Beggars Eveywhere! A tactic for absolution.

[Thogey]

Has anyone noticed this in their town? Especially this past year, there are beggars everywhere. Every retail corner, every
Wal-Mart. You cannot complete a transaction anywhere without someone pumping you to give a dollar to this or that. It is constant.

Most of you think, because of my posts here, that I am a heartless stingy bastard that wants to stomp on women, especially single mothers. But I can assure you I feel the same humanitarian pressure to share as you all do. I never take money or other benefits that are intended for the truly needy. Personally, I don't much care for free stuff. Maybe it's a character flaw, because I feel there are always strings attached to free stuff or gifts in general.

Do you have a fear that your charity is being wasted? Is this why you avoid the beggar or the mega charity whose administrators are making millions to ensure non-profit status?

Not that I really care what people think, but I am a generous person who just doesn't want to get jobbed.

I just returned for Wal-Mart and was "accosted" by a beggar, the salvation army, and some other outfit who wanted me to buy a paper ornament with my name on it for the needy. All this happen in the span of about 3 minutes/50 feet. You almost turn green from turning these people down. Maybe It's a personal flaw but I hate it!

Jesus said our right hand is supposed to give so the left does not see it. So the information I am about to disclose will assure I get no credit from our Father for what I did. But I will continue to do it anyway. This information is for your benefit, but it may not work where you live. I don't know what kind of people live in your town. It's a tactic that may work for you.


I spent some time at Wal-Mart searching for the best price on a few things, mostly soap and bread. When I checked out, at the self check out, I notice someone left a small amount of change on the check stand. My bill was $17.?? so it shot a $20. I took the $2.?? and laid it next to the small pile of change already there. The attendant pointed it out as I left, "Leave it for the next people" I replied.

So I will not miss the change. If the next customer is like me they will either leave it there or add to it. If the next customer could use it for an gallon of gas or even a candy bar for the kids on me than Bully! Maybe an as$hole will shove it in his pocket and climb his fat ass into his $60K SUV with the handicapped plate and think "score!" That's on him.

I think it was worth the risk and will try to be mindful of the people behind me, and give in secret, no strings attached.

What do you think?

[aloneibreak]

id much rather give goods or money to someone i see has a need, whether i know them or not, than give to a big organization

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

i enjoy looking for ways to give, especially this time of year

[wheeler_dealer]

In NY we have professional beggars at expressway exits. Nicely hand written signs-sob excuses. Shaved, clean appearance, decently dressed. They keep regular schedules praying on peoples empathy. We have red kettle collecters also. The list of needy seems endless.
o.k. I'm a heartless S O B, cynical of these also.
What I choose to do is also along the same lines. I pick up winter apparel, coats, hats, blankets to contribute to homeless shelters directly. I also use bogo sales during the year to stock up on extras and when I rotate my food stock I will donate food stuff and goods directly post holiday when demand is high and resources low.
I get more satisfaction this way and feel my contribution goes further.

[justoneguy]

I gave away the coat I was wearing twice in the past couple of years.
I have a warm car and home to go to.
I'll take 'em to McD's or wherevere and pay the tabThe local senior center gets $25 a year.
the give 95 cents of every dollar away.
I always ask how much goes to the charity and how much goes to the biz end.
A freeway beggar "got me recently.
he had 1 leg bent up and was standing there on the other. his kid got my $,
and as i drive away I see him walking with both legs

[mishra142]

I like the idea of leaving the change behind. I too am very Leary of big charity organizations. I have been trying to think of some good random acts of kindness to those who truely need it. Suggestions welcome.

[slickeast]

Why do they all use a battered piece of cardboard for their sign? I guess they are struggling so badly that they can't even get a new piece from any dumpster near them.

[68Camaro]

I have no problems dealing with my conscience when I walk by the beggars. Except for extraordinary circumstances I do not give directly to beggars or to people representing charities on the street. I give to those groups that give greatest bang for the buck, but I do it by check, which lets me give the most bang for my buck since it is tax deductible that way.

Many of the big names I won't touch, but Salvation Army is one of the most efficient and effective organizations - you can't do wrong. It is still skating along under the United Way umbrella somehow, but don't give to United Way - give to SA directly so UW doesn't take their cut. I won't throw all the bloodsuckers under the bus but I don't mind throwing United Way under, because they've been shown to have a political and societal agenda, and on top of that they take too much off the top.

