Paying It Forward
Discussion
Does anyone regularly "pay it forward"? Or have you paid it forward ever?
I like the concept of buying an extra coffee for someone that either can't afford one or just as a kind gesture for the next person in the queue/person of baristas choice. But, how does that conversation work with the server? Is it a US thing?
Pay it forward doesn't necessarily have to just apply to a coffee. Have you randomly/anonymously paid someone else's bill for shopping/fast food/tickets etc?
I donate to RNLI, but in general am a bit turned off by donating to big charities and pay it forward seems like a way to give but in a less commercial/corporate way.
I like the concept of buying an extra coffee for someone that either can't afford one or just as a kind gesture for the next person in the queue/person of baristas choice. But, how does that conversation work with the server? Is it a US thing?
Pay it forward doesn't necessarily have to just apply to a coffee. Have you randomly/anonymously paid someone else's bill for shopping/fast food/tickets etc?
I donate to RNLI, but in general am a bit turned off by donating to big charities and pay it forward seems like a way to give but in a less commercial/corporate way.
Edited by FrankAbagnale on Thursday 4th February 09:09
daddy cool said:
No one "needs" coffee, fast food, tickets... they are arguably luxuries. Why would you pay for that?
On the other hand, i keep thinking i'd like to upgrade my 40" TV to a 55", so please PM me your bank account details and i'll get it ordered, cheers.
We don't need most things in life but we buy them anyway. It's not about the need or necessity, it's about making a (small) kind gesture. On the other hand, i keep thinking i'd like to upgrade my 40" TV to a 55", so please PM me your bank account details and i'll get it ordered, cheers.
Purity14 said:
I saw a tramp on my way to work, he was a young kid, maybe 20.
He was there most mornings at 5:30, didn't seem the type to just wake up early and set up shop, he had been there all night.
He would ask everyone passing for 10 or 20 pence for some food, I tend to ignore these people.
On the third morning, I thought id buy myself a subway breakfast melt thing for £2.
Unfortunately, it looked abit gross as the girl was making it, and I was put off slightly.
I never opened the packaging, but I offered it to this lad as I went past, because it was either that, or it was going in the bin.
I didn't make a big deal, I just asked him if he wanted this subway breakfast, he just took it off me and put it next to him, didn't even look at me, no thankyou, no nothing, didn't even start eating it.
Still see him sometimes if I set off early, face full of scabs asking for 10 or 20 pence.
So how do you judge who to pay it forward to in the coffee shop, would you base it on their clothing, the fact that they are ordering a medium instead of a large despite it only being 50pence more? Would you eyeball their wallet to see if they had a gold amex, or if they paupering along with a Barclays Debit?
Despite all this "Pay it forward" is american invented bulls
t. I politely ask that you stop instilling these kind of americanisms into our society, because they piss everyone off.
As above, I see it less of a gesture to those in need. But more an act of kindness. He was there most mornings at 5:30, didn't seem the type to just wake up early and set up shop, he had been there all night.
He would ask everyone passing for 10 or 20 pence for some food, I tend to ignore these people.
On the third morning, I thought id buy myself a subway breakfast melt thing for £2.
Unfortunately, it looked abit gross as the girl was making it, and I was put off slightly.
I never opened the packaging, but I offered it to this lad as I went past, because it was either that, or it was going in the bin.
I didn't make a big deal, I just asked him if he wanted this subway breakfast, he just took it off me and put it next to him, didn't even look at me, no thankyou, no nothing, didn't even start eating it.
Still see him sometimes if I set off early, face full of scabs asking for 10 or 20 pence.
So how do you judge who to pay it forward to in the coffee shop, would you base it on their clothing, the fact that they are ordering a medium instead of a large despite it only being 50pence more? Would you eyeball their wallet to see if they had a gold amex, or if they paupering along with a Barclays Debit?
Despite all this "Pay it forward" is american invented bulls
t. I politely ask that you stop instilling these kind of americanisms into our society, because they piss everyone off.But, you're right. The less Americanisms in our society the better. You can all buy your own bloody coffees.
StuTheGrouch said:
Impasse said:
I gave someone 10p for the ticket machine in the car park the other day as she'd run out of change. She seemed pleased.
Go me.
Cool story warning!Go me.
Once I was in a car park with my daughter in a push chair, having reached the pay machines on the way out. I was 50p short and getting this would have meant going to a cash point, then breaking the note somewhere. My Dad was on an upper level in his own car so I called him and asked if he could bring me 50p down. Just then a guy walked passed and just handed me 50p without saying a word, just smiled.
