What are your reasons for giving or not giving to homeless people who beg for money?

I've done it in the past, but I never do anymore.
How about you?

I haven't run in to any homeless in Wisconsin--at least, not any begging for cash--but I do donate to the Salvation Army, St Vincent DePaul's, and our local homeless shelter. Often it's just by patronizing their thrift stores, but I've also volunteered for the Salvation Army and given some actual money to all of the above.

I often don't have change with me and when I do I usually need it to ride with the bus
or something, so no, I don't give them. I'm usually quite short on money myself.

I sometimes give them food and even more rarely stop to talk to them. I give them money sometimes too. Only the Irish ones though. The Romanian gypsies can fuck off.
You don't find other foreign types on the streets. I would give to them also. Just the gypsies I don't give to because they do it on purpose. Even charity organisations and the government have advised not to give to them.

I'm about a month from standing at the off ramp with a sign myself. My sign would read," Self employed, customers not paying. Not homeless YET. Could use $100 to get through the week." And when I had $100, I'd head home.

I asked my left hand and my right hand how much they give to the homeless.
They both said "No comment"

Yes, on occasion, when things aren't tight for me. There were a lot of homeless in Santa Monica, many of whom would carry a sack of newspapers and bottle of glass cleaner. They would offer to wash car windows in drive throughs. I always looked for those guys and paid them to wash the windows. I paid them as much as I could afford.

Lion IRC wrote:I asked my left hand and my right hand how much they give to the homeless.
They both said "No comment"

Not very Christian of you.

Though anecdotal, I've seen the homeless I had given some spare change in the morning, exit a liquor store in the evening. I never give to individuals anymore.

I have given to 2 people. Both times they allegedly were trying to get home to somewhere. One was a guy with his dog and a back pack. I happened to be right next to him at the off ramp. I asked him if he smoked and he said yes. I happened to have a fresh carton with me so I gave him a pack. If you are a non smoker you can not understand how much this is appreciated. The other was a young couple that was standing in a very bad spot for pnhandling. I slowed down just enough to hand them $20 as I drove by. There was one more that sticks with me. I was grabbing a sandwich on my lunch break at a deli. While I was waiting for it, I saw this woman standing across the street in front of the Millionaires club (it's like the Salvation army but they also do day labor). All these guys around but there she was standing alone. I really wanted to go give her one of the $100 bills I had in my pocket (I had just got paid). That was probably 10 years ago and I still feel bad for not doing it.

The only time i've given them money (twice) is at the bus stop when they need to catch the bus. Because they can't do much else with 70c

But yea, my problem is they obviously can't handle money if they are on the street drunk. So if they ever keep asking for money, i just recommend they go to the nearest charity for food....

When i see an old lady, it's hard not to give. When i see a kid, i never give because it is obvious that those kids give the money to their boss. After all, many charity- organisation that take those kids off the streets are clear on this: "Don't give money to the kids".
When a homeless of any age approaches me and says anything like "I am hungry" or "gimme so i can take a sandwitch" I usually tell them "let's go and i'll buy you a sandwitch". Sadly, most of them deny and leave because actually they want the money for drugs.
I remember once a homeless said to me "gimme some money so i can eat something" and i gladly stood up, showed him the McDonald's across the street and told him "let's go man. It's on me.". He answered.. "Nah.. I don't like McDonald's. How about giving me the money instead..?". I told him, a bit angry "how about the pizzeria down the street..?". He said "I don't eat Pizza."!!.. He left unsatisfied..

maik's post just reminded me of another one. I had completely forgot about it. I was in line at a burger joint and an old guy asked me for some small amount of money. He looked a just little ragged. I don't remember exactly what was said but I bought him the same thing I was getting. So theres at least one that actually got fed.

maik wrote:When i see an old lady, it's hard not to give. When i see a kid, i never give because it is obvious that those kids give the money to their boss. After all, many charity- organisation that take those kids off the streets are clear on this: "Don't give money to the kids".
When a homeless of any age approaches me and says anything like "I am hungry" or "gimme so i can take a sandwitch" I usually tell them "let's go and i'll buy you a sandwitch". Sadly, most of them deny and leave because actually they want the money for drugs.
I remember once a homeless said to me "gimme some money so i can eat something" and i gladly stood up, showed him the McDonald's across the street and told him "let's go man. It's on me.". He answered.. "Nah.. I don't like McDonald's. How about giving me the money instead..?". I told him, a bit angry "how about the pizzeria down the street..?". He said "I don't eat Pizza."!!.. He left unsatisfied..

I had the opposite happen to me, a guy asked me to buy him a coffee, I was in a rush so gave gim £3/4 to go and get some nosh.