This is becoming more common in my town. I just either feel like an ass saying I dont have cash, or lying, but I also can’t be giving out 20’s to everyone who asks.
I feel bad for most of them but at the same time I get anxiety walking down the sidewalk and seeing someone up ahead that I know is going to ask me for money. Its not like you can say “oh no, I donate to services that help the needy” because that person isn’t necessarily being helped by that. And ignoring completely feels so mean, plus I tried that one time and the person was screaming at me as i walked away that I ignored them.
I also dont want my city to round them up and send them to prison camps, something they are planning and that I know a lot of people would vote for just to “get rid of them” but im not supporting that at all.
Its tough.
If I have money, I give it to them if they aren’t raising any danger flags. Like there’s one woman who just screams “I’M HUNGRY” at people, and I’m sure that’s true, but I don’t engage with her because it feels unsafe. There’s one whose name I learned, and another couple we recognize each other now.
I used to make good money (low six figures). Giving away $20/week to people asking for it wasn’t even noticeable in my budget. I could probably have done $200/week without noticing. I think my peers are just bad at budgeting though.
I’ve been unemployed for a while now, so I don’t always have cash to give. I tell them the truth.
I don’t expect people who have nothing to give a lot. But I know many of my six figure salary peers could give without even noticing the money, and they don’t. They don’t give to charity, either. They just buy video games they don’t play, run the AC so they have to wear a hoodie inside, and so on.