General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you are in the 1% you are nothing but an exploiter [View all]JonLP24
(29,808 posts)that is what happened to lead me becoming a homeless Vet before it was going to happen I had this incredible fear but when it did the most difficult issues were finding a place to sleep, take a shower(the most difficult part), and store belongings in a safe place. The other is you're pretty much trespassing everywhere within city limits. I go into homeless services meet other homeless Vets. The $150 for one day that I know of came from a Vet who was homeless when I met him, probably around 200 pounds, and actually had housing at the time when he was holding the sign. I don't know how much he made at any other time, or how many times total he's done it. He has more social skills so it doesn't bother him and asked me to come but it was something I didn't want to do at all. He'd say you don't have to say anything just hold a sign.
Another homeless person that wasn't a vet used to ask me to come with her all the time but always turned it down because I was just uncomfortable with it. For money I usually collected cans, $1.00 a pound. $10-$30 depends what days & hours.
As to my statement Vets or those holding the signs make more than other panhandlers was based on another homeless panhandler that isn't a Vet though said that to me but I don't have numbers or figures.
I'd be very careful with "most panhandlers" and say there are incapable of holding job due to being damaged when there are many issues at play here. I was homeless twice. 2 months after I got a job, was working, still without housing long story short I was forced into deciding between this place or an expensive motel and was stolen from countless time. I had like two $100 unpaid fares. Fare evaders, half payers, homeless again. Shit happens but certainly it isn't because of a lack of effort as you can't be lazy and be homeless, you constantly move around because and homeless shelters are way too much like jail & pretty much lack the resources to provide what they need (unless you're a Vet though you have to be lucky to find the right places).
$200 and vet seemed closer to a response to my post because of the $700 and bringing a kid but in any case, what I have said here is honest (probably too honest but I can live what I say as long as it is true).