Ask Lemmy

I give them negative five dollar bills so they actually owe me moneys. Gotta love UOIs!

I really don't have cash

When I lived in a city I never gave money but I did offer canned or sealed food. I have also given away my used camping gear.

I give to the obviously mentally impaired ones the most. The last person I gave a 20 to looked straight through me as he talked to god. There is only so much you can do. I know it sucks.

I’d be much more likely to give money to someone trying to sell something or offering a service. They don’t even try anymore. Miss the old gas can routine.

I give whatever change I have, but when that's gone:

"Sorry. I get paid electronically and pay for damn near everything electronically, the only time I touch cash I have to pay extra to get it."

now I have been hit with the: can you venmo me five?

If I'm entering a place that has food of any kind I'll just ask what they want, I've rarely been asked for something that exceeds $5-10. More often than not they eat, pack up their stuff and leave after that. They feel acknowledged, I feel good for helping and I also hopefully didn't contribute to the drug issue.

Say I don't have it. Say sorry at the same time.

What I used to do when I lived in an area with a decent number of homeless people, was offer to get them some food, if I had the time for it. I'd walk somewhere with them, say what do you want I'll grab it for you, and come out and hand it to them. It was honestly a little bit awkward to do it without feeling like a ponce, making conversation with the person or whatnot feeling condescending, but whatever.

I would say the majority would discount the suggestion. I didn't feel the slightest bit bad saying no you can't have any money then. A minority would be really into the idea and clearly fucking light up at the idea of having their hands on a sandwich. Those dudes I felt like it was important that they get their sandwich.

I also knew a guy who used to be homeless, volunteered with homeless services and substance abuse programs and etc, spent a ton of time on it. He never gave money on the street. He got very bitter about the subject, he just said that it doesn't help them. Make of that what you will, I don't really know the ins and outs, but that's what he said.

Yeah, they don't do that where I live. They get housed and fed by the government. The only people begging are Roma. And there are laws preventing people from approaching you so they have to settle for sitting on the street corner with signs.

It’s not common to see homeless people where I live, so I recognize every one that has asked me for money. I give them a small amount each time or buy them staple foods from the grocery stores (they usually wait outside of the entrance). I don’t think I could afford to do that if there were many of them, so I guess I would be honest when I don’t have anything to spare and give when I have enough.

I give them some money

"Sorry"

I usually don't give money, but once a year give 100€ or so to our local homeless support organization, who are also regularly giving out meals and coffee.

I haven’t carried cash for several years, so I just say, “I don’t carry money.”

There have been instances where I’ve bought a person something to eat, but that’s about it. There’s really nothing more I can do to help a person.

Then I may try to recommend any community services I know of, but they’re usually more informed about those than I am.

I live in Seattle and have this happen all the time. The answer is "sorry, I don't have any cash on me."

I once had someone ask if I could venmo them some money, and once had someone ask if I had bitcoin. Crazy world.

Ignore them.

My city has the programs in place for them to get off the street. All they need to do is go into a program that will get them off drugs and to not use drugs in the provided apartments.

As such, if they are on the street, it is because they value drugs over living.

I don't really carry cash due to devaluation of currency in my country(our biggest banknote can buy 1 kg of chicken as a reference) but I typically carry some biscuits with me, so I'd offer it.

If I know, I‘ll probably pass someone asking for money, I try to have some change prepared, so I don’t have to get out my wallet. (Where I live, there are just a few places where that’s likely. ) I usually just say no if unprepared. My basic assumption is that someone asking for money in the streets is worse off than me, so it’s nice if I can help. But then again, if I don’t feel safe, I won’t give anything and since I can’t help everyone I don’t feel bad not giving anything.

Depends on if they are playing me out. I've hung out and drank or smoked weed with homeless people if they were authentic. If not they can fuck off and their evil can bring them suffering.

The same goes with anyone else, mainstream or street.

I'll give a buck or two, depending on how much money I'm making that time of year. I've stopped and had a conversation a few times as well.

Give them some cash, if I have a little extra. I recommend carrying a little change if you live in an area with regular homeless folks.

I used to bring a particular homeless guy who hung around my block a sandwich on my way to work, and a beer when walking my dog on Friday nights (if I saw him, for either occurrence). That was all when I lived in a different city though.