Get your stories straight!

[SecurityWench]

This happened a while ago.

My boyfriend lives within walking distance of the grocery store we both work at. He got off at 10, I got off at 11. He walked home and I was gonna walk home after my shift and meet him at his apartment to spend the night. No biggie.

So, I'm walking home, crossing the street and was walking on the sidewalk by the convenience store, when a woman about my age or a little older (I'm 21) stopped me. She said, "Hey. Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you could help me. I don't get my food stamps until Saturday and I was wondering if you could give me some cash so I can go up to HEB and get something to eat."

It did sound a bit wordy, but I decided to help her out, giving her a five and wishing her the best of luck. I make it home, greet the boyfriend, have some dinner and while we're hanging out, I mention the lady I met along the way.

Boyfriend says, "Oh, yeah, I met her too. Said she wasn't getting her food stamps until Friday."

I pause. "...she said Friday? You're sure?"

"Yeah, why?"

"She told me Saturday." So, there were two possible happenings here:

a) She made a common mistake
or
b) We had just been had.

So, a few days later, I'm walking over there again, and I run into the same girl. She goes into her spiel, "Hi, sorry to bother you, but I don't get my food stamps until Tuesday, and I was wondering if you could give me some cash so I could go up to HEB and get something to eat."

I smile and say, "Oh, did getting it on Friday or Saturday fall through?"

She freezes and I keep on walking. Note to panhandlers, try to keep up with your stories. You never know when it's gonna bite you in the ass.

[fireheart]

Next time, offer to buy her some food rather than giving her money. Even just some basic stuff i.e. bread and cheese-grilled cheese sandwich for dinner.

[Andara Bledin]

Next time, offer to buy her some food rather than giving her money. Even just some basic stuff i.e. bread and cheese-grilled cheese sandwich for dinner.

*ding*ding*ding*

Try to never give panhandlers cash, because if they really need what they want the cash for, they'll accept that instead and be thankful.

If they get pissy that you won't give them cash, it's because they don't actually need what they claim they want to buy.

^-.-^

[LadyAndreca]

*ding*ding*ding*

Try to never give panhandlers cash, because if they really need what they want the cash for, they'll accept that instead and be thankful.

If they get pissy that you won't give them cash, it's because they don't actually need what they claim they want to buy.

^-.-^

That's something my dad always told me. I've known him to buy gas and lunches for total strangers, but he taught me that cash and donations go to a charity you believe in.

[South Texan]

I used to give to panhandlers all the time as I always saw them as me only not so blessed. Then I watched one of them take the cash I had given her for food and buy a bottle of MD 20/20.

Now I walk a panhandler who need a "loaf of bread" directly to the store and buy the bread. Then I open it in front of the cashier and take out the heal to make sure the bread is fresh. Then I hand it to the panhandler who usually has been trying to convince me to just give him the money and he will get the stuff himself.

This way, the guy gets what he "needs" and cannot return the product should his real purpose have been to get beer money.

[ArcticChicken]

I know I guy who used to panhandle, and he always told people the money was for beer, 'cause people give you more money when they think you're being honest about it. He actually used it to buy food.

[Amina516]

Like in the (bad) movie, Scary Movie...and a homeless guy asks for money and one girl hands him a sub..and then he throws it at the back of her head...

Im sorry but people like that are the reason I stopped giving anyone money.

[r2cagle]

Aren't food stamps in your state available the same exact time every month?

I know in my state, food stamps are 'usually' reloaded on the 3rd of every month and never on a weekend. I'm sure there are exceptions but there is always a run on the grocery stores, banks and payment stations on the 3rd and 4th of every month. It's Seniors Day (per IPF).

Well, anyway, I always question if they are begging for money in the middle of the month and then offer to buy them a meal. I'm usually turned down. There are very few people that I've actually given money too.

One was the panhandler on the side of the road. He held a sign claiming that he was a Vietnam Vet (he looked old enough to be) and God Bless America. Since it was hot that day, I figured he deserved a cold beer (that I knew he'd probably buy) for standing out there that long.

The other one I can remember was the day I found a dollar bill on the sidewalk, scooped it up and as I hit the corner, I saw this lady sitting on the steps of the church waiting to see about getting assistance from them. I walked over and handed her the dollar, told her it was obviously meant for her and walked away.

Most anyone else: "Sorry, it isn't my payday yet, and I have no spare change right now". The worst ones are the people that sit right outside a convenience store that sells liquor and begs for spare change. That right there irks me to no end.

[Red_Dazes]

Try to never give panhandlers cash, because if they really need what they want the cash for, they'll accept that instead and be thankful.

If they get pissy that you won't give them cash, it's because they don't actually need what they claim they want to buy.

^-.-^

If I am on my way somewhere and I happen to have an extra dollar or two I will sometimes just give them some cash, but normally I will offer to buy them a hamburger or sandwich because I don't carry cash on me.
If they get pissy... well I offered, but they apparently don't really want food.

