Just did something dumb before we leave Friday.

[Jraines]

Our family of five (three children, 15, 13 and six) leave for WDW Friday and are looking forward to it and have scrimped to make it happen (I've printed out every budget tip I could find)--moreso than we usually do. I am not ordinarily a sucker and don't have "Go ahead, rob me!" tattooed on my forehead but this woman comes in the shop where I work with a sob story about her work check having been sent to the wrong chain location and she was 'desparate' for gas money to get to the other store in another town to pick up her check, and, of course, she would come right back and pay me back with interest towhich I magnanimously replied, you don't have to do that but please do come back and pay me back (duh). And did I mention I am not even eligible to have 'made of money' tattooed on my forehead either but, of course, in a moment's weakness and reminded both of My Name is Earl (kharma) and the Bible ("give to all who ask of thee") I gave her some money--not alot but alot is relative. Has she come back in the allotted time? And will I tell my DH? (Both are answerable as N-O.) So, maybe my souvenier will be a tattoo on my forehead that reads, "I give hard-earned money away to total strangers with a good story." Nothing to be done but chalk another moment of temporary insanity up and forge ahead. Just venting.

Jody

 

[mitushib]

I know you must feel bad now and the lady most probably will not return. But believe me when I say No good deed goes unrewarded. Somewhere in the future you will find something good happening to you even though you least expected it. A stroke of good luck; a lucky escape or some pleasant coincidence.

I know it sounds preachy but trust me its true. Its happened to me [ I am sucker for sob stories too] !!

 

[Jsme]

I am so sorry you were taken advantage of. It is bad when people will do stuff like this. Unfortunately the bad ones make it hard for me to bleieve anyone now a days.

Funny you note kharma and the show on your thread....

Ok I edited to add...I have to agree totally no good deed will go unrewarded. Over and over again I donot understand why certain things have happened but I swear they have happened for wonderful reasons.

 

[Savin4Disney]

So sorry that happened. I hope you still enjoy your trip.

 

[jmkst58]

I also believe that your act of kindness will be rewarded. But I am also sorry that she was probably dishonest with you. Unexcusable.

 

[Jraines]

Thanks to all of you for the kind replies. It just makes you feel so stupid and gullible when you're taken in like that. I talked with another merchant and she was going down the street giving the same speel and that merchant wasn't as dumb as I was although she said she had been taken in before herself. Oh well, although we live on a tight budget and this trip will be a once in a lifetime adventure for us, as a Christian I am supposed to give without questioning the recipient's motives or wondering if it is being used for the expressed purpose. Maybe things like that do come back to you. Who knows?! We'll enjoy our trip and a lady in our church gave us an industrial sized box of cheese crackers, I've stocked up on drinks and snacks to stuff the children's fanny packs so we're good to go. Thanks again for your time and kind remarks to make me feel less stupid!

Jody

 

[Savin4Disney]

We leave on Saturday for the World. Staying at POP! Let's hope for lots of Pixie Dust!

 

[jcsbama]

I've probably heard every sob story you can think of. I work downtown in B'ham, AL. Our office is on the ground floor at the corner of an intersection in the downtown area. Everyday people are constantly coming in and asking for money. It's hard to say no at times, but I have to. Some of the stories are so crazy and we get a good laugh at times. If they put half as much effort into trying to find a job and working as they do trying to get free money, they would be so much better off. When you work in a certain area, you learn who the homeless people are. They usually have the same areas they stay in or go to certain places at the same time everyday. You see them everyday. You know who needs the help. It has been my experience that the ones you see everyday don't ask for help. The ones coming in asking for money, it's the first time I've ever seen them and I never see them again.

 

[canwegosoon]

Jody that was a nice thing you did...even if it doesn't come back(right away). Those people make it so hard for the rest of us to help and have faith in others. I hope they get rewarded in kind( ).

Where are you staying on friday?

