Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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ApplePay Equipped Homeless Sign

"Homeless, anything can help. Swipe sensor at top of sign for ApplePay."
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Coins are dead, and I haven't carried cash for years, so how do you give to that homeless guy?

Being a heartless bastard I dont give able bodied men money when they're begging on the street. I've had to take horrible, humiliating jobs in the past, anything that was available so I no sympathy for anybody not willing to do what I did to survive at certain times in my life.

But occasionally I'll come across somebody who is truely obviously infirmed due to age or missing limbs etc. This makes me feel kind of bad that I don't have any money to give them since I really don't carry any.

To solve this problem, Remucon announces the ApplePay equipped homeless sign attachment. Clips onto your sign asking for money and allows people to give a dollar from their apple pay with the touch of a button. The sign would indicate that it's set up for $1 so the person isn't asking for much.

Might be something that a charity would get and distribute.

Of course I'm not the person to sell such an concept since you'd have to wrap the idea in virtue signalling to make it happen, something I'm not very good at.

Addendum: This unit would have the logo of a trusted agency like the Red Cross who would administer these units and the dispersion of the funds so there's an added level of trust. Additionally, from the homeless person's perspective, they only need to have a picture taken (It would be on the unit as well)

Addendum 2: They'd be given a card and a pin number but it would be similar to those general assistance cards that can only buy food so they won't buy booze or drugs. Lots of homeless people have addition issues so this would insure that your donation wasn't making things worse for them.

doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2019

Baked...in a Square https://squareup.co...ry_redirection=true
IF homeless person has cell phone [Sgt Teacup, Mar 18 2019]

Goodwill fraud?! https://www.cbc.ca/...dwill-ceo-1.3469233
Your product was given to you, for free. How could you NOT make money?? [Sgt Teacup, Mar 19 2019]

Somewhat baked but not enough to work? https://www.theguar...ss-payments-britain
I believe the idea to have it fund a specific EBT card that can't be used for booze or drugs isn't included yet. Correct me if I'm wrong. [doctorremulac3, Mar 21 2019]

[link]






       //Coins are dead, and I haven't carried cash for years//   

       Conversely, I haven't carried cards for years, not since it became difficult to get a non-contactless payment card, card fraud is just too easy with those for my tastes.   

       With cash they only have access to what's in my pocket, with one of those they've got the entire contents of my account if they're quick, they don't even need to be clever.   

       I don't even like chip & pin for the same reasons, if it doesn't require a signature to use I don't want it.. at least with a signature you can turn around to the bank & say "that's not my signature", with a pin what can you say "that's not my number" ? good luck with that.   

       There's also the issue of "a night out on the town", take cash & when you're done you're done, take a card & there's a (not insignificant, in my case anyway) chance (once you've got a little bit "happy") that you won't be done until your bank accounts empty.
Skewed, Mar 18 2019
  

       Can be attached to the side of a roomy cardboard box, for 'working from home(less)'. Must be easily attachable to/detachable from a tent, friend's couch, van or car window. Part of a larger suite of swag for The Homeless, of which we have exponentially growing numbers, here in northern North America. I imagine the problem's worse in milder climes.
Sgt Teacup, Mar 18 2019
  

       Regarding the link, wireless pay options aren't new, but I would add something to this idea.   

       See last line.   

       Also I think the $1 limit is important, if you see the Red Cross or Goodwill logo there's the comfort that they, not the homeless person is taking care of the transaction, but there's also a one dollar limit. If you wish to give more, you can swipe several transactions.   

       I think the convenience would end up getting more money to the person on the street.   

       Of course there's the added "bonus" of being able to track the person, something that every high tech biz wiz here in Silicon Valley seems to think should be at the core of every new high tech venture.
doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2019
  

       //card fraud is just too easy with those for my tastes// You can make your card non-contactless - you just need to break the wire-loop antenna that lies near the edge of the card, without damaging the chip. One of my cards used to be contactless, but now has a crack and works only with contact.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 18 2019
  

       ^ Dang! useful to know, should have thought of that (years ago) myself.
Skewed, Mar 18 2019
  

       You know the other problem with this is the human nature foible of saying "Rather than spending money on this why not buy the person a house?"   

       I'm not saying that's a legitimate criticism, it's the "If you can't make it perfect, don't do anything." mindset but let's be honest, people that do this sort of thing want to be given credit for being humanitarians and it could be looked at as cynical or something. I don't agree with that but I'm just saying.   

