NEWSPAPER QUESTION

[sarasmelik]

Okay so this might seem weird to some of you but I have always wondered about something. I do not read the paper every day but I do make sure that I pick it up on sunday and read the paper that day. So when I go to get the paper I usually buy it from the man on the corner selling them. I always tip them because they look a little rough and I feel bad. The question is:
How does that work? Do they get paid for standing out there for so many hours, or do they buy the papers in hopes to make money off of them, or do they get a percentage off however many they sell? I have always wanted to know but you can't exactly ask them when the light turns green--because trust me I would ask if the light didnt change so fast lol!!
I know this has nothing to do with the hobby but its always intrigued me......ANYONE?????

[Fast Gunn]

sarasmelik, you do wonder about a lot of things, don't you?

The newspapers sales are an effort by certain nonprofit organizations trying to help homeless people make a little spending cash.

The link below will give you an idea about how the dollar for the newspaper is divided.

The vendor gets 75% of the money for his time and trouble.


http://www.streetroots.org/about_us/index.html

[uparoundnoon]

Actually for a real newspaper it's about 50% . They can make 60 to 80 bucks a day. I like to buy from them too and maybe even tip a little extra because these people really ARE down on their luck. Make no mistake about it. No one does that as a career choice. And yet they have a little more dignity than an outright panhandler. A friend of mine did it after he got out of jail and was homeless. They have to show up at 5 AM and they are taken to various corners. They work until about 3 or 4 out in the cold and heat and humiliation but at least they are not begging.

[ski-hog]

Thanks for the information I'll be buying papers all the time now whether I'l read it or not. I love to help out people that are actually trying to do something besides panhandler

[BigBudha]

Not to bring these guys down but I've seen quite a few of these guys selling papers that have the vest, w/ the clear inserts (to display the front page of the paper), that will have their usual panhandler cardboard sign displayed in there and will only cover it up when a cop drives by. The local rag has become so worthless the past few years that I hardly ever buy it.

[Guest081519]

Did not know that. I will Start buying the paper now.

[sarasmelik]

Yes fast Gunn I do wonder about a lot of stuff and most of the time I have no problem ASKING them either lol!! I ask this because its something that I would like to do--just to say I did it and see how it works.
Example I thought when I was little being a bagger at the grocery store was AWSOME and always helped them lol!! So when I was in college my first year I got a job as a bagger and found out how it really works what they do etc. NOW dont get me wrong I dont think I would EVER go back and the biggest reason would be not the money but COLLECTING THE CARTS!!! I hated going outside in the summer collecting all the shopping carts in the parking lot. Other then that it was fun and now I can say its something I did.

Thanks for the information maybe one day I will just go out and help the little paper workers to just say I did it---I dont care if I get paid just want to do it and maybe I will get tipped lol so that will help the homeless person.

[SofaKingFun]

Yeah, it's kinda' weird but I dig weird.

I get the paper delivered to my house but it never fails, whenever I've got the opportunity to read it, it's always someplace else --wherever I though I'd be able to read it. Grrr!

So, I end up buying another one. I always try to buy from the street vendors. They're at least putting forth the effort trying to better themselves...plus, the keep the panhhandlers away. heh! It was easier when the Daily paper was .50 because I'd just hand them a Dollar and go on about my business. Now that it's .75, I feel like a tight-ass just tipping a Quarter.

One early morning at Jim's, I saw this guy go up to the paper vending machines, dropped coins, and snagged all of the papers from the local machines. Then he put on his hi-vis vest and casually went to the intersection and started selling them like it was no big deal. I laughed.

Speaking of grocery store parking lots...Have you seen the HEB Security guys rolling around on those generic Segways? They're like one of those Rascal Grandma Scooters...only all pimped-out...like Gladiators...an' ridin' dirty. TFF!

[Sexy Roxanne]

I always try to help the homeless regardless if they are begging or selling papers. I am always giving a few extra bucks, hell at times I even make a U-turn to go through a drive through and pick them up a hot meal. I always try to imagine myself in that situation and would want someone to do the same for me. Besides if your not beggin, know one is going to just walk up to you and hand you money. You have to make yourself known...

[sixxbach]

ill bring their dogs some food if they have one. i don't have too much compassion for humans that are able bodied. but i have been known to give some homeless guys some cash on occasion

[handyGiraffe]

Sara..you are the inquisitive one....and....if you go stand at the intersection and sell papers with the homeless guys---- you are so Hot and pretty it will cause one hell of a traffic jam....and the whole city will have to shut down while it is cleared up...then the homeless guys will run out of papers to sell but might be able to retire on the tips they get....
HG

[rgvpapi]

I can honestly say I did not know how this worked before this thread....and even though I don't read the paper (I get my news via the internet), I will start buying from these folks now...

thanks to the OP and subsequent posts for the info...