Ignoring Homeless People on the Street and Not Feeling Bad About It
Author: Nick
Category: Money
Topics: poverty
It doesn’t matter where you live or work or travel; chances are you’ve seen at least one homeless person before. They’re usually pretty easy to spot—covered in raggedy clothes, dirty and smelly, sometimes hauling around a shopping cart or duffel bag with all of their worldly possessions. Some places have more of them than others. Take Washington D.C., for example. While it’s the capital city of the supposed “richest nation in the world,” it also had a homeless population of nearly 10,000 in 2006. And if you’ve ever been to D.C. before, especially in the area of any of the major monuments or government buildings, then you know that the homeless can be very… persistent in their attempts to coerce a handout from you. I’m sure they’re relatively successful too; otherwise D.C.’s homeless problem would quickly take care of itself.
Maybe you yourself have given your spare change to a homeless person before, either at a stoplight or on a street corner or in a dark alley that you thought was a nice shortcut. I’ve done it one or twice myself, but not recently since somebody explained to me that giving money to panhandlers really doesn’t help anything, except perhaps to alleviate your own sense of guilt temporarily. If you think your 50 cents is going to turn that homeless person’s life around, think again:
- Many will use your handout not for food… but for things like alcohol and drugs. If someone asks for “50 cents for a cup of coffee,” ask them where they found coffee for 50 cents and then let us all know!
- For some, homelessness is a well-paying career. Some homeless people who can secure some good curb real estate can pull in more money panhandling than getting a minimum-wage job, so there’s simply no motivation for them to try to shoot for a better life. And in some cases, that homeless person in rags actually has a home—maybe even a nicer one than you—but he or she stands on the street collecting change everyday because it pays well. Unfortunately it’s hard to tell the “real” homeless from the con artists.
- Homeless people have even worse budgeting habits than average Americans. Even if you toss some change to a genuine homeless person who will use it for food or other necessities, you can bet that all 50 cents you just gave out will be spent by the end of the day, continuing the cycle of poverty endlessly.
- Your 50 cents is better off in other hands. Even if a non-profit organization spends half of your 50 cents on its own costs, that other 25 cents is much better off helping to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
- You’ll be a full 50 cents poorer. Unless you can find a homeless person who is a qualified non-profit organization and is willing to give you a receipt, you won’t reap any of the tax benefits you’d normally receive for your charitable contributions. The government thanks you for your free money.
Even knowing these facts, it can still be hard saying no to homeless people who approach you on the street, and it’s all thanks to those pesky human emotions of ours. Guilt, embarrassment, sympathy—these feelings can quickly override the common sense locks we keep on our wallets that normally keep us from using money foolishly. But if you’re in the habit of wandering through areas with heavy homeless populations, you could end up giving away a lot of your cash to panhandlers. To help fight the urge to toss pennies at every beggar on the street, here are some steps you should take the next time you find yourself face-to-dirty-face with one of the much less fortunate.
- Don’t make eye contact. It may sound cold and heartless, but it’s a lot easier to ignore someone when you’re not looking at them.
- Don’t dress rich. If you’re planning a stroll through downtown Hoboville, then you may want to dress like a hobo so you don’t draw the attention of every Johnny Gimme-a-dime. If you look like a million bucks, then homeless people will assume you have a million bucks. And so might the muggers…
- Find alternate routes. If your commute to work takes you by that adorable stinky homeless guy to whom you can’t help but toss a few dollars everyday, you need to find a new route to work. Again, it might sound mean, but “out of sight, out of mind” really does apply here.
- Don’t carry cash. Ever. This is something I recommend in general for everyone, not just as a way to fend off panhandlers. If you don’t even carry a dollar with you, you won’t be able to give it to the next random beggar who accosts you on the street. If you need regular access to cash, carry an ATM card if you must (but not a debit card). Otherwise, keep only credit cards in your wallet and you won’t have to worry about whittling away your savings on handouts.
- Actually freaking do something about homelessness. What, did you think you were gonna get out of this one for free? Pffft. The only real way to fight that guilty feeling you get every time you see a homeless person is to help them—not that one person, but all homeless people in general. As I mentioned earlier, your 50 cents (or five dollars, or $1,000) will be put to much better use in the hands of organizations like the United Way or Salvation Army. Even better: volunteer your time for free at your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter (and don’t forget to take your tax deductions for expenses you incur while working for charities). Or contact your local government and politicians and tell them to address the problem of homelessness in your area. Whatever you decide, you’ll find it’s much easier to “ignore” the homeless when you’re actually helping them.
- Call 311. Several cities, most recently New York, have launched programs that allow citizens to phone their local non-emergency number to report homeless persons—not so they can be arrested or bussed out of town, but so that they can be helped. New York City’s program, for example, sends someone from its Department of Homeless Services in response to every report it receives and usually within one hour of the call. Sure, the homeless person can refuse assistance, but sometimes all it takes is a helping hand out (and not a handout) to get those people back on their feet.
One last note on that 311 service: If your city doesn’t advertise that it offers assistance to homeless through its 311 service, call anyway. You may still be able to find someone who will do something to help, even if it is just sending a patrol car to offer a ride to the nearest shelter. And if your 311 service refuses to help, call your mayor, representative, senator, or governor and request for that to change.
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13 Responses »
1.
Becky@FamilyandFinances
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Excellent article! I’m actually heading to DC for the first time in two weeks. I’m really glad you mentioned the homeless population there. My husband CANNOT say “no” to someone asking for money. I will definitely make sure we have NO cash on us!
So, no cash…check. Donate to the Salvation Army for tax deduction and to do good…check!
2.