       Shouldn't be dogging my own idea though. Just part of me is thinking "Hey, why not do this?". I mean if there's a process that's already happening, namely needy people begging for money, why not make it more efficient for everybody involved? Who would complain except professional, virtue signaling complainers who won't be satisfied with any solution anyway.   

       Apple might even donate their cut whatever it is.
doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2019
  

       in my city there are these information boards for a local homeless charity and you can tap your card to donate £2.
Treejuice, Mar 18 2019
  

       Sort of misses the point of giving it directly to the guy on the street though. What cut does the charity get?   

       I'd do the homeless guy direct pay, I wouldn't do the other charity thing myself.   

       I had a bad experience with a charity I formerly gave to regularly. I don't even need to tell the story, you know what happened. News story about misappropriation of funds, yadda yadda.
doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2019
  

       //What cut does the charity get? //   

       Over here, if you donate to a charity, the charity can claim the tax on your donation. So, if you give £10, the charity gets £12 (or something - I think they calculate it for a tax rate of 20%). So, in many cases, giving through a charity will get more money to those in need than giving directly.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 18 2019
  

       Interesting. I haven't heard of it working that way here, but I have heard that more good can be achieved by donating to homeless charities than by giving money directly to homeless people, I think because they can use the money more efficiently (economies of scale, buying stuff when it's cheap rather than buying it urgently, etc.).
notexactly, Mar 18 2019
  

       A quick Google tells me that in the UK, GiftAid adds 20% (the basic tax rate) to your donation. In the US, instead, the tax benefit goes to the donor: if you donate to a registered charity, you don't pay income tax on the donated amount.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 18 2019
  

       Pretty sure that's how it works in Canada too. Registered charities give tax receipts for donations and you can claim that against your income tax.
notexactly, Mar 18 2019
  

       //if you donate to a registered charity, you don't pay income tax on the donated amount.//   

       That's correct and good point.   

       The sign would make it clear that this is tax deductible, another reason to have Goodwill or another charity organization manage the money.   

       As far as having something that cost a few dozen dollars out there on the street without any guarantee it will be maintained or not lost, there's this new thing they're doing where they have stuff that's just not particularly sellable just left out on the street that you can rent, scooters and bikes being the thing I'm seeing all over. These shouldn't be worth stealing since it's worthless without the obviously indigent person and the sign.   

       Call the company "Small Change For Change"? "Care To Spare"? "Care 2 Spare"?
doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2019
  

       I'm with [Skewed] on the 'cash only' trip (see link re: untrustworthy charity). If you can't trust Goodwill (it's right in the name!), who/what can you trust? Disappointing.
Sgt Teacup, Mar 19 2019
  

       Yikes.   

       Hard to not be cynical. Pretty safe bet that many organizations should have their names inverted.
doctorremulac3, Mar 19 2019
  

       Just like many legislative bills… maybe we need a law saying everything must be accurately named. It would make Confucius happy, at least.
notexactly, Mar 19 2019
  

       // I've had to take horrible, humiliating jobs in the past, anything that was available so I no sympathy for anybody not willing to do what I did to survive at certain times in my life. //   

       The idea that a job is available for anyone who wants one could not be more wrong.
Voice, Mar 20 2019
  

       Yea, thanks for the virtue signalling but before we award you with the super humanitarian holier than thou crown you'll have to show me how hard it is to get a job here in silicon valley doing anything. Research, checking job listings, that sort of thing. I live here and I've never gone more than a day or two without a job. They weren't hard to get, they just paid crap. Most likely not as much as you'd get begging on the street, which is why I made that comment. I'm sure the situation in Bangladesh is different than here in Silicon Valley, but I'm talking about the situation where I live.   

       One time I opened the paper and joined the other people who showed up to clear brush from over grown areas. Landscape stuff, lawn mowing, delivery driver. I could have gotten a sign but I wouldn't do it. I've been without money but I've never been poor. Just broke.   

       But if we're virtue signalling, I just bought a woman on the street a nice sandwich the other day. Now being honest, what's the last time YOU actually helped a homeless person?   