Others worthy of supporting:
American Legion
VFW
DAV
VVA
Make a Wish
St Jude
Ronald McDonald Houses
Lions Clubs

[Tourney64]

Driving down the street and I see a man holding a walking billboard "We buy gold", not too far after that was a female carrying a sign from a sandwich shop. At an intersection of the same street less than 30 yards from the other signs was a man holding a sign that he will work for food. All 3 doing the exact same job. Why would anyone support the guy holding the work for food sign. I dan very generous in helping those who are truly in need, but will not support street beggars.

[hobo finds]

Went to the food store and my kids say "hey lets give money to the bell ringer guy, its that time of the year". I tell them any money we find in the store they can give to him. Well we go to a self check out machine and there was a $20 from the last person we waited around to see if anyone would come back looking for there change and no one came. So they gave $20.01 to the red kettle.

[Thogey]

Went to the food store and my kids say "hey lets give money to the bell ringer guy, its that time of the year". I tell them any money we find in the store they can give to him. Well we go to a self check out machine and there was a $20 from the last person we waited around to see if anyone would come back looking for there change and no one came. So they gave $20.01 to the red kettle.

So my idea is already catching on all over Arizona!

[Diggin4copper]

My wife and I have changed the way we are giving... Today, it seems the working poor need help more than those who sit back and are looking for a hand out. I always figure the hard working waitress will appreciate an extra 10 bucks that she earned much more than someone who feels they deserve things from the government and others. After 10 years of working in a soup kitchen, I can sleep at night knowing that people are being fed, and can always find food. There are not many "starving" people out there... Next time you want to donate 20 bucks, get a stack of 1 dollar bills and give 2 or 3 bucks to the clerk and the gas pumper and low wage people who don't normally get tips.. I just say I got a nice tip from one of my customers and want to share. Years ago, people would not take those tips.. nowadays, they do.. the working poor need every bit of help they can get. In Massachusetts, a family on a full ride from the government gets public assistance equal to 60 thousand dollars a year...

[IdahoCopper]

.... equal to 60 thousand dollars a year...

Is that calculated before or after Fed & state income taxes?

[beauanderos]

.... equal to 60 thousand dollars a year...

Is that calculated before or after Fed & state income taxes?

I read somewhere (and this is a couple of years ago) that someone who WANTS to work would have to make over $56,000 a year
to surpass the benefits they can obtain by NOT working

[Morsecode]

And locally:

"August 12, 2013 The Hartford Courant

Most decisions in life are the result of a cost-benefit analysis. When residents in Connecticut consider getting a job, they assume they would be better off having a job than not. They'd be wrong. Because in Connecticut, it pays not to work.

Next Monday, the Cato Institute will release a new study looking at the state-by-state value of welfare. Nationwide, our study found that the value of benefits for a typical recipient family ranged from a high of $49,175 in Hawaii to a low of $16,984 in Mississippi.

In Connecticut, a mother with two children participating in seven major welfare programs (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, food stamps, WIC, housing assistance, utility assistance and free commodities) could receive a package of benefits worth $38,761, the fourth highest in the nation. Only Hawaii, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia provided more generous benefits.

When it comes to gauging the value of welfare benefits, it is important to remember that they are not taxed, while wages are. In fact, in some ways, the highest marginal tax rates anywhere are not for millionaires, but for someone leaving welfare and taking a job.

Therefore, a mother with two children in Connecticut would have to earn $21.33 per hour for her family to be better off than they would be on welfare..."

As for me, I used to be an easy touch. Lately I find it's getting easier to say no.

[68Camaro]

And that's with only two children....

[chris6084]

I have no guilt in not giving to street beggars. I recently saw a young man begging on a freeway off ramp who had perfectly white shorts and a collared shirt. He wasn't even trying to look homeless. I can't keep white shorts white and I have a house and a car. How can a supposed homeless person have perfectly clean white shorts? He even had a styled 80's haircut like he was from A Flock of Seagulls.

I also don't like donating money to charities. I feel like not enough money goes to the cause. I know some money needs to be used to run the charity, but I do not trust that the money is always used effectively and people may be getting paid too much within the charity. I would rather take my money and buy coats, shoes, shampoo, soap, etc. I know that when I donate physical items, 100% of my donation goes to the person in need. I regularly donate drug store type of items to the local battered women's shelter. When something is on a really good sale at Walgreens or CVS, I buy a lot. I keep what I need and donate the rest. The shelter loves to see me come there with bags of stuff. When they get shampoo, it is often times hotel size bottles. They love that I am bringing in full size bottles (and usually name brand). I even ask them what items they are low on and keep an eye out to get some for them.

