This left me open mouthed

Netwizard

Stories like this would put me off giving: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205553/Professional-beggars-earning-200-night-supplement-day-job.html

Luckily ive not seen a beggar round here in years.

paulineb_2

Ive bought the big issue in the past, Ive also given a quid or so to a big issue seller if I dont have enough to buy the magazine on me. And if I do get approached by someone who needs bus fare or whatever to get home and I dont have the cash on me, Im honest about it.

Ive given to shelter over the years and I also worked with homeless people for a long time. Not everyone who is homeless is an addict, there are multiple reasons why people end up homeless, a really big cause is a parent re marrying and someone not getting on with the new parent

As for hitting people who are addicts, I hope no one you love ever gets addicted to any substance

If you dont want to give anything, just walk on by.

Faith177

If I see a homeless person who has a dog with them I usually find my nearest shop and get them a couple of cans of dog food and give them a couple of quid.

That way they only have to worry about feeding themselves for a couple of days because their dog is sorted.

I do it so often that OH now does it and so do a couple of my friends

aliasojo

Beetlemama wrote: »

Why take the second big issue though? Just give him the £1.30 and let him sell the copy you paid for to another person, then he gets paid twice for it. I just give them the pound and say I don't want one.

Must have been a while since you bought one then, they're £2.50 now.

prowla

I don't give money to people in the street.

I've only done it once recently, where I had a brief chat with someone selling a Big Issue, and I said I didn't want the mag but gave him the money.

I once had a young lady ask for money to stay in the hostel for the night; I told her I wouldn't give her money, but I'd be happy to walk there with her and pay for her. Of course, she didn't really want the money for that, and she got a right strop on.

Another time a youth asked for some to get some food and I offered to get him a maccy d's or anything, but it was closed so I fed a load of money into a vending machine for him. He was genuine.

Most recently I saw a homeless person in London and I was going to offer to get him some food, but I saw he already had some, so I left him alone.

But generally I don't trust people who ask for money.

I hope I'm never in that situation though.

SailorSam

This_Year wrote: »

There's a chap wanders the streets around here and if he sees someone he asks for some money to get to xxxx to visit his daughter in hospital as he's lost his train ticket. He's been doing it for weeks now but each time she's just been rushed in that day.

We also saw him in xxxx asking the same thing to get back to my town.

I'll say a little prayer for the mans daughter, it must be terrible to be taken into hospital so often.

jetplane

southcoastrgi wrote: »

but seriously i always buy a big issue even if i have already got one, those people are trying to help themselves & make the best of their bad situation, but i never ever give to beggars or people in shop doorways

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

There used to be a woman like that in the town I lived in. She said she had lost her purse and needed £1 or something, I saw her at least 5 times a week and she would ask the same thing.

I usually give money to Big Issue sellers but not to people asking for money on the street.

Posts like this intrigue me, many people refuse to give a homeless person cash in case they spend it on something other than food, hot drink or emergencies or get rich from begging, however you do not need to be homeless and destitute to sell the big issue. It is self employment and enables people, including EEA nationals, to work the required hours each week 16 - 24 to claim working tax credits, child tax credits, child benefit, housing benefit, council tax benefit et al. The profit margin is nil when taking into account overheads but the benefits are enough to live on.

I have no problem giving a couple of pounds and if they get that off every person in the street then it has still only cost me £2, some big issue sellers get a house, and a couple of hundred quid a week on top.

Beetlemama

aliasojo wrote: »

Must have been a while since you bought one then, they're £2.50 now.

Good grief, really? No I don't ever actually buy them, I just give them money for putting in the effort. I bought one once, far too left wing for me, so instead of buying it and chucking it away, I let them keep it and give them a quid - I better update, lol

aliasojo

Beetlemama wrote: »

Good grief, really? No I don't ever actually buy them, I just give them money for putting in the effort. I bought one once, far too left wing for me, so instead of buying it and chucking it away, I let them keep it and give them a quid - I better update, lol

Yip.

Cost to vendor: £1.25

Resale: £2.50

I stopped buying them simply because I could happily throw the odd pound or two away but £2.50 each time was getting a bit much when your own finances are tight.

Beetlemama

jetplane wrote: »

you do not need to be homeless and destitute to sell the big issue. It is self employment and enables people, including EEA nationals, to work the required hours each week 16 - 24 to claim working tax credits, child tax credits, child benefit, housing benefit, council tax benefit et al. .

Is that true? You don't have to be homeless? I'm shocked.