Whenever I am at the register buying groceries or whatevs, if the cashier or the card machine ask me if I want to donate, I always do.
Always.
Whenever I am at the register buying groceries or whatevs, if the cashier or the card machine ask me if I want to donate, I always do.
Always.
<PaperStar> live fast, die young, bad plefs do it well
I never give money to those on the street, and I don't donate to any charity. Since I don't live in a country that expects me to tip, I never tip either.
I donate a bit here and there to charities, yeah. And if I have spare change or whatever I'll give it to a homeless person.
As the mood strikes me... as a point of habit, I don't give things away if I can sell it instead... but as I don't like to hold garage sales or go to flea markets, and online is so unreliable in my experience, I pretty much have to settle for giving my stuff away when it piles up. I've given money to at least one person whom I couldn't determine whether his desperation was honest. These days, there are so many people on the streets with cardboard signs saying "no job", "homeless", "hungry", "help me", and nearly half of them are blue-collar fakers. I don't trust people I don't know. Hell, I don't really trust people I do know unless they've done something truly selfless for me. As a result of that lack of trust, I don't even like asking people for help as, like Sheldon Cooper, I fear they'll expect me to repay that favor in spades.
Jack: How do you know?
Will: It's more of a feeling really.
Jack: Well, that's not scientific. Feeling isn't knowing. Feeling is believing. If you believe it, you can't know because there's no knowing what you believe. Then again, no one should believe what they know either. Once you know anything that anything becomes unbelievable if only by virtue of the fact you now... know it. You know?
Will: No.
If Demolition Man were remade today
Huxley: What's wrong? You broke contact.
Spartan: Contact? I didn't even touch you.
Huxley: Don't you want to make love?
Spartan: Is that what you call this? Why don't we just do it the old-fashioned way?
Huxley: NO!
Spartan: Whoa! Okay, calm down.
Huxley: Don't tell me to calm down!
Spartan: What's gotten into you? 'Cause it sure as hell wasn't me.
Huxley: Physical relations in the way of intercourse are no longer acceptable John Spartan.
Spartan: What? Why the hell not?
Huxley: It's the law, John. And for your information, the very idea that you suggested it makes me feel personally violated.
Spartan: Wait a minute... violated? Huxley what the hell are you accusing me of here?
Huxley: You need to leave, John.
Spartan: But Huxley.
Huxley: Get out!
Moments later Spartan is arrested for "violating" Huxley.
By the way, that's called satire. Get over it.
Regular donations: I've done this for Huntington's Disease and currently donate towards WWF on a monthly basis to help save jaguars.
Recent other donation: I just donated NZ$20 towards the 40 Hour Famine as my sister and her entire family (husband/daughters/son) are all eating nothing but rice for 40 hours to highlight issues in Malawi.
General nature: I am a tight bastard with money, but I save so I can give. When people come over to Edinburgh and/or when I go to visit friends, I try to buy them things where possible, like food and drinks and whatnot. But yeah, all other times I'm not instinctively giving.
Tips: I tip where I feel a tip is earned, because in the UK minimum wage is a thing that is enforced equally for waiters just as it is for anyone else in another occupation. I regularly tip (generally around £5) at most restaurants because most restaurants I go to offer good service. I tip with taxi drivers, too. Generally £1-2.
I don't give money to the homeless and there are so many buskers in Edinburgh that it's rare for me to stumble across one that I simply must dish out some coins to. But it can happen! Slow saxophone dude on Rose Street during an 11:30pm sunset was just perfect, wish I'd have given him more in retrospect as that was a moment I never forgot, it was like something out of the movies.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
I used to donate about £100 a month to various charities when I lived in the UK. Having lost family members to cancer I donated a lot to Cancer Research UK and also used to donate a fair amount to Shelter and a handful of smaller charities.
These days I just give whatever loose change I have to local charities and the local cats and dogs shelter. Living on my own is great, but I have very little money to donate to good causes right now.
I donate a dollar at registers now and then. I donate to local kick-starters like the one to save our nearby Drive in theater.
