I feel bad because I got asked for change.

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And I guess I feel bad because I did have some dollar bills in my wallet but I forgot I had them but driving back home I was kind of feeling like I wished I had given that woman some money. I probably would have just been able to give her likie 5 dollars so she could get a pizza from the 7-11 or something and I feel bad I didn't remember that I had some cash in my wallet I could have given, or I could have at least bought her a water bottle so she could at least get hydrated. Idk I juust feel bad like I feel like I should have at least got her a water or something. Idk I feel bad about it.

We've all done something similar where we could have helped someone but didn't for that and other reasons. There are so many in need, but fortunately there are many kind souls who can and will help. Don't beat yourself up about it: at least you didn't totally ignore her as some do

You'll get another opportunity to help her, or others like her.

I did that today as well
Completely forgot I had money in my wallet until I just saw this thread
It's because I'm not used to carrying cash around anymore

I know what you mean though but she will have forgotten you by the time the next person comes along and she's more than likely got what she needs by now as well

I always say that I don't have change because me & my girlfriend have a $hit ton of debt & we're worried about potentially losing our government benefits. We majorly feel bad for people in these situations but me & Cass cant really afford to help. It's a shame there isn't more funding for programs to help people in need. The rich keep getting richer & more & more people are starving & sick

I try to have a canned phrase like:
"Respectfully, I'm not co-operating in that way."

To avoid lying to them and saying I don't have money.

I normally just say "sorry, I don't have any change, mate", which is usually true as I don't typically carry cash.

If I ever have a bit of change I give it to at least one homeless person that I see, when in the centre of my city, which is where they usually congregate.

I feel sorry for people who have to beg for money, but I don't feel it's my responsibility to carry change just so I can give it to them if they happen to ask me. The difficulty in being able to trust the beggars has already been touched on. But mostly I'm too concerned about my own financial position to be giving money away. That might not seem very compassionate of me, but I do give away a lot of my time and work, and I find the idea of charging money a bit tacky unless they can easily afford it, so I think I probably "do my bit" in my own way. I feel more guilty about not doing much to try to change the economic system so that the rich-poor divide is less, but there's not even a big enough political party to vote for that has the will to try and fix that, and political parties are package deals that usually have a lot of policies I don't want.

I think it's important to remember that many of these people begging fall into one of two groups
1. Addicts
2. Pan handlers

So if you give money to the first group you are effectively enabling a drug habit.
If you give money to the second group you are enabling poor social behaviour. Pan handlers (depending on where they are begging) can make a handsome windfall, particularly in front of busy thoroughfares in a CBD, trainstations, subways and malls.

I think if you feel generous then buy the person a bus ticket or warm meal.

Giving too much money to people with addictions can be like a death sentence. Just donate money online to a foodbank or something similar that helps people in your area. It's much more effective that way.

^
I'm not sure of the numbers, but I too am wary of donating money to charities because I doubt very much of it would get spent on the causes they say they represent. Some of those chief executive salaries look high enough to be a concern, and they certainly don't sit well with my socialist principles that tell me nobody should be that rich while we have poverty.

Frankly I'd rather take my chances and give it to a poor individual.