MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should you give cash to the drunk homeless man?

airheadgreg

I never give money to beggars, buskers yeah but beggars no. But on one occasion in Glasgow I walked past a beggar with a dog, and I assume having the dog makes them look more needy but I'm an animal lover, so I bought some dog food and a sandwich for this guy. You may expect him to dive into the sandwich straight off, instead he wrapped it up in his jacket and fed the dog giving it some water from a bottle (I assume rain water to be perfectly honest).

That really struck a cord with me so I bought the guy a meal at whetherspoons.

KingsKun

There's a couple of homeless guys in Kingston TC that I pass; one looked quite well-off, for a homeless guy, and had a sign "not on drugs", which may be reassuring, or it may be a lie! The other has a 3-legged dog, and he's got a sign up saying "No cash please", then strangely below it, "recycling point", whatever that means (perhaps he takes peoples rubbish to the recycling)? He's also got a fairly expensive looking dog bowl, a couple of rear red bike LEDs, a big blanket, and a few more things like that. He obviously doesn't want anything but cash, but I guess it stops wasted food etc...?

eurovision_fan

If I was giving cash, he wouldn't get more than 5p out of me (im scrooge at times) but if he became a friend I would offer to buy him a meal or even give him a book of vouchers for meals that he could use if he wished, i might even go as far as buying him a scratchcard to see if he wins a fortune to hopefully turn his life around.
But I wouldn't give much as I don't wish to encourage vices.

foodster

i'm a mental health nurse for the nhs and yes give the man some cash.what right have we to judge him.

PrinceGaz

The easiest "dilemma" I've ever seen here.

No I wouldn't give the person money, but nor would I have been giving money directly to them previously as the vast majority of homeless people will spend it to feed an addiction of some sort.

If you want to help homeless people, donate to a charity like Shelter or any other organisation which seeks to get people off the streets. Giving homeless people small change will only help continue their addiction and ensure they continue to live rough. If you're going to give any money to the homeless, please give it to the charities which help them move away from living rough, by living in a shelter, then when they're able to do so, into their own flat.

Throwing coins to people living rough is little better than firing bullets from a gun at them (but always missing, so far). The more money you give them, the more likely it is to kill them.

Cotku

If I have been giving money to this man for months, then I am responsible for this matter.

Once I have given this money, it is no longer mine to craw about.

I should never have started this in the first place. What was I thinking?

I should be gifting the money to those charities that help the homeless and provide food and a bed and make sure I sign the document that allows the charity or organisation to reclaim the tax from the Government. That way they get a little more!

expertlinguist

I do not give to beggars since the "bag lady" to whom I used to give a handfull of change died and her "Estate" was found to be worth a couple of million pounds.

sharps2010

Why not? we all like a few beers don't we.

Drugs would be a different answer of course!

I was in Manchester once and a begger asked me for money, I said hang on a minute and went McDonald's and bought him a big Mac Meal when I gave it to him he said 'What the F**k am I meant to do with that?'

I couldn't believe it!! so replied 'Eat it?' and he practically threw it back at me.
Cheeky begger *:rotfl:

Tasted nice to if I remember rightly.

Sharps
:beer:

robin_banks

expertlinguist wrote: »

I do not give to beggars since the "bag lady" to whom I used to give a handfull of change died and her "Estate" was found to be worth a couple of million pounds.

You've inadvertantly rasied a very good point!!!. This lady was almost certainly severely mentally ill, and probably did not recieve the care and support to which she was entitled and yet we mention her 'estate' - she probably didn't realise she had the money.

Is a beggar one of the following

1) Homeless
2) A Vulnerable adult - i.e. mentally ill
3) A drug addict/user
4) A heavily entrenched alcoholic

That's not to say they could be more than 1, or perhaps all 4.

pigletsaver

If he is an addict then that doesn't make him any less of a human being in need - perhaps more so. If better help was available to really accress addiction then directing him towards this would be the answer. But to those without money the help available is pitiful.

An alcoholic deprived of alcohol can suffer horribly and might well be unable to eat or keep down your well meant food donations. I would give him cash and let him get some temporary relief.

In the meantime we should be harranguing the government to provide the RIGHT sort of help for these people.

But I am biased I am talking as a recovering alcoholic (2 and a half years dry now.)