Kyle
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I usually pick up spare change on the sidewalk and give it to the homeless people I meet. Sure, they would have found and picked it up anyway but this way I get to feel good about myself. And sometimes, if you give a hobo a piece of gum, they will follow you around as your bodyguard every time they see you and ward off other homeless beggars. It can be a wise investment to make a nice one-time donation to your bum of choice if it means you won’t be coerced into giving to others on an on-going basis.
3.
Jeremy
April 4th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Interesting that you mention con-artist panhandlers in the DC area. I used to live in Maryland, just north of DC. About every day there was a panhandler who had a much-too-short arm brace that would stand at the intersection of the interstate, right on my route home, working very hard to garner some pity (and $). As luck would have it, I saw the same person getting on a bus a few miles from her normal intersection - WITH THE BRACE IN HER BACKPACK! As a matter of fact, she trotted across the street just to catch the bus.
Needless to say, that pretty much ruined the chance of ANY panhandler ever getting another dollar from me!
4.
Grant
April 4th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I totally agree that giving money to a good non-profit is a better option.
5.
Suze
April 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Interesting timing with this article.
On Monday, I was just cussed out by a ‘homeless’ person parked out on a overturned bucket at a busy off ramp intersection in a nearby city. I rolled up to the stoplight (unfortunately red) with the window cracked down. He must have seen that as an opportunity to engage in conversation because he started to yell ‘Hey ma’am!’ I ignored him and rolled up my window. Pretty much every word I could make out after that was either the ‘f’ word or him calling me a ‘b.’
That experience pretty much cemented in my head that I will never give handouts like that.
6.
Finance Girl
April 4th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I completely agree with you about not giving homeless people money, Nick.
However, I’ve found that I feel better about it and am not harrassed when I look them in the eye and say something like, “sorry, but I can’t.” At least then I am acknowledging them as a human being and being respectful.
7.
Jerry
April 4th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Umm…is this a joke article? Most homeless people have psychological problems. Many of them have families that they can go to but their illness prevents them from taking the help that’s offered. This is an appalling posting fraught with insensitivity and judgment. There’s no insurance policy that would prevent you or a loved one from becoming homeless. This is a sad existence that leads to illness and death. Giving change may or may not make a difference but a little understanding will.
Jerry
http://www.leads4insurance.com
8.
Sarah
April 4th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I’ve noticed that a homeless person will get more money if they are being honest. Homeless dude on the corner of Wisconsin and M said he wanted a dollar or two to buy a bottle of 40? Everyone’s wallet comes out.
When I worked in Georgetown we had quite a few homeless people come into my store. I had a couple come in on New Year’s Eve and said that they were victims of Katrina. One guy said he had a house in Mississippi and his wife said their house in the French Quarter got washed away. But they garnered sympathy and got free soap and shampoo samples. At the time we took in two employees from our store in New Orleans (French Quarter, which sustained little damage) and I think if they had overheard the homeless couple’s act, they would have punched them in the face. I don’t work there anymore, but they would come in all the time and abuse our sample policy.
We had another guy who was really really tall and smelled awful come in and look at all the soaps. There’s obviously something wrong with him but he’s harmless and pretty soon he goes on his way, but it still spooked the customers.
9.
Heather
April 5th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I always say I don’t have any cash on me. But one time, a woman offered to accompany me across the street to an ATM so I could withdraw some money and give it to her. Now I just say, “Sorry, I can’t help you.” I’ve thought about giving bus tickets, but I don’t know if that would be helpful.
10.
plonkee
April 7th, 2008 at 7:36 am
In my city there are collection boxes for Shelter (the English housing charity) in the streets, specifically put in place so that you don’t give money to people begging. I also (sometimes) buy copies of The Big Issue which is sold by homeless people on the streets. Proper magazine, proper job, and people have gone on from that to make lives for themselves.
11.
MP3 Music Dude
April 10th, 2008 at 10:25 am
In NYC there are a lot of them… i just try not to make eye contact and pretend my mp3 player is playing louder than it really is. Still, it’s always a little awkward.
12.
Ken Clark - CollegeSavings.About.com
April 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
The whole homeless thing makes me sad… I try and give something to everyone I see, even if it is just a little.
13.
Obbop
April 16th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
As a husky physically strong Alpha Male that conveys “command authority” (over the years many folks have asked if I was a police-type person) I have an advantage when dealing with the homeless.
I have a good sense of street smarts and use it. When I believe a panhandler is actually hungry and is asking for food money I will, if I have the time, tell the dude (it’s almost always a dude) to come with me to the nearest burger joint, if there IS one nearby.
Last time was close to a Burger King and I was also hungry.
As we entered the manager glared at both of us. I glared back.
We ordered then went outside and sat on the parking lot cement curb reveling in the spring sun’s warmth as we scarfed what was a decent-tasting burger.
Shot the breeze about life in general.
When done we went our separate ways.
The chap thanked me and wished me well.
I am agnostic. Neither believing or disbelieving in a “Creator” but open to input other than mere unprovable “faith.”
But, I did read many years ago that, at times, angels walk the Earth to “test” humans. Why that would be needed by an all-knowing omniscient god-head is beyond my ken but the thought stuck in my oblate-spheroid shaped head.
What the heck. For a couple bucks I spread a little joy. And, knowing hunger’s pangs (rarely), if I can cast those pangs away from a fellow bi-pedal primate…. maybe someone will do it for me some day.
I wouldn’t advise females to do what I did, or males without the ability to nullify an adversary just in case the homeless hungry one turns violent for whatever reason.
The already-mentioned suggestions about kicking down some funds to the Starvation Army are good ones.
In a sea of charities that pay ridiculously high wages to their elite rulers I believe the SA is frugal and tries to stretch their funds as much as possible to perform actual charitable functions.
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