Homeless

[Jojoanna]

AIBU to give a homeless lady sitting on the cold pavement surrounded by her possessions money?

YABU for posting purely to get a back patting.

Is there a shop nearby, I always try to give food instead of money. But yes I would rather help someone than spending the day wishing I had done something.

do you think you might have been unreasonable? why?

That was the thought amongst my friends you should not give cash.

give what you like. If you feel cash is what you want to give, then give cash.

i agree with sarky we all give to the homeless your nothing special deary. give cash or food

I didn't think I was special deary

I would give something yes. Do you have a spare property lying around?

If you want to give cash then give cash, never mind what your friends say. If it's freely given with no expectations on what she 'should' spend it on then there's no problem.

lol santa or maybe a holiday home in cannes ? some homeless are so fussy

I prefer to give food because a lot of places won't serve "them" (always said in a disgusted tone at the food places too, don't get me started!) with hot food so I try to do that. Though if there isn't anywhere convenient I do give money if I have some in my pocket.

I give cash to homeless people. Whoever I'm giving it to is an adult, who deserves the courtesy of choice over what to do with their money.

(not that I wouldn't give the same respect to a child in the same scenario, obviously.)

How patronising not to give cash.....

Oh, shut up nature.

I see homeless people on my route from tube station to coffee shop and usually pick up a cup of tea or coffee for them, and sometimes a sandwich or savoury croissant, along with my morning stuff.

I don't think it's always patronising not to give cash (at least I hope it isn't!). There's a man who sits outside McDonalds in my town (a picture of him has just gone viral on FB), we've given him a hot chocolate when we bought a McDonalds on our card and didn't have any change and it was cold. We weren't trying to be patronising, just not sure what else we could've done...

I don't think OP was looking for praise you narky bunch.

OP I do give the odd bit of change to homeless people but I have friends who tell me I shouldn't because they will all go spend it on drugs/booze etc.

Each to their own

There are places in our city where they can go to get a free hot meal and somewhere safe to sleep at night (very basic, mats on floors kind of thing) so I tend to suggest they go there for the food.

just give food and a drink if u can afford get two so they have dinner later

Do you find homelessness amusing natureplantar101?

Mumsnet really does need a [medal] emoticon.

[sarcasm]

I usually buy a hot drink and a sandwich, then point them in the direction of the CAB or a homeless day centre where they can get some help.

Might help to ignore the goady fucker

If you're going to be patronising nature - then at least spell correctly.

Anything you can do do help is positive, whether it's money, food, drink, whatever. I've done both, just as much as I can afford at the time.

The thing not to do is offer advice. They're homeless, not stupid.