When you think of panhandling, you probably think of the homeless and desperate. It will not be something that a white collar professional can participate in. If you think the answer is, “No,” here's your story.
Joe's story
There is a man who walks by my office and I pass him almost every day. He stood on the corner with his dog and asked for money. His sign simply says, “Need money. Please give.” He is not an intimidating looking guy and is always polite to passers by. He has been there for almost a year. I have to admit that I have been curious about this boy for a long time. He seems like a smart, decent guy – not at all what you think of when you think of a panhandler. So one day my curiosity got the better of me and I gave him five dollars and asked him to talk to me for a minute. He agreed. I don't know what his name is (don't ask, don't tell), so I'll call him Joe for this episode.
I asked him what he did before he started sarcasm. I was surprised when he became an engineer. He was laid off a few years ago and quickly grew tired of looking for work and filing unemployment claims. He tried to start his own business, but it did not take off as quickly as he had hoped. During this period of unemployment/non-employment, he realized that he really hated the 9 to 5. He looked into other lines of work, but found nothing. His friend forced him to leave for a day and then, he found his phone.
My Interview with Joe
“I loved being outside and meeting people. I loved setting my own hours and working when I wanted. I didn't have a bad boss hanging over my shoulder telling me what to do. The freedom was good.”
“But you don't make a lot of money, do you? How can you live with this money?” I asked.
“In a good year, I take out about $55,000, tax-free. Since everything is paid in cash, I don't pay tax. This is roughly the equivalent of an $80,000-a-year job. I live [here he named a neighborhood in town that’s not super wealthy, but it known for it’s well off residents]. It's not a bad life. I have to buy my own health insurance.”
Wow. I had no idea that panhanding could be so beneficial. Putting aside the ethics of not paying taxes, I moved on.
“What do your neighbors say?” I asked.
“They don't know. “I tell people I'm self-employed and many people just think I'm just doing what I used to do,” said Joe.
“Do you have a family?”
“A wife and two children. They are fine with this. Kids think it's adventure, and it is. My wife is just happy that the money is coming in.”
“Are you going to go back to real work?” I asked.
“Maybe one day.” This is fun for now, but I can't imagine doing it forever. If the economy improves, I can try to start my business again.”
“Why the dog?” I asked. It is a beautiful dog, a kind of mutt. He is very friendly and loving, too.
“A dog makes people feel at ease. You are friendly and sweet. People love to pet him and talk to him. People ended up giving me money after petting the dog. It's like they're paying for playing with the dog.”
(Personally, I think there's something sympathetic going on when people think they can't feed a dog so they can give it money, but Joe wouldn't admit it and I wasn't there to push him to agree.)
Joe said that, like any successful business, successful participation seems to depend on being attractive. Offer something other panhandlers don't. Joe has his dog. Then there is the traditional window washer. I saw a man on the news tell you a joke if you give him money. Someone I saw will tell you a Bible verse. Joe told me about a former counselor who was going to give me advice. If you can give people something for their money, you will be better off than those who just ask for money and don't give anything back.
I asked Joe what was the strangest thing he had ever been given. Since not all people give money, I was curious.
“I got food, gift cards, dog food, handmade crafts, and bags of toiletries. But the most confusing thing was the tools. A young man gets out of his car, pulls this old toolbox out of his boot and hands it over. He said he had been cleaning out his father's garage and found it. He didn't need it, so he gave it away. 'Learn a trade, man,' he said as he drove. I thought it was funny, but those tools came in handy.”
Should You Take Up Panhandling?
If you want to take up panhandling, here are some tips from Joe.
Don't lie: Don't post a sign that you're homeless when you're not. Don't say you have six children if you don't. It's okay to ask for money; after all, people can just say no. But don't trick people into giving you money.
Don't be hateful or rude: If someone doesn't want to give, or only gives you pennies, you can say sarcastic words, flip the bird, or tell them off. Just say, “Thank you,” or “Have a nice day,” and move on.
Obey local laws: In many places it is completely illegal to panhandle. However, there are restrictions on where and when you can do it You may need to register with the municipality and become a licensed beggar. Read the rules and follow them, unless you want a night in jail.
Dress well, but not too well: You don't want to look nervous or scared because that scares people. However, if you look too good people will think you don't need money and ignore you. Jeans and T-shirts are good choices, according to Joe.
Do not be aggressive or threatening: Don't chase people, don't get in their face, and don't make threats to force them to withdraw their money. Politely ask if they will donate and leave it at that.
Accept whatever is given to you: If you find gift cards that you can't use, you can trade them for use online or with other people. If you get alcohol (it happens), you can give it away on Christmas. If someone wants to buy you lunch, let them. Cash is good, but some things have a price so don't turn anything away.
Never go out if you are drunk or high: Not only is it illegal in many places to be under the influence in public, it scares people and may cause you to say or do something that could get you into real trouble.
Panhandling is not for everyone and there are questionable ethics involved in pursuing this when other options are available to you. (Not to mention the tax issue.) You could argue that an able-bodied and educated person shouldn't participate. However, I would also argue that most educated people should not be in their chosen professions, either. In a free market economy, if someone like Joe can make a living panhandling, he has that right, as long as he doesn't force people to give him money. People pay a lot of stupid things, so if they want to give him their money, they can and he will accept it.
I don't know if Joe is ready to participate or not. On the other hand, I think he should get a job. But on the other hand, I find myself thinking that if he can make money doing this, he enjoys it, and he doesn't hurt anyone or do anything illegal, then there's nothing wrong with it. It's like starting any other business. He does what people will pay for and people pay for him. I never thought that panhandling could or would be a career choice, but apparently it can be.
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