[Morsecode]

Ditto on the off-ramp people. They seemed to come out of nowhere this summer.

Admittedly, I did give a couple bucks to one guy, but that was only because instead of just standing there with a sign he had stuck his sign in the ground and took the initiative to pick up all the roadside trash in his sector. So he was willing to work for food to that extent.

I donated some pig chow to the non-profit nature center a couple weeks back. I'm pretty sure 100% of it went to it's intended use

[Recyclersteve]

Ditto on the off-ramp people. They seemed to come out of nowhere this summer.

Admittedly, I did give a couple bucks to one guy, but that was only because instead of just standing there with a sign he had stuck his sign in the ground and took the initiative to pick up all the roadside trash in his sector. So he was willing to work for food to that extent.

I donated some pig chow to the non-profit nature center a couple weeks back. I'm pretty sure 100% of it went to it's intended use

I can't believe how cynical I've become, but I was wondering if this guy picking up the trash waited for the intersection to clear and then threw it down again. That way, he wouldn't have to go from site to site and could just pick up a few pieces of trash and get some sympathy money. It is sad that I even think that way, but society is so different from how it was just a few decades ago.

[pennyguy]

Early this past summer I was driving home on the bypass ,took my off ramp and there on the off ramp was a guy
walking with a empty gas can ,he was about 30 feet in front of his car , I figure he's out of gas and walking to the gas station,
I pull over ask him if he needs a ride to the station, Yes he says . So I drive him about a mile to get gas .
On the way there he tells me he's out of town also out of money , just trying to get home. So I paid to fill he's can about $18
drove him back and drop him off and gave him a Ten dollar bill.

Then about month later I was driving home same off ramp ,there's that guy again walking with a gas can . I think what the F@#&
I drove pass him ,parked up the street and watched , he was just walking back and forth ,when he saw someone turning on
to the ramp he would start walking, if no one picked him up ,back to the car and start over.

So I then got back on the bypass drove around and came back to the off ramp where he was.
There he is again walking with the can. I stopped asked if he needed a ride ? Yes he said .
On the way to the gas station same old story with a few add-ons. ,This time I smell alcohol on his breath.
He does not recognize me , Anyway so I drive him to the station ,this time the one about 4 miles way
I tell him get out and filler up I will pay for the gas . So I wait until he has it filled up and then I drove home leaving him at the gas station.
As I drove off I said to him ,buy your own gas and walk back.
,

[messymessy]

Anyway so I drive him to the station ,this time the one about 4 miles way
I tell him get out and filler up I will pay for the gas . So I wait until he has it filled up and then I drove home leaving him at the gas station.
As I drove off I said to him ,buy your own gas and walk back.
,

This really amuses me. Good job.

[Morsecode]

So I wait until he has it filled up and then I drove home leaving him at the gas station.
As I drove off I said to him ,buy your own gas and walk back.
,

That is my new favorite Holiday story

[NHsorter]

Jeez, just think if you get the 60k a year in Mass for doing nothing and then do some street begging for a little extra "spendin' cash" on top of that, I wonder why the hell I am working?? Street beggin' is probably a pretty good gig with all the bleeding hearts around here. If it was not worth the time then there would not be so many people doing it. WTF!

Next time I have an employee ask for a raise I will just give them a sharpie and a shitty piece of cardboard and tell them to get lost.

[Morsecode]

Street beggin' is probably a pretty good gig with all the bleeding hearts around here. If it was not worth the time then there would not be so many people doing it.

Lots of liberal guilt here in the Nanny State, too.

And this thread got me thinking...where best could you (as a beggar) exploit that guilt. First thought was hang around outside a carwash in the gated community towns. We've got no shortage of those in CT. I think you'd do well, especially on a Sat or Sun in the winter when all the Beemers, Audi's, etc turn up to have the road salt washed off. Lotsa loose change & dollar bills in the hands of the high and mighty...hey, I might just try it myself!

You know, as a social experiment...

[Recyclersteve]

How about standing outside a coin shop with a sign saying, "Down on my luck. Bought silver at $45+ and sold it at $15 to pay bills. Can use copper, nickel or silver- even small amounts. Pleas no zinc or culls. God bless you! Have a wonderful life!"

[fansubs_ca]

They do give you a way to announce your success without causing jealousy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjFoDTPeX6U

Everyone was too relieved to be jealous. ^_^