Do you give money to beggars in the street?

Question

if so why? if not why not?

Answer 1

yes. Its not good to be hungry with no where to live. Instead of giving money you can give McDonalds gift cards so that they dont use the cash to buy booze!

Answer 2

Hmmm... Great question. You have no way of knowing if they are going to truly spend it on food and accommodation or if it will go to alcohol or drugs.

I have a quick story for you. I always used to give money to this woman who always sat in the same place every day. I guess because she was an elderly lady I felt she was even more vulnerable. Then after a night out, my husband and I caught a cab home and we drove past this lady under her blanket in the same spot as always with her dog sleeping on her lap and I made a comment to my husband about how sad it was that she was always there and I wished I could do something more.

Then the driver told me that she caught a cab back to her home that she owned every night and bragged about how much money she made that day. It was usually £100 - £150. More during holidays. That's a lot more than I earn!

Just in case the cabbie was felling bitter that night and lying I asked 6 other drivers over the next 2 weeks and 4 of them said they too had taken her to her home many nights and she did indeed laugh and brag about the amount of money she had made. She is just one, but still it smarted knowing that someone was taking advantage in such a deceitful way.

Personally, I now give money to charity and volunteer whenever I can. That way I know my time and money is being utilised in the right way. There are places the homeless can go to get food and lodging so I don't really agree with begging on the street.

Answer 3

No. Not when I'm in a country like U.K. As far as I know the beggars and people living on the streets claim benefits from the Gov in the U.K, yet insist on begging. For many its a way of making extra money (con). Some of them even sit near a cash point. Plus, if you give, most likely they will spend it on drugs, alcohol, gambling etc.etc. Better to give money to official charities.
I think its ok to give to beggars in the third world countries, as in those countries there are no Social security that one can claim from Gov.

Answer 4

Beggars no. But Big Issue vendors yes because they are working for a thoroughly worthy cause. I have some friends that do this for a job and are really good guys. But I'd like to ask that if people come across them on the street not to ignore them or be abusive because theres no need for it and it really hurts their feelings when people do that. They are people too remember.

Answer 5

Never. Only food. Many beggars now are very smart...they don't want to work and have interest only in alcohol and gambling. If he throws away the food I give, it is obvious that he is not a beggar. Only true beggars are delighted by recieving food.

Answer 6

We are travelling at the moment and I would not have enough money to give all the beggars in Portugal, there are loads, especially outside supermarkets wanting you money that you take out from you trolly. If you offer them some food, they do not appear to want that. Probably because they are really begging for money for cigarettes and drugs!!

Answer 7

I'm forced by taxing to give money to the biggest beggars of all..



The royal family.



so a few quid given freely to a street beggar is nothing.

Answer 8

I do tend to give beggers money if they look like they need it, but some are just con artist, I would rather take them to a food place and buy them something to eat. I do this because there was a period in my life when i was really down moneywise and i thought of begging myself or becoming a criminal, so desperate was i. Lucky i did not have to take either path in life. But i will never forget that time in my life, so thats why i always feel sorry for beggers.

Answer 9

No, I don't give to beggars however, I have seen several people that I could tell were down on their luck and handed over a few bucks. I recall a lady about my age pushing a cart and gave her a few dollars.

Answer 10

There are indeed many genuinely needy people out there on our city streets. However there are others who are not in any kind of need, so I think it's best to give money to organisations like the Salvation Army instead.

Answer 11

Not to the drunken ones or druggies, i usaully walk on the other side of them, im kinda freaked out.
But i do give some money if they have kids. My dad onces gave a homeless guy around 20$ because he had a young son. Next day we we're walking past him and asked him what he had done with the money and he told us he bought a jacket for his son. It was very sweet.