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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think £1 doesn't get you much these days

60 replies

soyvanillalatte · 04/08/2016 08:12

I was in town, about to start my shopping, and walked past a young homeless man who was sitting on the pavement surrounded by his belongings. He looked up to smile and I grabbed a pound out of my pocket and gave it to him saying "Morning, maybe you can get yourself a cup of coffee. Sorry it's not much".
The pound was all of the loose change I had in the pocket but as I walked away, I started to feel bad and wondered if I had just given him a "useless" amount of money. I feel like I have insulted him, I felt so guilty.
Can £1 get much in the way of something to eat or drink of any value these days?
AIBU to think he may not have been able to even get a cuppa?

OP posts:
Benedikte2 · 04/08/2016 09:05

Reminds me of an anecdote in an autobiography by an Afro American who grew up in the ghetto. At Thanksgiving some middle class white women came knocking at the door with a gift of a turkey when his family had no stove, and couldn't afford electricity bills.

thecatsarecrazy · 04/08/2016 09:06

I regularly buy a Poundland sandwich the chicken and salad ones are lovely and would cost twice as much in tesco

BigGreenOlives · 04/08/2016 09:07

In lots of areas there are signs asking you not to give money to beggars. Homeless charities are very careful not to give clients more than they need immediately to prevent items being sold to fund addictions.

Any homeless person claiming to be a veteran can get in touch with Veteran's Aid and they will do their utmost to support them (often moving them into accommodation within 90 minutes).

Piemernator · 04/08/2016 09:08

In my small town there is only ever one homeless man that sits asking for help. I know the manager of the homeless hostel so there are plenty but only this guy openly begs. I always have a chat and ask him what he would like from the bakery, he has a soft spot for cream cakes.

I only give to well known charities in the street and prefer to do it with gift aid. The most I have given to a charity in the street is a tenner for a poppy. I avoid chuggers like the plague as they are employees. I have collected in the street for Help the aged when it existed.

Original poster
soyvanillalatte · 04/08/2016 09:11

Icouldbeacontender it may seem odd but I just about never buy food or drinks on the go. I didn't think about supermarket food (*thick).

OP posts:
NameChanger22 · 04/08/2016 09:15

There are plenty of people begging who do have a roof over their heads, they just don't have any money to buy food. There are a lot of people sofa surfing, living in hostels etc.

And I was just giving an example of the amount of food you could buy with one pound. If they don't have any means to cook they could buy 1 loaf of cheap bread, 2 tins of beans (there's nothing wrong with cold beans if you're starving) and a cheap pack of biscuits.

Poundland is actually very expensive compared to the value range of some supermarkets or Aldis.

TuppencePenny · 04/08/2016 09:16

I don't agree with people saying you shouldn't give to people on the street and instead should give it directly to a charity. The people on the street are in immediate need, hungry and probably trying to get enough money that day for a bed in a hostel that night- and enough for a meal. Giving the Shelter online isn't going to help that person not starve today.

These charities have huge budgets for staff and PR/ advertising, not all the money goes to the "front line". I would much rather give out practical help in the form of cash or food to someone who desperately needs it there and then.

doctoratsea · 04/08/2016 09:29

Tuppence - I agree with you.

Charties will of course prefer you give the money to the "charity" as opposed direct to the person that needs it. £1 given to a charity will result in 80p being spent directly on that individual (according to Shelter) and Oxfam spends 25% of its funds on running costs, so know he will only get 75p...

£1 to the homeless man on the street who needs it now is still worth £1

Yes its nice to think he will spend it on food or warmth, but if you give the money it should be unconditional, just like loveWink

EndofSummerLooming · 04/08/2016 09:38

I agree with dratsea

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 04/08/2016 09:50

It's not a conspiracy by homelessness charities to increase their own funding. Hmm

All the evidence suggests that your £1 is not going towards a bed for the night. The vast majority of street beggars are not looking for money to fund housing; they're funding drug habits. So your money is generally going to a dealer (you may be fine with that, but most people aren't).

There are plenty of other things you can do to help (that don't involve giving your money to huge charities) instead that will actually help and not just perpetuate and even exacerbate an existing issue.

OwlinaTree · 04/08/2016 09:59

I can see the benefit of giving directly to the person, but the only way to really help change long term is to support larger organisations who can do more .

Bastardshittits · 04/08/2016 10:11

I usually give them a few quid. The night hostel in my local city charges a nominal amount and I don't know how else they are supposed to fund a bed.

Original poster
soyvanillalatte · 04/08/2016 10:35

By the way, he wasn't begging. Just sitting there with his stuff.

OP posts:
ATrumpIsAFartCalledDonald · 04/08/2016 10:47

Where are all you people that a pound can get milk, fruit and bread?

It's good you gave him something and hopefully if a few more people give some change he could afford something to eat but I don't think a single pound goes a long way.

MiddleClassProblem · 04/08/2016 10:52

Sometimes you can get a Viennetta for £1. Winner.

MiddleClassProblem · 04/08/2016 10:55

I now realise I didn't read the op and just the title.

He could easily get something from Greggs or a burger from McDonald's but hopefully he has a few more donations anyway

EveOnline2016 · 04/08/2016 10:57

When I give to the homeless I don't care if the money is going to drugs or drink.

Tbh if I was on the streets with no money no family or friends then I would take drugs and drink myself to death, because let's face it what a miserable lonely life to have.

Lilmisskittykat · 04/08/2016 11:11

Do you not have pound shops where you live? We have lots ... Can get all sorts .. Socks gloves, food drinks etc

MammyV · 04/08/2016 11:22

My son (age9) gets really really upset by homelessness. We live in glasgow and there seems to be a marked increase in homeless recently, we were in town yesterday and I had to brace myself for his upset. Luckily I had prepared and had lots of coins for my son to 'help' these people, he is savvy at 9 send already distinguishes alcoholics/addicts etc he tends to give the money to ones he genuinely thinks are homeless, we only give £1 to each and o think that is better than nothing at all, hopefully as others say it is enough to get a sausage roll, tea in greggs or similar, we can't individually change the situation but maybe showing compassion makes their lives a tiny bit better x

TerrificHons · 04/08/2016 11:29

mammyv the image of your 9 yo running around like Lord Bountiful, deeming who is genuinely "homeless" or not, is sickening. There are plenty of homeless addicts/alcoholics on the streets, it's not all a ploy to get "a coin" off you.

overthehillandroundthemountain · 04/08/2016 11:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Savagebeauty · 04/08/2016 11:34

I always ask if they want something to eat or drink.

OwlinaTree · 04/08/2016 11:44

eve yes, I agree.

TuppencePenny · 04/08/2016 11:51

StepAway

What a heartless and judgmental attitude you have. The way I see it is showing compassion and kindness and not just walking on by saying "my direct debit has gone out this month to Shelter, hopefully a representative of an organisation will be along to re home and feed you soon!" That's no immediate help to anyone's physical or mental health and just not how things work for homeless people in reality.

SemiNormal · 04/08/2016 11:56

he is savvy at 9 send already distinguishes alcoholics/addicts etc he tends to give the money to ones he genuinely thinks are homeless - so if someone is on drugs/drink they can't be 'genuinely' homeless now? perhaps they turned to drink/drugs AFTER being made homeless to be able to cope with the hopelessness of their situation. Perhaps some of them are vets who have witnessed sickening horrors of war and unable to cope with it, seeing as there is a massive lack of mental health care, turned to drink/drugs to cope with severe PTSD and lost their homes and families.