I give them $20 when i see them … their lives are tough, I’m not gonna question what they do with it.
Though I did give money to a guy who, now that I know more, had obviously been doing tranq (conventional drugs cut with horse tranquilizers) because of his swollen and lesion-covered arm … but I figured maybe if I gave him some money he’d see a doctor over that arm he was about to loose.
Those that do, are often homeless because of their poor life choices that led them to be homeless. Once you’re homeless, it actually becomes harder to get a home. There’s a lot of stigma, as you have pointed out, and then there’s social shame, as well as hygiene issues that can further isolate a person.
More than half of unhoused people work. Others panhandle, pick up bottles & cans to trade in for money at the recycling center, steal and/or sell things. Some barter goods and/or services.
Begging, stealing, sexual favors for money, pawning off their last owned possessions. In major cities, there are like 100s of CVS petit larcencies a day. My local CVS gets hit literally every day, and this is in a “good neighborhood.” And 99% of the time, it’s kids, drug addicts or the homeless.
I’m sure that this will result in an immediate end to SNAP benefits, but I’ve heard that sometimes people will offer to trade buying food with their card for .50 on the dollar. So, they’ll try to turn their SNAP benefit into cash.
That’s not always for drugs, though.
But, anyway, from what I understand fentanyl is cheap, and the people selling probably don’t care that it’s killing anyone.
Governmental policy choices keep creating more customers for them.
A. The meme that homeless people are all drug addicts and crazies is exaggerated.
B. Some homeless have unearned income, such as retirement benefits. They aren’t all penniless. They just don’t have enough for a middle class life.
C. They seem to generally do cheaper stuff, like mj and alcohol. Hard core addicts of more expensive drugs that I’ve personally known had good jobs.
Some panhandlers make a lot of money. Watch them next time you see them at a traffic light. More often than not you’ll see one or two people give them a bit of change before the light turns green. Even if they only average a couple bucks per light cycle, that’s easily $50+ an hour.
As someone who grew up around this and whose mother is still on the streets right now. I can tell you that there’s a toooon of ways to get drugs.
The most common ways in my experience.
(1) trade food stamps/credit 4 cash
(2) the go between guy for other peoples drugs/ keep a portion for yourself and they also usually just share with you
(3) most people have a family member that “never gives up on them” and gives them cash out of guilt.
(4) there’s a lot more money in panhandling than you think. Easy money
(5) work at day labor gigs, people don’t care what you look/act like if you’re only $9 an hour.
(6) sex, obviously
(7)steal/con/assault , these are the Hollywood classics but don’t happen as much as you’d think (except to other homeless, that happens often )
People on here defending the homeless really don’t know what they’re talking about. There’s countless programs and funding for homeless, free housing, food, cash, counseling etc. The only catch is you have to pass drug tests consistently. 90% of homeless is due to drugs and/or laziness. I’ve met a few guys who were just tired of social rules and a couple that were running from something shameful. And yes, there’s some people that are mentally ill beyond help but what do you do with that? The programs do help them but it’s illegal to keep an adult in a program against their will. So if you’re going to type tough, get out there and see for yourself, have them live with you? That’s what I thought
Edit: The harder drugs absolutely cause psychosis, mental illness is often magnified by drug use
It’s super frustrating if youve ever been someone who works with the population, because well meaning people keep giving them money so they keep coming back high and or drunk.
You want to help homeless peole work at or donate to places that work with them. If you’re too good to get your hands dirty don’t just give them money.
To answer your question without delving into the socioeconomic reasons/platitudes for homelessness that so many people are experts on, apparently…a majority either pan handle, prostitute themselves, sell/trade government benefits, or actually do work and can’t afford housing anyway so they say “might as well have an escape”. The thing with drugs is that you make sacrifices whether it’s a roof, your body, safety, etc.
I’ve spent my entire life in recovery/sobriety, helping addicts and alcoholics, knowing many thousands.
At least 2/3 of all addicts work. At least half of all homeless people are not addicts or alcoholics.
Most all work.
Among the 1/3 of addicts and alcoholics that are homeless and on “skid row”, there are two main ways: “flying a sign” (panhandeling) and “boosting” (stealing). Some cities ban panhandling, ironically reducing the two to one and leaving that population to only the stealing.
It’s really common for addicts to buy more than needed to get a slight discount, sell the extra to other addicts and try to profit enough to afford the days supply. Most addicts spend $10-$30/day.
When you’re not paying rent you’ve got additional spending money.
In most western countries starving to death isn’t really a thing anymore.
You can trade goods/services for money/drugs.
Welfare is a thing.
Basically making money isn’t hard – you can do pretty much anything to make some extra income. If you’re just looking for money to get your next score and don’t really care about the consequences it really isn’t that difficult.
Sex work happens. Sometimes they steal things and sell that, sometimes they do random jobs for people and beg. All of these things can amount to some type of money that they can use to get drugs.
Comments
They work, or they panhandle.
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I give them $20 when i see them … their lives are tough, I’m not gonna question what they do with it.
Though I did give money to a guy who, now that I know more, had obviously been doing tranq (conventional drugs cut with horse tranquilizers) because of his swollen and lesion-covered arm … but I figured maybe if I gave him some money he’d see a doctor over that arm he was about to loose.
I give it to them.
Survival sex work, begging, some steal, some working normal jobs if they’re still relatively high functioning or doing odd jobs if not
Not all homeless do drugs
Those that do, are often homeless because of their poor life choices that led them to be homeless. Once you’re homeless, it actually becomes harder to get a home. There’s a lot of stigma, as you have pointed out, and then there’s social shame, as well as hygiene issues that can further isolate a person.
