Freeloaders by John Stossel

**LanaBear** · 03-29-2011 05:48 PM

Did anybody happen to catch this special on Friday night?

I was AMAZED.... Panhandlers are bringing in almost $150 a day. Based on your average 2080 hour work year, that is $39k a year. They followed some of the undercover and found that some of them that live in average homes, go shopping, wear decent clothes, but yet, change into bummy clothing, hold cardboard signs and panhandle people for their money. WTF? It's almost really comical.

Stossel himself got in makeup and sat on the streets of NYC and made $90. Comes out to be $11.25 an hour, more than minimum wage, about $23k a year. Come on!

They also interviewed some kids, early 20's or so and you have the whole entitlement factor come up. They don't feel they should have to do anything in life and that they feel they are entitled to have people give them money. Where has ambition gone? Where has wanting to work hard and earn what you deserve gone?

I tell you, by the end of the special, I was so bent out of shape but it was a good show anyways. I'd recommend it. Not to mention he gets into all the government freeloading, etc. Good show.

**kristalyn_04** · 03-29-2011 07:18 PM

Huh? WT... people actually do this? Holy moly... obviously I know there are street beggers, but I always thought they were legitimately poor, illegal immigrants unable to get work, or trying to get drug money. Since I usually can't tell who is a druggie and who is actually trying to make end's meet, I just ignore them. But now I have a new reason to keep ignoring them... I can't believe people who are fairly well off and capable of working actually have the nerve to live off of the good nature of others. Are they just that lazy that they don't want to work like the rest of us? Or do they really think that they are somehow entitled to live off of other people's money who are actually working and contributing to society? That is just so messed up on so many levels. What in the heck makes them think that it's ok to freeload off of good honest hardworking people? People that have worked most of their lives, worked hard for their college degrees, and spent years building their career... and here are these people just sitting there with their buckets profiting off of other people's generosity! Seriously?! GAH that really pisses me off!

**Hopeless Dork** · 03-29-2011 07:21 PM

Have you ever tried giving a panhandler actual change , as in coins? They look at you like ur nuts, its almost as if they EXPECT paper currency donations... and I've seen ones saying they needed money for food, have given a 5 and seem them not budge from their spot to go to the store, mcdonalds or gas station but instead stay put waiting for more money from others. I could see it being potentially very lucrative, especially... I'm sure they get handed 10's, 20's and even more by people in a particularly charitble mood at the time..

It stinks because you want to help ppl that need it, if you knew someone was starving and knew a dollar would get them something in their tummy , you'd want to give it -- but all these scammers just make it so you feel like a chump when you hand over money to panhandlers.

**jns** · 03-29-2011 08:40 PM

Sometimes panhandlers are genuinely in need. I have bought some a meal. I have shared a meal with some. Don't paint all with the same brush. I understand a lot are professionals, but don't let them interfere with how you go about your business.

**kristalyn_04** · 03-29-2011 09:01 PM

Yes I'm sure a good number of them are genuinely in need. But me, knowing that some of them are just out for drug money, and usually no way to tell who is out for what, I can't give them money. Having come from a broken home with both my parents having substance abuse problems, I can't and won't support anybody's drug habit. Sure, I'll go to a fast food joint around the corner and buy them something for a buck or two, but I'm not giving them money not knowing what they might be using it for. No way. But that's just my stance on it, of course I respect anyone who wants to help someone out who is seemingly in need, that's their choice.

**Seeker_Advice** · 03-30-2011 07:15 AM

jns touched on it and so did HD.

Offer to take a panhandler somewhere for a meal and see what response you get. Or offer to go and buy $5 worth of grocery items for them and see.

Most, not all, but most are just in it for the $$$ to do with whatever they desire.

Of course by now, almost everyone has heard about the man with the golden voice from Ohio, who was one of the people that jns mentioned.

**Texinator** · 03-30-2011 01:42 PM

Our local paper did an investigative story a few years ago where they looked at some of the "homeless" in the area, and while there were some who were legitimately homeless - though they preferred cash and booze over groceries and other items - there also were several that weren't homeless at all but just played the role for the sake of the money. One guy was averaging more than $25 an hour, because he'd walk around with a puppy and also tell people he was a veteran, and one or the other tended to get a reaction out of people and make them want to give him money.

**sungoddesschelsy** · 03-30-2011 03:26 PM

I'm amazed at how lazy some people can be... I am in the age range of those entitled youngens and I dont get it either...

I'm more bothered by people that are milking the system by using their children...

**kristalyn_04** · 03-30-2011 03:41 PM

Maybe a bit off-topic, but I've even heard of people taking in lots of foster children just to get the monthly support checks from the government. Those kids certainly don't get the level of care they need and deserve, most of the money just goes right into the foster parent's pockets.

**LanaBear** · 03-30-2011 04:12 PM

I've heard that too Kristalyn. Taking in fosters just for the monthly checks. Those are generally the ones that end up abused too, sad to say.

I HATE to be such a pessimist about it all but it is just unfortunate that goodwill is taken for granted. I've dealt with many freeloaders in my life. Just evicted a so called "friend" because of this behavior. That has ended up pushing my willingness to give to those so called less fortunate to its limits. I'll donate through other means, clothes to goodwill or what have you.

Let's not forget, all this money that they are getting is obviously not taxed. So, not only do I work my butt off, but I also get taxed to high heaven and back for working my butt off. It makes sitting on a street with a cardboard sign tempting (okay well not really, just saying though). I'd be making a fraction of what I currently do, but hey, no taxes, no work, why the heck not.

I do understand that crp happens in our lives, I've been there, done that but I worked darn hard to get out of that and I'm a better person for it.