Money Moral Dilemma: Should I accept payment for doing my vulnerable neighbours' shopping?

JayD

I think that if these people are insistent on you taking the money, then perhaps you should use it to either buy extra items and put them in the supermarket donation baskets, or take them to a local foodbank, or give the money to a foodbank or similar charity. Food banks are pretty desperate at the moment and would be grateful of any contributions of either food or money that would help towards their distribution costs..

Fitzmichael

If you are doing this regularly, then deduct that amount from your next shop for them. If they notice that and don't like it, then do as they want, and give their payments to a children's charity (which should please them, if you tell them), making you better than Boris and his crew, whose meanness with Child Benefit lets many children (and parents) go hungry.

Twyan

They obviously want to pay so that they don't feel so obliged to you.  How about picking up a bunch of flowers for them every now & then - or some other treat.  Would make you feel a bit better and would also brighten their day!

TheBanker

My neighbour keeps trying to pay me £20 for cutting her grass (she is elderly and this is what she normally pays her gardener but he isn't coming at the moment). She also gave me a home made cake. I said the cake was payment enough (it was delicious!) but she insists on the £20 as well. After a long discussion I have accepted this, because she said if I didn't she would feel like she was taking advantage of me. She would not accept that I feel like receiving £20 for doing a favour (and an activity that I enjoy) makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of her. 
I was able to negotiate her down to £10 on the basis that the gardener normally does more than cutting the grass and he has to cover his business costs. 
I've been giving the £10 to the food bank - I'm still working full time and being paid in full so I don't need the extra £10 but the food bank does. I don't want or expect anything although the cake is very much appreciated and is more than enough as a 'thank you' gesture. 

crmism

Life is bad enough for anybody who's imprisoned by this pandemic. Neighbourliness is all about helping others less fortunate than yourself, so it would be entirely wrong to accept money.
Keep up the good work and know, at the end of the day, that you've looked after others who, without you, would be lost.

Misericorde

I've had this problem for many years because I drive people to hospital appointments etc. Even though we have standard charges, I am frequently told to 'keep the change' from, say, a ten pound note.

There are two options - obviously - but if I know someone cannot afford it, then I tell them that I am taking them to their appointment voluntarily, and I don't want to spend my voluntary time having an argument with someone who who knows that I am not really meant to accept any tips over and above the petrol money. We don't charge waiting time, which can be considerable.

Otherwise, what has been said above regarding accepting gracefully and allowing people to feel good about it is probably the best way to go.