Begging has become normal now.

CarolfromTX

Senior Member
Location
Central Texas
There’s a website called Next Door where folks can post whatever, usually things about lost or found pets, minor crimes, and miscellaneous complaints. And begging. Usually the begging is from someone claiming to be a single mom just trying to get by, someone needing help with gas money, the usual. Some of those people may be in genuine need, but I’m sure many are just scammers. This morning there was a post from a teacher who is asking for help setting up her new classroom. She even helpfully posted a link to an Amazon wish list. Yes, it was all teacher stuff — bulletin board edging, posters, markers, etc. so yes, it was legit, but it’s still begging IMO. I was a teacher. I spent my own money on that stuff, including things like pencils that the parents should, but did not, provide. I spent probably a couple hundred bucks every year. I just figured it came with the territory. Never ever did I think to ask a stranger to donate. I am asking myself why I find this so irritating. I don’t have to contribute, after all. I can, and did, just scroll on by. I guess i am irritated by the assumption that it’s OK to beg, and not the least embarrassing. How has this become a thing? Has society lost every shred of self-reliance? And will her students suffer if her bulletin boards aren’t all trendy/cute? Not if she’s a good enough teacher. And one final note. I don’t have to donate to things like that to feel good about myself.

End of rant. I feel better now.
 

I have noticed that trend on Next Door also. Some have even set up GoFundMe accounts. On one of the posts some one asked the original poster if she had sought help through the county or state and she said she did not have the time to do that. The post was gone the next day. I donate money to certain agencies that I trust and hope those funds go to those who do need it. I am leery of donating to individuals , especially on such posts that you describe.
 
You want or need something, no worries, just set up a go fund me, pffft. Yes, CarolfromTX, I agree with you, begging has become the new norm, along with pandemics and government declared medical emergencies (Monkeypox), etc.. Don't work for things, the government will provide. Hindered by those pesky student loans, not to worry, the government will forgive them. Let's just go out of our way to see how fast we can bankrupt our Country (shaking my head). The future doesn't look very bright to me but hopefully that's just me. Don...
 

Yep on the Next Door App in my neighbourhood.. just recently someone asked for this ''' Does anyone have a Maserati or a Ferrari, that they could take my daughter to her Prom and pick her up again. Can't afford to pay, but you will make a teen and her friends very Happy.''

.. yes right..I'm sure it would..:rolleyes:

Another asked for a whole house of furniture for the ''Ukrainian family..mother/sister, and one child'' we're sponsoring. They need ( and at this they listed everything including 3 beds ..cooker, fridge, carpets, etc''.. but when someone offered them a TV.. they replied that it has to be no older than 3 years old .:ROFLMAO:...then a couple of days later they were back on asking if anyone would be willing to donate a car no older than 5 years.. for the Ukrainian mother to get to work .

I was incredulous.. One because of the nerve asking for that stuff, and amazed that the Ukrainian mother who'd only arrived the day before suddenly had a job to go to... and 3 because people weren't questioning it.. Mention''Ukranian'' at the moment and you can pull off any fraudulent activity
 
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I’ve noticed the same thing on our Next Door site. Also, a lot of complaining.
yes, there is a LOT of complaining, I agree. It's full of snowflakes, who complain and whine about everything... from the most minor things, trying to get people's support, and I'm always amazed at how quickly people support total strangers on their say so..


The other week.. someone complained about a visit they'd had to a local pub restaurant .. for lunch...

They went on to describe this 'awful experience''.. and before too long they'd been asked to name the pub, and about 30 people were saying awful things, how they were never going there again..how disgraceful it was ..etc..

I know this pub, it's a village pub and it does great food.. very popular place ..

Fortunately the owners got wind of this post on the App.. and came on and confronted the original complainers.. stating their case.. and explaining what happened.. and as it turned out the OP's were actually entirely to Blame.. not the pub at all...

So see how easily someone's livelihood can be destroyed by these people on these apps just to get attention ?
 
While there is some real need out there and in the good ole days ... i attended pancake feeds/ car wash fund raisers etc....

BUT the Go fund Me has now provided a way to beg all the time and scams galore....
i read them from time to time........ the real ones i believe give details the scams are often vague OR over the top desperate.

It has seeped into "news" as well ...there will be some sad story from all over and as i read........ i think there are example families in need in my area why did this go national ? ... the answer is always in last paragraph that a "go fund me acct" has been set up

So media is giving free ADs to a business....since go fund me takes a good percentage of donations for themselves.
 
They went on to describe this 'awful experience''.. and before too long they'd been asked to name the pub, and about 30 people were saying awful things, how they were never going there again..how disgraceful it was ..etc..

I know this pub, it's a village pub and it does great food.. very popular place ..

Fortunately the owners got wind of this post on the App.. and came on and confronted the original complainers.. stating their case.. and explaining what happened.. and as it turned out the OP's were actually entirely to Blame.. not the pub at all...

So see how easily someone's livelihood can be destroyed by these people on these apps just to get attention
Yes it is often unfair and I am glad the owners had a chance to respond.
not that it will fix some people may have decided and not re- read to see the response...and get the real information.

I read all reviews with very critical thinking because i can usually spot a fraud or whiner in how the relate the experience.
 