I have a funny story...I was in a twins club...and had a pregnant woman come to us begging for help with her expectant twins...she had nothing(no DH, no money, etc. etc.). So what do we all do...give her everything she would need for the 1st year (except some diapers and some formula) Cribs, car seats, blankets, clothes, boppies, toys, bottles etc. etc. EVERTHING. Comes to the time she was due...waiting for news about the twins...well, guess what...she was never pregnant. Makes me sick there are people out there like that.

I hope you have a great trip. God knows what you do, with the best of intentions. Don't be hard on yourself.

One day I ran into my local market and asked to borrow a car from one of the ladies working there. I had locked my keys in my car. And I live about 2 miles from the store. I think they were a little hesitant (they didn't know me REALLY well at the time). But I ran home and got my spare key, and returned the car within 10 minutes (didn't want to speed in someone elses car). Gave them a really nice thank you card and gift. SO there might be an honest person out there....

 

[ohiominnie]

I hear ya! I'm feeling that way too...
My neice, her new husband, and the new baby were coming up for Thanksgiving. Because they are going to HIS parents (in AL) for Christmas, this was going to be a combined Thanksgiving/Christmas with them.

Then came the news they couldn't afford to get up here. So between everyone in the family, we all pitched in and sent them checks totalling over $275. For about a week we believed they were coming. Now they are saying they can't afford to come.

So, feel lucky that this woman who duped you isn't family....

 

[Jraines]

I guess most of us can't imagine taking advantage of others and creating elaborate lies to panhandle and get others hard-earned money. Most of us wouldn't dream of making up some sad sob story knowing that most people are good at heart and can be taken in. This woman looked rough and came in acting as if she and I had grown up together (gosh, I haven't seen you in a long time!!!) and though I was skeptical, I hooked myself right on her line and helped her reel me right in. Guess she left here doubled over laughing at yet another fool. As I say, this is a story I had to tell here because DH wouldn't much 'cotton to it'. We give to our church and when we can to legitimate charities--he gives platelets every two weeks, sometimes to specific premie infants who are matched to his blood type. We're not tight fisted people and we lost a business a decade ago and just paid all the debt last year so we know what it is to be suspended over that vast yawning pit of near bankruptcy and total financial ruin so I guess that's part of the reason I was easily taken in. Oh well, live and learn. And as some of you say, she's the reason we all have to at least hesitate before we give without questioning. And the bright side is that our hotel has continental breakfast! (Eat up, kids--no food until supper!) haha!

Jody

 

[allaboutmm]

You might have gotten taken by this lady, but, your heart was in the right place.....good karma will come back to you, and for the lady who took your $..what goes around, comes around ,and I do believe in that!!!!!!

 

[tinaluis]

Sorry to hear that you got taken. Your heart was in the right place and I hope that good things come your way tenfold. Have a great trip!

I had a similar situation recently, except it was a friend who asked me for $$ (DH and I don't lend $$ to friends for this reason). Needless to say, it's been nearly 2 months and I don't have the $$ back. It wasn't a fortune, but who has $100 to spare?

 

[DMRick]

It was still a nice thing you did. A scammer can't take that away from you.

You and my husband are prob both candidates for a tattoo.

We stopped for gas while on vacation in Branson, Mo. A person came up to my husband and said his brother died, and he had his very ill dad in the car, and needed gas money to get to the funeral. Hubby looked in the car, and that old man sure looked sick. I almost laughed, being the unbeliever I am, but when hubby said, what do you think? I knew he wanted to help him. He had them back their car up and filled it on our charge card. So far ok. I went inside to get something and when I came back, hubby was handing them a paper. I asked..what did you give them..more money? He said no, they insisted on repaying us. They wanted to send us a check, but I told them we were just starting a long vacation, but here was our address if they would feel better paying us back. Sigh..he gave the scammers our address, after telling them just how long the house would be empty.

We called the neighbors, and asked them to keep an extra watch out, and nothing ever happened, but we do tease my hubby about it still, a few years later.

