Throwing your money away

So today I was walking through town to get lunch, and I walked past a fellow setting up his guitar and guitar case. So I stuck around and waited for him to start playing, I can't remember what it was, but I gave him about 5 bucks (in coinage), gave him the thumbs up and I walked away.
Later on in the same town and the same day, I was standing somewhere waiting for my friends. I wasn't bothering anybody. Next thing I know, I was grabbed by some creature with massive force, what looked about 12 years old. I was a tad bit afraid, looking into it's face and it had blank eyes with drool running over it's cheek and chin, teeth exposed. Smelt like urine. Afraid for my life I asked what the hell it wanted, and it asked me if I could give it a dollar. I told it to bugger off and get a job (I did this because it practically attacked me, I didn't like the way it was asking), and went and found somewhere else to sit.



..Anyway, that story is pretty useless.
How generous are you when giving money to street beggars? And do you give it to anyone, or just those who deserve it? Or do you save your money for more important things?

If i have some extra money i give alittle of it.

if i have some extra coins on me *i have a lot of coins in my pockets* i'll toss like whatever i pull out into things for like the homeless or shelters or whatever i see....they story is hilarious

We don't really have street beggars around here, so I've never been in that situation.

In the rare occurrence that I find a street beggar, I won't give them anything.

only the musicians

edit: not true i just remember this one guy who came up and was like, he's got diabetes and cancer and needs money for his diabetes pills or whatever. he's like 'need 25 cents man please' gave him 15. :={

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Originally Posted by Not At All Reno

edit: not true i just remember this one guy who came up and was like, he's got diabetes and cancer and needs money for his diabetes pills or whatever. he's like 'need 25 cents man please' gave him 15. :={

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I used to put mud on my face and say that exact thing to people. Until I found out it wasn't legal. :whimper:

I tend not to carry money with me to avoid just such a case. I usually pass one on the way to or from school every day.

I give money if they show talent.

The guy with his guitar had a nice voice and was playing Yellow... better than Coldplay.. IMO..

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Originally Posted by Kirobaito

In the rare occurrence that I find a street beggar, I won't give them anything.

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Ya same it's rare to see some
They're annoying/scary sometimes when they try to open your car door O_O

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Originally Posted by Meat Puppet

The guy with his guitar had a nice voice and was playing Yellow... better than Coldplay.. IMO..

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That's tight - I give the street musicians money because I respect that.

Beggars - usually not (time spent in Third World countries desensitizes me to any American beggars). However, there was this one time when I was really little in India on the banks of the Ganges where there was this man without arms or legs, just a head and a torso, balanced on a mat pleading for money. I froze up and couldn't do a damn thing. Eventually I forced myself to walk away, because my parents didn't let me have any money back then. I think they gave some money to him.

I dont give beggars anything. It usually goes to alcohol anyways. If I would give a beggar something, it would be food. I was in turkey for some years ago, and ther was this guy in a weal chair, that said he had lost his foot and needed money. The only problem was that you could clearly see that he had his foot under his blanket, and that the foot that was cut off, was fake... I though it was kinda funny, and gave him money anyways.

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Originally Posted by Kirobaito

In the rare occurrence that I find a street beggar, I won't give them anything.

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If they ask nicely I'll give em some but if they try to rape me then no. Not that I see a lot of beggers around here :p

I went to college at Pitt, where the campus is basically just a part of Pittsburgh that has a slightly higher concentration of college buildings than other parts; in other words lots of non-college-student traffic, and also a very large amount of hoboes. Beggars make a very good living around campus. Some of them make more money than I will ever make. Many will "beg" during the day, and at night go home to a nice big house. So no one gets money from me, no matter how poor they look. Some other beggars there are weird 20-year-old dirty hitchhikers, and I don't give them money because they make me angry. A lot of other beggars use money to buy drugs or booze. They're not getting my money, for obvious reasons. A lot of other beggars are able-bodied but don't work. They don't deserve my money. Then there are the truly insane hoboes, like one guy on campus who wore 3 long coats all year round and had two huge dogs following him everywhere. If he asked me for money I'd run for my life.

One time someone asked my friend for money because he was so hungry he couldn't stand it. My friend went to McDonalds and bought him some coffee and food, and gave it to him. The beggar threw it in the trash and demanded money.

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Originally Posted by Dr Unne

Then there are the truly insane hoboes, like one guy on campus who wore 3 long coats all year round and had two huge dogs following him everywhere.

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it's the Emperor. he has to keep tabs on his city. he's a guardian. don't worry.

I used to give my extra money to some of the homeless guys I'd see in my town, and then I'd see them buying beer, so I figured I didn't want to contribute to that. If I see them and I feel bad, I guess I could just buy them some fast food, so at least then I'd know they'd be eating.

I give my money to those who deserve it, as in, provide me with a good or service of some sort. I'm not against charity, but I think your money is best used given to a foundation or organization who provides clothing and food and shelter for the less fortunate rather than giving it directly to some stranger on the street.

ive never seen a street begger around here. but i have donated toward shelters and the like. granted it wasnt very much, but i have donated. at least you know what your money is being used for.

I saw some guy picking up butts of cigarettes and sucking on them once and I brought him a packet of smokes, for no reason at all. I don't know why I did it, and I doubt I'll do it again. But he looked pretty miserable. Maybe they'd bring him closer to death, without him having to kill himself. I dunno.