Such a minor thing but it made my day.
daddy cool said:
Which is a great thought. But instead of spending the money on someone who already has the money to buy an overpriced coffee, why not give that same amount to someone that is genuinely in need?
Scaling it up, if you were in the Ferrari dealership about to "pull the trigger" (aaarrgh) on the latest model, would you you suddenly decide to also buy the car for the other millionaire thats doing the same at the next desk?
I'm not sure the Ferrari analogy is a good one, as regardless of wealth, a pound is a pound. Any random gesture of that sum is ridiculous. I'm just talking about something like a coffee which is a small gesture but hopefully would make someones day.Scaling it up, if you were in the Ferrari dealership about to "pull the trigger" (aaarrgh) on the latest model, would you you suddenly decide to also buy the car for the other millionaire thats doing the same at the next desk?
Giving to someone who is genuinely in need is a nice idea, but I don't often see the homeless/people in need. Also, call me a cynic but "professional" tramps put me off the idea.
ikarl said:
I once paid a pair of trainers forward, if that counts?
I had recently bought a pair of FrenchConnection trainers and after a reasonably long night drinking/clubbing. Whilst waiting for a taxi a homeless guy walked by, he didn't ask for any money or anything, he just smiled and nodded as he walked past. I assume now it was because we were a group of lads standing in the town centre at 4am making a bit of noise and he was probably scared.
Anyway, the trainers he was wearing had most of the sole on one of them missing, so you could see his sock. He was about 10yds away and I went over and asked him what size shoe he was, we were both the same size, so I took my shoes off and gave him them. Tbh, it could have went either way, but he genuinely looked grateful and thanked me as he walked away.
He may have sold them to get his next fix... or he may have chose to keep his feet warm and dry. Either way I'm sure he appreciated them.
Yeah, that'll do. Nice gesture, made someones day. I had recently bought a pair of FrenchConnection trainers and after a reasonably long night drinking/clubbing. Whilst waiting for a taxi a homeless guy walked by, he didn't ask for any money or anything, he just smiled and nodded as he walked past. I assume now it was because we were a group of lads standing in the town centre at 4am making a bit of noise and he was probably scared.
Anyway, the trainers he was wearing had most of the sole on one of them missing, so you could see his sock. He was about 10yds away and I went over and asked him what size shoe he was, we were both the same size, so I took my shoes off and gave him them. Tbh, it could have went either way, but he genuinely looked grateful and thanked me as he walked away.
He may have sold them to get his next fix... or he may have chose to keep his feet warm and dry. Either way I'm sure he appreciated them.
Reminds me a bit of the inbetweeners. Are you sure you didn't just take his p*ss stained shoes as the club had a policy of formal footwear and your trainers didn't meet the entrance requirements?
BoRED S2upid said:
louiebaby said:
Does passing my "all day" car parking ticket onto the next person to come into the car park when I leave count?
I hate paying for parking. Grrr...
Definitely counts I've done it loads of times. I hate paying for parking. Grrr...
I once paid the balance of the person in front of me in Asda it was pence rather than pounds and was quicker than her leaving a tin of beans behind and recounting get coppers again.
I used to do the Guildford>Reading train journey a lot. I'd always spend the extra 10p for a return and put it on the machine at the other end.
northwest monkey said:
I've done something similar on a night out just before Christmas a few years ago. It was bloody freezing & for some reason I just felt really sorry for a lad sleeping rough at Christmas in the middle of Manchester while all around him people were staggering from bar to bar without a care in the world. I went & bought him a Big Mac meal just so he could have something to eat. When I offered it him, I think he thought I was taking the piss out of him by offering him an empty bag so I could laugh at him - he looked very grateful though when he realised it was proper. I'd never done anything like that before or since. A girl who was with us on the night out didn't think I should have done it as "he might have been a druggie or beaten people up" which may have been true - I just feel uncomfortable sometimes when I see people in a rich city in a rich country living under a bush in the rain in December.
Anyway, enough "cool story" and no I wouldn't buy someone a coffee in Starbucks. If they can afford to drink a coffee in Starbucks in the first place then they don't need me to pay for it.
It's not about the need to have someone pay for it. Just because someone can afford a coffee, it doesn't mean a nice gesture from a stranger wouldn't make their day. Anyway, enough "cool story" and no I wouldn't buy someone a coffee in Starbucks. If they can afford to drink a coffee in Starbucks in the first place then they don't need me to pay for it.
A mum of 3 having a sh*t day because her kids are all playing up, smashes a pram in to the door because someone didn't hold it open, soaking wet from the rain... gets in to the coffee shop and someone has paid forward a coffee which makes her day as it's a kind gesture. That kind of thing.
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