Holy Panhandling Batman! (Tucson: coupon, gated, trains)

[roshelley]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

If I am being honest, I hate the concept of being scammed because my mind always wanders. So when I give to charities, I error on the side of caution. Basically I never give my hard earned money away to people who beg on the corner. I'm consistent, I won't give to Corporate America beggars like the United Way. So if I am asking myself "could this be a City Data panhandling scam"? It could be a real good one. Now I understand if you debated for 2 weeks to tell your friends and family that you panhandle. But my (paranoid) gut feelings tell me the 1st sentence was typed to provoke an emotion of hesitation and embarrassment. Sorry if I read your post in the wrong context. But allow me to put it another way, if people PM'ed you and offered you money, would you take it?

Wow, I can see your point. When I read back my thread I could see how it could be misconstrued for a scam. It wasn't my intention to try to get people to help me through this site. I was just hoping to let people know that not all panhandlers are "bad". Unfortunately we live in a society where every little thing is dissected and inspected to find out what's really going on. The reason I was reluctant to post my thread was because I hate confrontation of any kind. I'm a wuss .

[roshelley]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

You were driving a nice car to work 3 years ago and now you are homeless? What happened? What type of work were you in? What have been the challenges that have prevented you from regaining employment?

My husband was selling cars in the east valley for 18 years. He is 100% computer illiterate though, and computers have taken over the car sales business. Like I mentioned he's 58, and I'm pretty sure he has ADHD even though he's never been diagnosed with it. So trying to teach him computers is like trying to teach my dog to speak in French. It just doesn't compute (lol). So he's tried and tried but no one has been willing to hire him without him being able to use the computer. He's been out of work for a year. My job tries to give me more hours when it can. We didn't have much saved up and went through that quickly. I think the main challenge is the way you have to apply on-line for nearly every job, it takes sometimes 30-45 minutes for each application, and rarely do we ever hear back from anyone. I miss when you used to filled out the application and when you turned it in you shook the managers hand and introduced yourself. What's the saying?...If hindsight was 20/20....

[kell490]

Originally Posted by roshelley

My husband was selling cars in the east valley for 18 years. He is 100% computer illiterate though, and computers have taken over the car sales business. Like I mentioned he's 58, and I'm pretty sure he has ADHD even though he's never been diagnosed with it. So trying to teach him computers is like trying to teach my dog to speak in French. It just doesn't compute (lol). So he's tried and tried but no one has been willing to hire him without him being able to use the computer. He's been out of work for a year. My job tries to give me more hours when it can. We didn't have much saved up and went through that quickly. I think the main challenge is the way you have to apply on-line for nearly every job, it takes sometimes 30-45 minutes for each application, and rarely do we ever hear back from anyone. I miss when you used to filled out the application and when you turned it in you shook the managers hand and introduced yourself. What's the saying?...If hindsight was 20/20....

I have never gotten a job online. Smaller companies do not use online. What he needs to do is actually go to the places and ask them for a job in person well dressed with a resume. Explain your situation to them he will find a job. Car sales is a tough business but his experience selling cars can be used in any sales job. If he stood on a corner with a sign that said out of work car salesmen needs a job handing out a stack of Resume's well dressed I can guarantee he would get a job offer. People have a heart, but just asking for money isn't going to get you anywhere. He doesn't need to understand how to program just how to use the internet, and a few webpages. My mother learned on her own she is 77 years old. When she first started she could hardly operate a mouse. I started her off with solitaire to get used to the mouse. I told her to just go anywhere don't ever put your credit card numbers in or give any personal information unless she has me help her that was about 3 years ago now she is a wiz.

The last time a guy asked me for money he said he needed to pay for a script for his daughter was a diabetic standing in front of a Walgreen's. I just happened to have $50 in my pocket he needed that much showed me the script I thought it was legitimate. Before I could say boo he ran off the kid wasn't even his in front of the store some other kid. It was a scam he ran off down the street. That was the last time I ever gave a dime to anyone asking for money. I have tried to give water bottles to the street people at I-17 and Peoria in July they just hand it back and walk away because you can't buy meth with water.

[roshelley]

Thanks for the ideas Kell490. I appreciate it. You are absolutely right that we will never get anywhere if people just help with money, I feel like a hamster in a wheel. That sucks that someone did that to you! Karma will catch up to those jerks .

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by roshelley

Thanks for the ideas Kell490. I appreciate it. You are absolutely right that we will never get anywhere if people just help with money, I feel like a hamster in a wheel. That sucks that someone did that to you! Karma will catch up to those jerks .

The problem is there is no such thing as karma. The end result is Kell490 is had to pay $50 to learn his lesson and the people that ran off with the money were laughing at him thinking he was a sucker. It upsets me when people feel comfortable enough to beg.

[kell490]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The problem is there is no such thing as karma. The end result is Kell490 is had to pay $50 to learn his lesson and the people that ran off with the money were laughing at him thinking he was a sucker. It upsets me when people feel comfortable enough to beg.

That was about 3 years ago I never even told my wife that happened to me was too embarrassed. I had never given any street person any where near that amount of money except for change in the past that guy had a good scam. He caught me at a time when I was felling kind of down I normally don't carry that kind of money around because I use a mileage credit card most of the time. I sure learned my lesson I don't even give out change to anyone I would rather save a dog running down the street then some meth head.

Not sure if you ever watched the series called, "DRUGS INC" on National Geographic channel they interview several street people who beg on corners for drugs. I watched a few of those shows really shows you the nasty world of drugs it's an eye opener. The did one on Phoenix where they interviewed drug dealers from mexico, and drug users living on the streets. They ride alone with some woman who drive up and down I-8 picking up bails of drugs left on the side of the road by drug mules cross the deserts.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by kell490

I have never gotten a job online. Smaller companies do not use online.

Sure they do. Craig's List.

I have not gotten a job that WASN'T via online in more than a decade. Even fast food palces prefer you go online and apply these days.

[KurtAZ]

Some people may need the help...others are scamming:

After Begging for Money, Pregnant Panhandler in SoCal Caught Driving Off in Mercedes-Benz | KTLA

[stevek64]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Some people may need the help...others are scamming:

After Begging for Money, Pregnant Panhandler in SoCal Caught Driving Off in Mercedes-Benz | KTLA

I read about this the other day. Good grief.

Again, if people are really that bad off, gov programs will more than likely give them all they need to survive and beyond without the need to panhandle.

I'll just leave it at that and exit gracefully without further comment.

[WriterDude]

Could be worse. They could be wearing Spider-Man or Elmo costumes and trying to appeal to your kids.

But now I've said too much. :-)