[fireheart]

Someone did a story for my local paper on panhandlers in my state, especially around mad March (the month where all the festivals occur i.e. car racing, international music etc.). Most of the comments were along two themes:

1) Give them food instead (similar to here)
2) Why don't they go and get a job? They should be grateful to have any job (not my opinion)

He also did an experiment for the article, where he set himself up as a panhandler and told people what he WAS doing. People still gave him money, two gave him food and one lady offered to buy him something from a deli. All the money was donated to one of the churches nearby. He made about $140 or so by about lunchtme.

[siead_lietrathua]

OT but i was reminded. we were in (big city) and were out walking around town after dinner. this guy about our own age came up, saying he hadn't eaten in a day and just wanted some money for food. i looked at him, looked at our box of leftover dinner (nothing gnawed on) and passed it to him. looked like he died and went to heaven.
but thats the easy way to tell. if i see a guy outside a coffee place asking for money for food, i will invite them to come eat with me inside instead since i never carry cash in big city. the fakers just get pissy.

[Andara Bledin]

He also did an experiment for the article, where he set himself up as a panhandler and told people what he WAS doing. People still gave him money, two gave him food and one lady offered to buy him something from a deli. All the money was donated to one of the churches nearby. He made about $140 or so by about lunchtme.

People say to "get a job," but they don't realize that panhandling is a job.

I mean, he made over $100 by lunchtime just telling people he wasn't actually in need of money!

And, since all their pay is in cash from random sources, I rather suspect the vast majority of them don't declare it all.

^-.-^

[Ashaela]

I never give cash, either; I do offer to buy what they need when someone's asking for money, but only once has someone ever taken me up on it. He was hanging outside of the sandwich shop by my workplace, so I offered to go in and buy him a sandwich (which he seemed quite grateful for, and I felt good for helping him out).

Most recently, I was approached by a lady with a long sob story about her granddaughter in San Antonio being in a car accident, stuck in the hospital with burns all over her body, she was just trying to get there (from Austin) but her car had run out of gas and she wouldn't get her (some kind of public assistance check) until the weekend. I offered to buy her gas and actually re-locked my car and started walking toward the gas station, but she didn't move; I asked her where she was parked and said again that I'd buy her some gas. All of a sudden, she remembered that her son was coming from up northerly to help her out, but she really just needed cash for *blah*....

When it was obvious she was lying to me I walked away from her back to the car, got in, and drove away; she was still talking at me through the closed window about why she really needed "help" and why it had to be cash.

[ralerin]

Posting here since I see no reason to start a third thread about panhandling.

Yesterday, Dad and I visited the local "V Guys" burger chain that just opened up (V=Roman numeral for five) and there was a woman in a purple shirt (somewhat unkempt) chowing down on a burger and fries. If anyone knows anything about V Guys, they aren't cheap; burgers, fries and drinks don't generally come under $10 there. So Purple Shirt leaves, and we finish and leave, too.

Just as I'm about to close the car door (I had hesitated because dad asked me a question), Purple Shirt comes flying in, making a barricade of her body.

"Excuse me I just found out that I don't have cash on me, my brother is sick and I have to go home to Littleton tonight, way up north and I need $10 for bus fare. Do you have anything?"

My huge purse is open and next to her hand, which freaked me out, because it would've been no trouble for her to sneak a hand in and lift my wallet. I stick my arm on it and say, "But the bus doesn't cost $10."

"...Well, it actually costs a LOT more than that. Bet you don't know that."

"Well then, I'm sorry, I have no spare change." Which was true.

"Ok, thank you. *wander off*"

I checked my wallet and was happy it was still there. Phew.

[Mnemjian]

I've also stopped giving money due to panhandlers like this. Yes, even the ones that tell jokingly or truthfully say they are going to buy alcohol. It may be amusing, but if anybody's going to buy alcohol with my money, it better be me

Once a middle-aged woman came into my work and begged me for bus fare so she could get away from her husband who had beat her. She seemed really distraught and everything, but she also looked kind of methed-out and didn't have any visible wounds or bruises, so I was a little suspicious. I offered to call the police for her but she didn't want that at all. She could have feasibly been afraid of her husband so much that she didn't want to get the police involved. Still I couldn't give her five dollars for the bus (partially because I didn't have any cash anyway). It seemed pretty likely that she was lying, but I did feel pretty bad in case she was telling the truth.

Another time I saw a woman panhandling outside with a sign that said "I have AIDS." This is in a very gay-friendly neighborhood so I suspect she was trying to appeal to that. The kicker was she was completely healthy looking and even rather "Rubenesque." I wanted to kick her for obviously lying about having AIDS. If she had said HIV then maybe... but if you've ever seen somebody with full-blown AIDS then you know that you can tell they are sick. That made me pretty angry to see.

I think it's best to donate to homeless shelters and charities than to actually give money directly. You just can't tell anymore who is lying. It's very sad