You're in a grocery store, the person Infront is 5 dollars short , do you offer to pay the 5 dollars?

[Spinneret]

I wouldn't

 

[lynxstch]

Yes, I have and I would again, if I could see that the person was buying actual food instead of junk food. We all need help at one time or another. One of our grandsons worked at Walmart, and he would help customers out if they needed it. Most of them came back the next day and repaid him.

 

[TippyThomas]

I've done it and would again as well. I know what it's like to struggle and I'll do what I can, when I can to help out.

 

[Princesca]

I would, if I had the cash on hand.

 

[mrodgers]

Same as the others, I would if I had the cash on me.

 

[JLTraveling]

I would. I don't care how much money you make, except for those who were born wealthy, we're all just one major disaster away from poverty. I'm far from rich, but I can certainly spare five bucks to help out someone in need. And I don't care what they're buying either. Everyone deserves a bit of joy, and if my five bucks worth of potato chips or candy or beer or cigarettes brings them that joy, then I've done my part for humanity.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

Yep, sure would & have done so.

 

[starry_solo]

Yes, as long as there are no cigarettes in that grocery lot

 

[tvguy]

Yes, as long as there are no cigarettes in that grocery lot

Grocery stores haven't sold any tobacco products in my part of California in years.

 

[starry_solo]

Grocery stores haven't sold any tobacco products in my part of California in years.

they still sell them in Southern California

 

[tvguy]

they still sell them in Southern California

Interesting. I looked up. Most California grocery stores stopped selling tobacco in 2011. My son lives in Northridge, I will have to check next month when I am down there.

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-11-848

 

[HeatherC]

Absolutely.

 

[frog3101]

Yes

 

[piccolopat]

It depends. If the purchase was junk food and beer, probably not. If it was healthy choices and food clearly meant for kids, absolutely. I just wouldn't feel comfortable supporting someone's bad choices when it was clearly not things they needed. I've paid for others before, including a guy who got on a commuter rail and was frantically calling his office because he realized that he left his wallet at home and he had no way of paying for the train when the conductor came through. He wanted to return the money afterwards but I told him to just pay it forward.

 

[nene0182]

Absolutely

 

[georgina]

I usually do self check out. Otherwise I only have a credit card on me, I guess maybe if that would work for partial payment.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I never have cash but even still, unlikely.

 

[Lumpy1106]

It depends - maybe. If I am in the mood, if I have the cash, if it looks like the guy is just having a bad day - maybe. I am far more likely to do that than give the guy at the offramp anything.

I know we've had this discussion before - I definitely don't do the "buy the coffee for the guy behind me" thing. Stop it. That's annoying and just puts that guy in a position where he feels an obligation to do the same.

 

[slo]

Normally, I have no idea what’s transpiring with the person ahead of me. I’m putting stuff on the belt, looking for coupons in my coupon holder or the store app on my phone - I’m completely oblivious to what’s going on.

I guess if someone said to me, “Do you have $5.00?” I would look in my wallet to see what I have, but outside of someone asking, I honestly wouldn’t know they need it to give it.

 

[EveDallas]

I would for food. If it was cigarettes or booze, nope.