How do you respond to people on the street that ask you for money?

[Adamjen15]

How about somebody hooking me up with some plumbing side work this weekend so I can pay some bills

 

[Georgia Native]

Ask if they take American Express.....

I used use a reloadable walmart gift card for gas to get the extra $.03/gallon discount. One day I was asked for "money". I replied "do you take American Express or Visa"? I had the empty reloadable walmart gift card in my front pocket. Of course they said no, but wanted cash. I pulled out the empty gift card and said "well, have fun with this", handed it to the crackhead and walked into the store. She had the audacity to walk through the store looking for me to tell me that there was 'nothing' on it. I asked "what did you expect for free?" I just walked on. When I looked back she was asking someone else who actually opened their wallet to her.

 

[WallsGa]

I get asked for money on a regular basis by people in stores, at the gas station or in parking lots.

So either I look like a nice Christian soul who is willing to help those in need OR they view me as a boob from Mayberry, that is the sucker of the month! I have given people small amounts before, but not all the time.

So how do YOU respond when people on the street ask you for money? Do you give them anything? Does it depend on the situation? Thanks.

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I see the same people around Athens every day. We sorta get a feel for the scammers (they usually have new shoes and iPhones in their back pocket). They get ignored.

I never ever give money but I do give food, or whatever snacks i have on me. I have given extra jackets, shoes, sweaters, etc if i happen to have one on the car. I will carry clothes intented for the Goodwill donation center around in my car a day or two to see if I can give them out first.

 

[palmettomoon]

I might be begging for money one day myself so I'm expecting the same response I give others.

GET THE **** OUTTA HERE!

In all seriousness though, if there is a restaurant nearby that doesn't use gold leaf on their food I'll offer to feed them a meal but that's it.

 

[BIKER13]

No, they have to keep moving.Or they can give me some of their money,most of em dressed better anyway

 

[gh1950]

My mother was the head of the charity outreach of her church. The church would help with utility bills, free pantry, clothes and so on.

She didn't have a stingy bone in her body, but it was amazing the outright number of scams people would try to pull on her. There are people who "work the circuit" of churches.

Before computers, and maybe not Christian, but the local churches would pass around lists of the scam artists, description of cars, just to protect themselves.

What I saw attempted on her makes me think today that people who scam the good will of a church are the lowest life there is.

 

[Trailrider]

My standard response is, "Do I look like a bank?" But that's because I get hit up for money almost daily in the part of town I work in. It gets old and it's the same people just being bums. Sometimes I've had them make eye contact with me and I just shake my head no and they walk off.

 

[timbgtm]

I see the same people around Athens every day. We sorta get a feel for the scammers (they usually have new shoes and iPhones in their back pocket). They get ignored.

I never ever give money but I do give food, or whatever snacks i have on me. I have given extra jackets, shoes, sweaters, etc if i happen to have one on the car. I will carry clothes intented for the Goodwill donation center around in my car a day or two to see if I can give them out first.

These people actually think what they're doing(begging) is a job. It turns my stomach to have to deal with the one's that choose this type of life.

 

[GeauxLSU]

My mother was the head of the charity outreach of her church. The church would help with utility bills, free pantry, clothes and so on.

She didn't have a stingy bone in her body, but it was amazing the outright number of scams people would try to pull on her. There are people who "work the circuit" of churches.

Before computers, and maybe not Christian, but the local churches would pass around lists of the scam artists, description of cars, just to protect themselves.

What I saw attempted on her makes me think today that people who scam the good will of a church are the lowest life there is.

If professional scammers put 1/10th that effort into an honest living, they'd probably be financially better off. But that would require integrity.

 

[Stampede]

My standard response is, "Do I look like a bank?" But that's because I get hit up for money almost daily in the part of town I work in. It gets old and it's the same people just being bums. Sometimes I've had them make eye contact with me and I just shake my head no and they walk off.

One Christian charity I have donated to (based in Atlanta), gave me tickets to give out to these folks. They were for one free meal there, where they would also receive info on the mission of the non-profit and the Gospel. I thought that was a good way to handle it.