I'm just very picky and want "the most bang for my buck".
20 for UNICEF/month
40 for MSF/month
20 for a local sexual assault support center/month
Used to buy stuff from oxfam for Xmas
Used to buy heartt and stroke lottery if that counts
I have a similar story to Mr Shauna's...
One night I was walking to meet my pals to go eat, and a guy came up to me and asked me for some money for some food, I genuinely didn't have anything on me, so I politely told him I couldn't as I only had my card. His response was to follow me and shout "Well you can buy me a smurfing meal then can't you?!" Unfortunately, these people are rife around Newcastle, I know a guy who took out his wallet to offer the guy some change and he swiped it and ran off... Or they will ask for change and if they see a note, they'll ask for that instead. These people are criminals and it's a shame that they're ruining it for people who are actually really in need of money.
Anyway, I give about $15 pm automatically to IFAW, and if I'm ever out shopping and see a charity raffle or something I'll always buy a few tickets. I think this month I've probably given about $60 to charity, which isn't a lot really but you know, I try to help out with what little I do have.
I've recently thought about taking on some foster cats that need a home until they're adopted, but it's a big commitment so I need to think about it some more.
If any if any of you would like to give to a good cause check this out only a day or two left!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...lee-drive-in-0
"We are an iconic motel/drive-in theater serving small rural communities in the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River, in Vermont and New Hampshire, searching for a way to pay for the movie industry's switch from 35mm film to digital.
We're one of only two motel/drive-ins left in America -- and we're looking for you to help save an incredibly rare species: us.
Our drive-in & motel also has the unique addition of a snack shack open during movie times that serves our own "Thunderburgers" made from beef from our own cows. Yes, our family, the Trapps, own a farm just across the river from Fairlee, and when we're not busy with the motel or theater, we raise our own cattle. Even the coffee, butter, and whipped cream we serve is from Vermont."
A video about the situation made by Honda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh2ULhXtqYU#t=50
Last edited by escobert; 05-28-2014 at 04:36 PM.
I just cannot understand this attitude that homeless people are criminals. It isn't a crime to ask someone for money, or to ask them for more money. It is a crime, obviously, to take someone's wallet and yes, it is a shame that some people ruin it for everyone. However, I'd argue that it's more of a shame to let one or two people who are so desperate for help that they are rude, flippant or steal; ruin so many people's sense of goodwill and genuine generosity. People ask me for money or help all the time - but it's asking. It's not a demand, even if someone is begging. They are asking you for help and you have the autonomy to say yes or no, so there's no need to be offended or rude, anyone. If you've ever worked in sales you'll know how abysmal that can be - let alone doing the job without food or medicine, on the street, with everyone looking down on you for having the wherewithal to try to do something - anything - to better your situation, even if only for a few moments you might have a cup of coffee or a cigarette. It doesn't diminish a person to be kind.Originally Posted by Lockharted
Last edited by Calliope; 05-29-2014 at 04:58 AM.
I remember a man near the bus station (greyhound bus not city bus) who told me he was in a rough spot and needed a few hundred dollars for a ticket out of the city. I didn't have any cash but I was headed to the greyhound bus station myself so I offered to pay for his ticket with my debit card. he said no and walked away. I'm not sure why he did that.
Also, I've been in positions when I was very young (under 10) where I needed to beg for change for a "payphone to call my mom" because the person who was supposed to be taking care of me spent all of his money on drugs and alcohol and I literally had no food. Neither did his son. So I would ask for payphone quarters and buy cheap stuff like ramen noodles.
That is part of why I hate refusing to help someone
Because it's a scam. Seriously, there are people who go around town here saying they're from "Seattle" or something & that they need $400 to get their car fixed/buy a replacement train/plane ticket or whatever.
I don't. I'm a hoarder. I hoard things. I couldn't even part with stuff I don't use in a garage sale. If I gave you something you must be pretty cool.
I don't go to restaurants or anything by myself so I'm never the one to have to worry about the tip.
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