By the way, it appears he did not learn from the time we went to feed out out of town daughters cat, and he told the neighbor why we were there (that they were away). Later we met the neighbors, and he wasn't one. Man is just too friendly.

 

[MermaidsMom]

Thanks to all of you for the kind replies. It just makes you feel so stupid and gullible when you're taken in like that. I talked with another merchant and she was going down the street giving the same speel and that merchant wasn't as dumb as I was although she said she had been taken in before herself. Oh well, although we live on a tight budget and this trip will be a once in a lifetime adventure for us, as a Christian I am supposed to give without questioning the recipient's motives or wondering if it is being used for the expressed purpose. Maybe things like that do come back to you. Who knows?! We'll enjoy our trip and a lady in our church gave us an industrial sized box of cheese crackers, I've stocked up on drinks and snacks to stuff the children's fanny packs so we're good to go. Thanks again for your time and kind remarks to make me feel less stupid!

Jody

Please don't feel dumb or gullible. You are a kind person and you took a chance. You did the right thing in spite of the outcome.

 

[WDWorBUST]

Don't feel bad - your heart was in the right place. I find myself being VERY cynical because of these types of things. Something my boss told me she did - we were in bible study at the time talking about this very thing - was to have gift certificates to McDonalds on her. So when someone has a Will Work for Food sign, etc she will give them a gift certificate. If they are really in need of food they'll eat....if they aren't well she helped them without contributing to their problems. We had one of the girls here at work approached in a Sams parking lot for money because of some sob story - she gave the guy money and he walked off. After a minute he walked back and offered her her money back and said that he was really going to use the money to go buy beer and he felt bad for lying to her. It wasn't a lot (he couldn't buy much beer with it) - she just told him if he needed a beer that bad to keep it.

 

[Lyn5]

I also agree that good deeds come around...I am so sorry you lost some money, but I do hope that your trip is wonderful. I have a story to share too:

There was a man that my DFIL was friends with and then the man passed away. His adult son wasn't doing very well at all and each time my DFIL would see this son he would give him some money. I think it was $20 here, $5 there sort of thing...just whatever he could give from his wallet thinking it was a gift. This went on for a while, maybe 8-10 years. Then, after my DFIL hadn't seen the man for a few years, he showed up at my in-laws home. All those years he had kept track of every dollar my DFIL had given him and paid back my DFIL!!!! I don't think my DFIL ever thought he would be repaid, but I know he appreciated the thought and gesture.

 

[spyglass]

I have had two people come up to me in the past two months and ask for money. I was at the gas station both times and this last time, the girl had pumped her gas and went inside and paid. She comes out and comes up to me and tells me in a very calm manner, that her purse was stolen with $300.00 in it and did I have any money I could spare her. I told her no. The other time I gave the lady a $1.00 the only cash I had on me at the time. She said, if I had a debit card or credit card that she could pull up to the pump and let me fill her tank up. I know some people need help, but I cannot help but feel that these two had done this before.

 

[DMRick]

Something my boss told me she did - we were in bible study at the time talking about this very thing - was to have gift certificates to McDonalds on her. So when someone has a Will Work for Food sign, etc she will give them a gift certificate. If they are really in need of food they'll eat....if they aren't well she helped them without contributing to their problems..

Great idea, thanks for sharing it. This time of year there will be more and more asking for food money, and I will be picking some up. Thanks again.

 

[horsegirl]

Ok, the kids are in bed, survivor is not on and its early, so I'll chime in here too! First of all, I too think it was a really nice deed too, and perhaps you might have felt better,if you didn't feel duped, but good karma will come back your way. Secondly, I think it was a cheap lesson in being conned. Some folks have been bilked out of thousands by 'poor souls', sometimes all of their savings. So you probably will have your guard up next time. Third, instead of McD's certificates, how about gift cards to grocery stores? They could get some really healthy food. Just a thought.