They save a lot on rent and car payments.
That homeless person you assume is on drugs is much more likely to be in psychosis from sleep deprivation.
More than half of unhoused people work. Others panhandle, pick up bottles & cans to trade in for money at the recycling center, steal and/or sell things. Some barter goods and/or services.
ZJ – $15
Some receive government benefits, but don’t use them to pay for housing.
Begging, stealing, sexual favors for money, pawning off their last owned possessions. In major cities, there are like 100s of CVS petit larcencies a day. My local CVS gets hit literally every day, and this is in a “good neighborhood.” And 99% of the time, it’s kids, drug addicts or the homeless.
Some of them can’t take care of themselves and should not be out roaming the streets.
I dont think they pay money. They barter things like sex.
I’m sure that this will result in an immediate end to SNAP benefits, but I’ve heard that sometimes people will offer to trade buying food with their card for .50 on the dollar. So, they’ll try to turn their SNAP benefit into cash.
That’s not always for drugs, though.
But, anyway, from what I understand fentanyl is cheap, and the people selling probably don’t care that it’s killing anyone.
Governmental policy choices keep creating more customers for them.
Begging, crime, and prostitution
A. The meme that homeless people are all drug addicts and crazies is exaggerated.
B. Some homeless have unearned income, such as retirement benefits. They aren’t all penniless. They just don’t have enough for a middle class life.
C. They seem to generally do cheaper stuff, like mj and alcohol. Hard core addicts of more expensive drugs that I’ve personally known had good jobs.
Some panhandlers make a lot of money. Watch them next time you see them at a traffic light. More often than not you’ll see one or two people give them a bit of change before the light turns green. Even if they only average a couple bucks per light cycle, that’s easily $50+ an hour.
As someone who grew up around this and whose mother is still on the streets right now. I can tell you that there’s a toooon of ways to get drugs.
The most common ways in my experience.
(1) trade food stamps/credit 4 cash
(2) the go between guy for other peoples drugs/ keep a portion for yourself and they also usually just share with you
(3) most people have a family member that “never gives up on them” and gives them cash out of guilt.
(4) there’s a lot more money in panhandling than you think. Easy money
(5) work at day labor gigs, people don’t care what you look/act like if you’re only $9 an hour.
(6) sex, obviously
(7)steal/con/assault , these are the Hollywood classics but don’t happen as much as you’d think (except to other homeless, that happens often )
People on here defending the homeless really don’t know what they’re talking about. There’s countless programs and funding for homeless, free housing, food, cash, counseling etc. The only catch is you have to pass drug tests consistently. 90% of homeless is due to drugs and/or laziness. I’ve met a few guys who were just tired of social rules and a couple that were running from something shameful. And yes, there’s some people that are mentally ill beyond help but what do you do with that? The programs do help them but it’s illegal to keep an adult in a program against their will. So if you’re going to type tough, get out there and see for yourself, have them live with you? That’s what I thought
Edit: The harder drugs absolutely cause psychosis, mental illness is often magnified by drug use
Panhandling.
It’s super frustrating if youve ever been someone who works with the population, because well meaning people keep giving them money so they keep coming back high and or drunk.
You want to help homeless peole work at or donate to places that work with them. If you’re too good to get your hands dirty don’t just give them money.
To answer your question without delving into the socioeconomic reasons/platitudes for homelessness that so many people are experts on, apparently…a majority either pan handle, prostitute themselves, sell/trade government benefits, or actually do work and can’t afford housing anyway so they say “might as well have an escape”. The thing with drugs is that you make sacrifices whether it’s a roof, your body, safety, etc.
Fencing stolen goods or selling their bodies are the quickest methods to cash
Food stamps and SSI. Of course it depends on what state
People who give money to homeless thinking that they are buying food with it.
From the government. Some of those embeciles make more than the average person.
From yer open garage.
It was all a dream
I’ve spent my entire life in recovery/sobriety, helping addicts and alcoholics, knowing many thousands.
At least 2/3 of all addicts work. At least half of all homeless people are not addicts or alcoholics.
Most all work.
Among the 1/3 of addicts and alcoholics that are homeless and on “skid row”, there are two main ways: “flying a sign” (panhandeling) and “boosting” (stealing). Some cities ban panhandling, ironically reducing the two to one and leaving that population to only the stealing.
It’s really common for addicts to buy more than needed to get a slight discount, sell the extra to other addicts and try to profit enough to afford the days supply. Most addicts spend $10-$30/day.
From working
You know those tools of yours that went missing?
A fentanyl pill is like $1.
A lot of the addicts around this area collect cans and turn them in for the $.10 redemption value.
What if I don’t want to hook or beg or steal or work? How do I buy drugs then?
Stealing, begging, prostitution, selling plasma, etc.
People that give them money when they stand on a corner! One reason I do not give any of these people money and you shouldn’t be neither.
When you’re not paying rent you’ve got additional spending money.
In most western countries starving to death isn’t really a thing anymore.
You can trade goods/services for money/drugs.
Welfare is a thing.
Basically making money isn’t hard – you can do pretty much anything to make some extra income. If you’re just looking for money to get your next score and don’t really care about the consequences it really isn’t that difficult.
Disability from SSI pays for a lot of it.
Sex work happens. Sometimes they steal things and sell that, sometimes they do random jobs for people and beg. All of these things can amount to some type of money that they can use to get drugs.
Literally every place non-homeless people get drugs.