Is it worth to give money to the beggars?

Philippines
April 22, 2009 10:08am CST
There were three beggars who came to my house today. They came separately asking for money. I usually don't give money to beggars especially if they are physically able. The beggars who came to my house today seem to be all physically well. I wondered if they were really beggars or were part of a syndicate or have something evil in their minds. I was very reluctant to give them money. But since they were hesitant to leave, I was forced to give them money (just a few pesos)rather than drive them away. While I was looking at them , I could sense something different. I believe they were not real beggars. Maybe they were robbers or thieves trying to look for something to steal or trying to see which houses have no occupants.I hope I was wrong! But it was unusual to ahve three beggars coming to my house at different times of the day. Honestly, I really don't want to give money to beggars, I'd rather give them food or clothing. How about you, do you give money to the beggars? Is it worth to give them money?
2 people like this
14 responses
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
24 Apr 09
i really think you should maybe give them a sandwich or something, but make them wait outside for you to fix it and hand it out. back in depression days here in usa, my grandma fed many beggars like that if she had anything to give but never let them in the house. if she had something to be done outside she ask them to do it then gave them what she could for the job. many men went around like that during the '30's depression.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Apr 09
Hello there. Hmm, I think you are being paranoid. Well I understand since that is one of the tactics of the syndicates here in the Philippines. However, if you would not want them to be able to do their evil plans, just in case they really are part of a syndicate, you should have handed them over a few coins quickly. You should have not let them stay long begging for some stuff. Or maybe you should not entertain beggars anymore. Don't be too paranoid. Just be positive that them beggars just need help. Just keep in mind that you really are helping the needy ones.
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
I don't think I'm paranoid, I'm just cautious of my security. If you watch the daily news, many people are using "begging" as tactics to succeed in their evil plans. The reason why I thought of them as not real beggars is because they are still young, physically well and are capable working.
• Israel
23 Apr 09
Well... I'd rather teach a beggar how to earn money. I think it is easier, and much more honorable to make your own money. People who give up and start begging for pennies to eat something are people who mostly don't look around anymore. If someone wants only to survive, then one should stop for a moment and reconsider his life.
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
I perfectly agree with you. Teach these beggars how to get money than give them money. Giving them money is like tolerating their laziness. Only those who can't work deserve to be given money or food in order to survive.
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
22 Apr 09
I dont know because a lot of them are fake and probally have jobs. But you still feel sorry for them. But usally there standing at the worse places where a lot of times its hard to stop the car and give them money because of the traffic. But shows how sad a lot of people are when they try to fake being poor.
• Philippines
22 Apr 09
Some beggars make a career out of begging and they make more money in begging than getting a real job. These fake beggars don't deserve to be given money. I also feel sad to see these poor people.
@Dasari100 (3791)
• Anantapur, India
23 Apr 09
It is really good to help beggars because they don't have any source to earn money and their physical body not help them to work also so we need to give our hand to put them in good way.
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
I pity those beggars who really can't work or are physically incapable of working. But for those "beggars" who are more physically well than I am, I don't give them anything. They should try to look for a decent living.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
22 Apr 09
This sound dangerous to me, don't you have a way to keep people away? I'd get a dog, a little dog, they bite more often and are very protective. We don't have beggars coming to the house except when we lived near the railroad. Around there once you gave anyone anything they marked your house for others.
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
I live in a subdivision with only few houses and we don't have a security guard at the entrance of our subdivision. This is the reason why outsiders can come inside the village and go begging from house to house. It's quite a bit scary to see these people around. I am a bit safe in my house for my property is fenced and I have three guard dogs. But still, I have to be careful.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
23 Apr 09
i tend to agree with you. i once knew someone that if a begger came to him, he would take the begger out for a meal. who knows what the begger spends the money on? more booze? i would rather give them food or clothes too.
@ninebags (145)
• China
23 Apr 09
Generally speaking, beggers are pity, we should help them. But most of beggars are not real beggars in my country. They are able to feed themselves but they're too lazy to do this, this kind of beggars are not worth to have our sympathy. And there're some beggars going to your house for begging, they reject accepting foods or clothes and only accept money, these are not real beggars. And some beggars will sneeze at you when you give them a little money. I'll never give money to these kind of beggars.
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
24 Apr 09
Well, it depends.. when I see that these people who are asking are disabled, sure, I will give either money or food. But when they are physically healthy more than me? I will not give them money.. maybe food I can give them. I think, you are right!! some people are maybe thieves who are just observing of how they can get something from people.
@berrys (864)
• Singapore
23 Apr 09
for me, im not a wealthy person myself but if someone asks a stranger for money it is a very scary thing to do cause you don't know how the person will react so you've got to be really desperate or genuinely in need. some people think beggars are lazy and for some cases i think they are but I'd like to think of them as unfortunate people and no matter what i always give money i don't think of the outcome whether they were pretending or whether i got cheated i just think of the positive side as in i helped some one today whether it was for better or worst i did my part its up to them now to do what they need with the money.
@cahyorini (315)
• Indonesia
24 Apr 09
Absolutely, if you give your money to beggars it mean that you have saving your money from your next life in heaven, but you have to look carefully if the beggars are really or not, same as you, first i will look at his/her appearance(i agree with you), if he/she still young and healthy then i will not giving the money, i think if he/she still young and healthy,that mean they all just a bunch of lazy people who want to continue live without any effort (i hate this person), but if the beggars are really needs help, I will give him my money and any others things that i can help and also i will gave him/her my support to never despairs in life
@suzzy3 (8341)
26 Apr 09
Doris be careful for goodness sake.I always tell door to door people I have no money either.We do not get beggars here we might do I suppose if things get any worse.It sounds like you might be right about that lot.Bad feelings don't answer the door next time.the trouble is now they know you pay out you might get plagued by them.It might be an idea to have a word with your local police office about it,it sounds to me like they were demanding money rather than asking nicely.Take care suzzyxx.
@sblossom (2168)
22 Apr 09
I agree with you. I prefer giving them food or clothes if they need them. Sometimes I gave money to very old beggars even I knew they might be not real beggers. Just because their ages made me doing like that. Blossom
• Philippines
22 Apr 09
I also give money or in kind to beggars who are very old and who can't get a job to earn for a living. It's a pity to see these people.
• United States
22 Apr 09
I would rather give them food or cloths or even donate to the local shelter and derect them that way. Far as giving them money if i had some spare change on me i would give it to them i think there is nothing wrong with this.
• Philippines
22 Apr 09
I know there is nothing wrong giving something to the beggars especially if we ahv much. In fact, this should be a way of saying thank you for having more blessings than these beggars. But one thing which I don't like about beggars, that is, when they beg instead of doing some work to earn a living if they are physically able.