Yes the go fund me. I should set one up. Kidding. But I knew of someone who set one up and got at least her 10 grand asking. IMO she was being greedy. Don't want to get into details.

I sent some to my boss at the time once because I felt so effing obligated and that it could be used against me if I didn't reply to the e-begging. She actually never came back to the work place.
 
What gets me on NextDoor, when someone asks for help for something and you just ask a few questions that would verify the story or have a suggestion to allow them to help themselves, you get slammed by all the neighbors as being cold, unfeeling, callous, insensitive, etc. They can jump on you faster than a duck on a junebug. Surely all the neighbors aren't so naive and trusting that if anyone questions the validity of a poster they attack and accept everything at face value. This has never happened to me personally, but I've seen it time and time again.
 
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I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge. I don't like charities. I used to work for one. Most of the money goes into canvassing for more donations. And 'research' can mean anything under the sun. Gofundme is the gold standard in scams. I never heard of NextDoor. Maybe I'm too skeptical, but before I give a cent, I want to see three forms of picture ID, two notarized financial statements, five affidavits of fact, and one from either/or Pope/Dalai Lamma/a living deity.- for starters.
Bah, Humbug!!!
 
What gets me on NextDoor, when someone asks for help for something and you just ask a few questions that would verify the story or have a suggestion to allow them to help themselves, you get slammed by all the neighbors as being cold, unfeeling, callous, insensitive, etc. They can jump on you faster than a duck on a junebug. Surely all the neighbors aren't so naive and trusting that if anyone questions the validity of a poster they attack and accept everything at face value. This has never happened to me personally, but I've seen it time and time again.
yep seen that so many times, this is what I mean about support for strangers.. just because they say it's so.. all these total strangers believe it.. and as you say if you dare to question it, then YOU are the demon.. ..

PS have to say..I think that's the most US southern thing I've ever seen written on here.. soooo cute... ''They can jump on you faster than a duck on a junebug''....I could hear it being said in a Southern accent in my head.. :D
 
@CarolfromTexas, Yes, "Society has lost every shred of self-reliance."
Is each generation becoming less and less? Is mankind devolving?

haha! When I was a child and washing my hair in the bathroom sink,
I yelled out,"Mother, we are out of shampoo!"
My Grandmother was staying with us and insinuated I was soft and spoiled.
She handed me a bar of Ivory soap and said. "Make do!"
(She was a pioneer woman who built her own cabin and dug her own 50 foot well)
Traveled by horse and buggy from Minnesota to Montana to homestead)

"Help me, do me, buy me, entertain me, make me, serve me, I want, I want, I want."
 
Our Nextdoor is a mixture with many posts warning people about wildlife or burglars. Recently a woman asked if she could borrow some card tables and chairs for a small outdoor wedding stating that times were tough but they wanted to have a small celebration. People offered to loan her items that they had leftover from their own weddings including a dress and a minister. I donated paper plates, napkins, cups etc that I got at the dollar store. She was extremely grateful and said she would post pictures. I told her to ask her friends that were coming to bring a dish to pass.
 
Ditto to what was said above about NextDoor. I don’t even like to read it , except I learned about a crime that took place in my own apartment complex, ransacked package locker, that the management “omitted” telling us about. So I read it a few times a week.

Re: donations. I quit doing any. When the heads of the charities make salaries in the high 6 figures. I used to feel bad that I didn’t give more to one church’s music programs….till I saw that they were advertising for a “media liaison.” I figured they could do without an extra $10 from me.
 
There's a teacher on my local Nextdoor site doing the same thing, asking for school supplies and has an Amazon link.

Another ongoing one is a guy claiming to have ADD asking for volunteers to come sort and stack papers at his house. He gets nasty if people ask questions or offer solutions. As I followed the thread turns out all the papers are govt. propaganda crap he is trying to "get to the people so we understand". Guy sounds like a nut job trying to send out his manifesto.
 
Beggars profit from gullible, non-thinking fools who believe everything they see & hear.
From their daily take, there is no shortage of such fools.
I see them with their "Rent-a-Children" that they trade off between shifts, along with their well-groomed, well-fed dogs, while their signs say "Hungry, Please Help, God Bless."
Some are more creative - the signs will list medical problems they claim to have, & can't afford treatment.
One guy who used to hang around a market had a sign that said, "Third Degree Burns, No Money For Treatment, Anything Helps." He wrapped both of his arms up completely in white gauze. He deserved an Oscar. Such creativity!
Some of them can't leave their latest expensive I Phone alone & chat with their friends - probably ridiculing fools who give them money.
 
Not NextDoor but a similar site has the same kind of people asking for things. If anyone questions their story, the attacks start. One of them was thankful for the donations and was now asking for bottles for refunds or gas cards so she has fuel for her car. She’ll come pick them up. Maybe stop driving so much.

since go fund me takes a good percentage of donations for themselves.
A transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 is automatically deducted from each donation, so you never have to worry about paying a bill.
 
I was solicited to join Next Door but I did not. It seems like a good idea at first but there is always a catch and they have your address and whatnot.

Maybe I'm a Scrooge, but those commercials seeking to feed hungry children get to me. Don't they have parents?
 

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