I make $400 a day begging (1 Viewer)

[chicky_pie]

THE hours are long and the work monotonous, but begging pays well for at least one of Sydney's homeless men who earns up to $50,000 a year from good samaritans.

Ken Johnson, 52, makes his living at George and Market St, outside the Myer store in Sydney's CBD, where he sits for up to 16 hours daily, seven days a week.

On a good day, he said, he takes in $400 from generous passers-by.

On slower days, he still picks up amounts between $75 and $150.

"I'd be really disappointed if I did a long Friday and I only had $250,'' said Mr Johnson, who has been living on the streets ``since the late '90s''.

"I knock off when I feel like it, or if I've done brilliantly. But on those good days, you might be on such a high that you go for a few more hours and get a bit more money.''

Mr Johnson wouldn't say how much he earned last year. But he did reveal that donated coins and notes are stashed in a safe place, before being taken to a bank branch and deposited in his account several times a week. Some of the money is given to a friend.

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Asked what he used the money for, he told The Sunday Telegraph he did not smoke, drink nor take drugs, but was raising money to help the friend who needs a liver transplant.

Mr Johnson displays a sign that reads: ``Needing support for major family exp(enses) including just heaps for medicine. Paying up is a big grind. Please leave me alone, if you are the abusive nasty sort.''

When The Sunday Telegraph caught up with him last Wednesday, business had been good. In 20 minutes, he collected $30 in coins and notes. One woman handed him $10.

"I've had three hours off today,'' he said, after treating himself to a breakfast from Hungry Jack's.

"I got a $20 note earlier, so I'm sitting on about $60 for the day and the afternoon rush is still to come.

"There's a general rule in donating and that is that people are more likely to help out when they are towards the end of their day, when they're happy and heading home.''

His tax-free income might sound fine but, unlike most jobs, there's no sick leave nor superannuation plan.
He does not draw welfare because ``it makes you feel like a cripple''.

Mr Johnson said he could not afford to rent and lived on the streets because the money had been spent to pay for bills for his friend.

"Most hostels don't have space to store things and to rent a small unit just costs too much when you're at stress point,'' he said.

Originally from Newcastle, he said he came to Sydney ``in the 1990s'' to fight a court battle against the RTA, seeking to have part of the Pacific Highway at Swansea deemed illegal.

"Inner-city accommodation was, and still is, just off the face of the earth _ it's just too expensive,'' he said. ``I was unemployed at the time, so decided to sleep on some concrete steps while I was in Sydney and I just got used to it.''

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures from the 2006 Census show 27,374 homeless people in NSW.
An Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) spokeswoman said ``rough sleepers'' represented about 16 per cent of the homeless.

She said many turned to begging because government welfare did not cover costs, and ``for those who do receive income support, payments may be inadequate to meet the costs of temporary accommodation and food.

The Newstart unemployment payment is about $32 a day.

"Of those who do sleep on the street, only a tiny minority choose to do so, as a lifestyle choice. For most people who are homeless, there is no choice.''

I make $400 a day begging | The Daily Telegraph

What a fucking cunt, I see him all the time at the city. I never gave a cent to this lazy bum and never will, this article has exposed the real truth to his money making - those who give a cent don't give!

 

[jb_nc]

omg, everyone neg rep chicky pie to get her up to 2 light red bars

amazing, amazing

 

[Omie Jay]

i read about this in the paper.

has okay-ish prospects, not much demand, and no degree/education necessary!

 

[chicky_pie]

omg, everyone neg rep chicky pie to get her up to 2 light red bars

amazing, amazing

:rofl: Keep doing it and spread the word, I'm curious to see how much it hit the scale too

 

[johony]

i know this cunt
he used to beg in front of the old commonwealth bank building on the corner of george and king st. today tonight (as reputable as DT imo) did a feature on him years back - he couldn't answer why he was overweight and homeless at the same time.

 

[L]

doing better than me

 

[JonathanM]

Wouldn't do it for twice what he's earning.

