Scuse me mate you got 40p?

[Exulus]

Now i dont mean to be all high horsey here but how do they set their rates? I've been asked for 40p 3 times in the past 24 hours, (twice in the past 20 mins walking back home by two separate people) - how do they set their rates? A year ago it was 70p...is this a sign of the recession?

If i have a quid for every time i gave out 40p i'd be...err...60% richer

[PaulX]

I remember when it was "10p for the price of a cup of tea", always delivered in a voice that sounded like their throat had been sandpapered.

[pesh]

that must have been before cigs had filters

[PaulX]

that must have been before cigs had filters

Early 90s. It was the Tennents Super that gave them that voice.

I also remember it suddenly going up to £1. Inflation, huh?

[laurennoodles]

i used to hang with the 40p kids. i never had the guts to ask myself but all my mates did cause it was the price of the bus. but they used to do it loads then we'd get our (older) mates to buy us some cheap cider. good times.

[lahmjpowder]

Cant beat the crackheads of Brixton with their bargain "you got 5p bruva?".

[Aussie Raver]

I've been asked for £500 from a random guy in Shoreditch for a flight to the Bahamas.

[WaveyRaveyDavey]

A month or so back I was asked for 70p by a girl for a bus fair to Bromley Hospital.

No was the reply.

About five minutes later, whilst standing in the queue in the local Costcutters (surely a phonecall to Trading Standards is neccessary here!) about 50yds down the road, the girl joined the queue with a tin of White Lightning? A strong cider of some sort...

I NEVER give anything to anybody who opens with; 'I'm really sorry mate...'

I mean, do I have 'cunt' written across my forehead or something?

(Don't all answer at the same time, you'll crash the system!)

[lahmjpowder]

Thats always the way really.

Tbf though I do sometimes give a bit of change to some of the homeless crackheads. Because when your homeless, what you got better to do?

[baldmosher]

I generally don't give money to beggars. Mainly because it's illegal and I don't think there is any excuse for homelessness. I just don't buy the "I have no choice" bullshit. There's always help for you if you want it. If you're on the streets, you clearly don't want it. Yes I know drug/alcohol addiction is a fucking awful situation for any human being but I'm sorry but I'm not paying for your habit. You have to want to change. It doesn't take much effort to find the nearest Sally Army and wash & shave every day so that you look presentable.

I once had a scruffy old tramp ask me for a quid for some cider. I admired his honesty and gave him a quid.

I once had one of a couple of teenage kids ask me for 50p for the bus. I politely refused and his response was to ask me whether if he searched my pockets, he would find 50p. Being in a slightly quiet area of town, and valuing the remains of my McDonalds meal and my (albeit empty) wallet over my pride, I calmly turned around and walked into the nearest shop before he had chance to find out.

A few years later I had a lad ask me for spare change. I said "sorry mate". Much later that evening the same toerag asked me for change for the phone. I refused again and he followed me down the deserted street giving me shit about how I lied to him earlier cos he heard change rattling in my pockets. I gave as good as I got - I pointed out that I didn't say I had no change, I said sorry because I wasn't going to give him any because he was a low life scrounger. We then entered into a debate about benefits, jobseeking and how he was being a cheeky fooker because he could have just changed the £20 note that he said he had in his pocket from JSA, the daft sod. After following me all the way home he said "do you think it's a good idea showing me where you live" so I called him a cunt and told him to fuck right off and if he came anywhere near my property I would break his face. He left. It's about the only time I've ever threatened violence, but he started it innit.

I once gave 50p to a dude I see around Manchester quite frequently, cos he was beatboxing down the queue for cash. He at least doesn't look like he's a complete waster, although I presume he really is. Much better than sitting on the floor slumped in a heroin-induced bliss with a paper cup held out as I saw so frequently in Dublin. In Manchester most of the regular beggars tend to wear nice shoes so I don't believe any of them are homeless. There's even two twins here who swap shifts. Unbelievable.