outside of mcondalds was homeless so she bought some food, went out, gave it to him and walked off to turn round and notice a staff member coming out
he wasn't homeless! he was just waiting for his order :')

ahaha so that yeah (I wouldn't just give someone something unless they're making it pure obvs they want money) but I've only ever given a quid or so
never really see them
I go to school, walk home then go to my dads on a friday and come back
don't go out much!
might give them soemthing if i truly do feel bad though

[Cow]

Not really, the odd times yes. But I usually just wait for a charity box.

[Heart Break Kid]

I try not to but there are some who I know will use that money honestly so if I have some change I'll give them some. Thank the lord or earphones though ;D

[Minion?!]

I personally don't give to individuals on the street as honestly I'm not too sure that it would be spent on all the right things.. but something I would consider is giving it to a charity that would help and support these people on getting off the streets... At least then we'd have more hope that the money would be spent on the right things?

[Gina]

theres quite a fair few of homeless people on the road I walk up to get to school
only a couple of them actually beg though (and I don't usually give money to them anymore)
then on Halloween during the night I saw one of the homeless guys and he was drunk or on drugs and was asking me about if I've ever done acid and was talking to me?? was really weird and was like midnight
but def don't trust people since then especially if he's just going wasting it on drugs? food/drink though is fine
another story was my friends n myself were having like a catastrophe where 1 friend passed out and the other was having an allergic reaction to peanuts so we were like ahhhhhh then this 'homeless man' came and spoke to us for ages and told us how he got kickedo ut etc, then week later there was news article about how he faked being homeless
http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/10882710._Homeless__HSBC_beggar_exposed_as_fraudst er_living_in_Surbiton_flat/?ref=surbiton.com
was so bad
he still goes round though its SO bad like when I go to town, doctors or orthodontist (despite them all being 15min bus journey from eachother) he's always sittign somewhere with his god bless you signs and dog
and dog???? he has a flat yet he made his dog sit in the freezing cold in winter>????????????
SO BAD he seemed so genuine like telling us about these stories of him having epilepsy (cos of drugs fkin him up appaz??) and so couldnt get a job and made him homeless
but yeh so difficult to trust peeps after that!! they seem so genuine though especially that guy and he was SO consistent

[lemons]

no way

[dbgtz]

No, that simple.

[Zak]

It's rare that I do. I did in New York though, I had far too much change and they don't appear to fucking use coins? So I just gave them all away. lol

[Martin]

Since I've moved to Cardiff I've been amazed at the amount of beggars that there are! I think it's mainly because I'm from the countryside so I'm not used to it. I'm always being asked if I have any spare change so people can get trains/buses etc, and it's pretty hard to walk into town without walking past several homeless people. I mainly don't give anything as I donate to charities instead, however in the past I've given food, and once felt super sorry for a dog so got it some treats!

[Resentful]

I was out on the lash last night and heavily intoxicated, I gave £10 to a homeless guy just because he was from my home town (I'm not originally from Cambridge). So yeah... Moral of the story is, if you want something, ask me when i'm drunk lol!

[9buzz]

I live in Philadephia and we call them "panhandlers" here. It is an ordinary occurrence here.

I was having dinner outside in a busy part of the city and three homeless people came up and asked for money for food. We had ordered more than we could eat so we gladly offered the men our food and they had all declined. I never give money but always offer food.

[Empired]

I live in Philadephia and we call them "panhandlers" here. It is an ordinary occurrence here.

I was having dinner outside in a busy part of the city and three homeless people came up and asked for money for food. We had ordered more than we could eat so we gladly offered the men our food and they had all declined. I never give money but always offer food.
That would freak me out. I hate saying no to people who come up and ask for money (never happened to me in the UK but does happen in other countries particularly in italy from what I remember) because I'm scared they'll get mad. Not to mention I have no money :'(