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

the sad thing is, this is probably going to have a major effect on other homeless people because of the possibly irresponsible actions of this one guy.

does he pay taxes?

 

[JonathanM]

does he pay taxes?

You'd guess not as it is all off the books and undeclared. You'd also think that he probably also claims welfare on top of this.

A lot of these guys brag a lot though, and say they earn more than they actually do, it's a pride/competition thing for them. I remember I once went on a school tour at at a homeless shelter in the melbourne CBD and they told us this.

 

[zazzy1234]

wat a smart guy

 

[Serius]

I dont give money to the homeless... I figure if they really wanted the cash they can either work for it or sign up for the dole, its not hard. As for "living expenses" yeah i guess its expensive to live in the inner city, but you are a bum you cant afford to be picky. Move somewhere thats cheap i.e $100 rent a week. Now you still have about $100 a week left for fast food, ciggies, booze and smelly clothes.

 

[TheStallion]

the sad thing is, this is probably going to have a major effect on other homeless people because of the possibly irresponsible actions of this one guy.

Exactly. +1.

I did give cash to a homeless guy one morning though, I was sitting in Parramatta Westfields, having a coffee and just relaxing/calming down, preparing final notes for an ADFA interview, when the guy approached me and asked for cash. He did look pretty beat up, so I gave him some cash. He was a nice guy, and waved to me while eating his breakfast going up the escalator.

 

[SnowFox]

I dont give money to the homeless... I figure if they really wanted the cash they can either work for it or sign up for the dole, its not hard. As for "living expenses" yeah i guess its expensive to live in the inner city, but you are a bum you cant afford to be picky. Move somewhere thats cheap i.e $100 rent a week. Now you still have about $100 a week left for fast food, ciggies, booze and smelly clothes.

I think you need a house to be living on the dole as a prerequisite.

 

[GoldEyes]

There is one homeless guy in my town that I know his entire backstory.

He's schizophrenic and was allergic to the medicine that was prescribed to him. His mother died, and he has no other family to look after him, so he took to the streets. Since then, new medication has come out, but Centrelink in the town won't even look at him for some reason... Maybe because he cannot be employed?

Occasionally you find him begging, but most of the time he does odd jobs for people for a couple of dollars. He's doing it only to be able to pay for a doctors bill, the prescription and the medication.

He hasn't been around for that long, but his mum is from the area and passed on his story to one of my friends.

 

[L]

There is one homeless guy in my town that I know his entire backstory.

He's schizophrenic and was allergic to the medicine that was prescribed to him. His mother died, and he has no other family to look after him, so he took to the streets. Since then, new medication has come out, but Centrelink in the town won't even look at him for some reason... Maybe because he cannot be employed?

Occasionally you find him begging, but most of the time he does odd jobs for people for a couple of dollars. He's doing it only to be able to pay for a doctors bill, the prescription and the medication.

He hasn't been around for that long, but his mum is from the area and passed on his story to one of my friends.

a likely story

i mean unlikely

 

[GoldEyes]

a likely story

i mean unlikely

Lol, I believe it. He's never been seen with alcohol or drugs and always -tries- to dress respectively, he bathes regularly at the homeless shelter (he never smells bad) and has dignity (when his head is in the right place).

 

[BigBoyJames_]

There is one homeless guy in my town that I know his entire backstory.

He's schizophrenic and was allergic to the medicine that was prescribed to him. His mother died, and he has no other family to look after him, so he took to the streets. Since then, new medication has come out, but Centrelink in the town won't even look at him for some reason... Maybe because he cannot be employed?

Occasionally you find him begging, but most of the time he does odd jobs for people for a couple of dollars. He's doing it only to be able to pay for a doctors bill, the prescription and the medication.

He hasn't been around for that long, but his mum is from the area and passed on his story to one of my friends.

Sound a little jewish tbqh

 

[Ubik]

Living the dream.

 

[auraflux7]

Must of been a fucking jew.
You know the begging and all.

 

[SashatheMan]

any one have a photo of thiis guy?