       Or does this scolding count?
doctorremulac3, Mar 20 2019
  

       I've literally starved before when I couldn't get a job. And believe me I was looking hard. I'm not virtue signalling, I'm trying to push a little humility and compassion past that thick, thick skull you're wielding.
Voice, Mar 21 2019
  

       //I'm trying to push a little humility and compassion past that thick, thick skull you're wielding.//   

       So you haven't shown any kindness and compassion to a homeless person recently but you'll insult somebody who has?   

       Guess that's what virtue signaling is all about. It's not about caring for your fellow human beings who may be worse off than you, screw them right? It's about insulting those "other guys" who aren't as good as you.   

       So I'll ask again, if you're the one to instill kindness and compassion into my thick, thick skull, who are you to do so? What have you done recently to help a homeless person?
doctorremulac3, Mar 21 2019
  

       That's what I thought.   

       Tell you what, really want to get to me? Next time you see somebody on the street, buy them some food. That's what I do. Lots of these people have addiction or mental health issues and I don't want to facilitate their buying something that's not going to help that situation.   

       Hand them that sandwich, burger, whatever and say "Take that doctorremulac3 you thick skulled bastard!".   

       That'll get me.   

       Also see change to the idea. The card should be similar to those cards that are used for general assistance. You can buy food but not booze and they WOULD NOT be given cash that some might use to buy drugs that would make their situation worse.
doctorremulac3, Mar 21 2019
  

       Confused. How will a homeless person collect the money? Where do they charge a cell phone? How do they pay for cell phone service? How do you keep dew and dirt out of the phone and keep it safe from the rats (human rats) who prey on the homeless?   

       Assuming no cell, you can get an account via a library computer, then spend the money on sites that accept apple pay, but what address do you use for delivery? The Amazon Prime Now service featured in the trending video is only available in a few cities, and any delivery would require the homeless person to remain at the address during the entire delivery window.   

       I can tell you from experience, loitering laws make that difficult. If you stand and blend in, you are "probably selling drugs" and if you sit, or god forbid, lie down, you are... well, you are trash. Most places where you can stay for any length (parks, overpasses, alleys, etc... don't have an address. An empty lot would work, but the problem there is other homeless people. Most lots have a bunch. You get a delivery; the rats will be on you in no time. A friendly house or store owner is your only hope, and finding anyone willing to take the hit of being seen around you is very difficult.   

       A charity could be set up to take apple pay and give out cash (assuming that doesn't violate TOS or laws) but then you are attracting rats to run the charity. Don't get me started on that.   

       Better idea: Use your apple pay at the nearest store to buy something and hand it to the homeless person. No matter what it is, it can be traded or used.
James Newton, Mar 21 2019
  

       //How will a homeless person collect the money?//   

       No money, that could cause problems. The idea is donations would go directly to an EBT (electronic benefits transfer) style wireless transaction device that can't be used for booze or drugs.   

       //Where do they charge a cell phone?//   

       No cellphone, just a dedicated reader that's battery powered. When the person takes it to the place that's equipped to sell food by reading these the status could be checked and batteries replaced, unit swapped as necessary by the participating retailer.   

       //How do you keep dew and dirt out of the phone and keep it safe from the rats (human rats) who prey on the homeless?//   

       It's waterproof, and as far as thieves, the unit would only be carrying virtual food credit, not really worth stealing.   

       //what address do you use for delivery?//   

       Participating locations hand them out.   

       //Better idea: Use your apple pay at the nearest store to buy something and hand it to the homeless person.//   

       Well, that's what I do, but with this idea the person can chose the food they want. I just grab the first thing in the deli section that looks edible along with whatever else I'm there to buy. Do they like it? Don't know, they might toss it as soon as I walk away. Also, they only get something if I'm going in there anyway, I've never made a special trip.   

       Actually there was one homeless person, a very decrepit old lady me and my girlfriend at the time made dinner for when I was a kid living in very ramshackle house. I said she could sleep in the living room till the weather got better and we could find her a warm place to stay, homeless shelter or something, but she just ate dinner and left.   

       Never told anybody that story before. Makes me look awfully kind and virtuous (and stupid) but that's the young me, not me now. I wouldn't let anybody into my front yard much less my house now. Just being honest.
doctorremulac3, Mar 21 2019
  

       It's ironic that you talk about virtue signalling whilst demanding I signal my virtue. I shan't play that game. You can think me a tight fisted miser and kicker of puppies as much as you like.
Voice, Mar 22 2019
  
      
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