If you're at the store and..
 

I thought this was an isolated incident during the pandemic, maybe it's a scam and I'm not in on it.

Let me ask you this, several times over the last year I've been in the self checkout or regular checkout, and a family can't pay. Card is declined, not enough cash, either. I pay for them. I've had people offer to "venmo" me or whatever the money later, but I don't have that stuff.

Stuff if Colorado is extremely expensive. I guess it is most places, but it's pretty bad here.

Would you buy another persons groceries?

Not for the fat asses I usually see at Kroger.

Have and will do again. I won't buy a cart load of stuff, but if it's basics, yes.

I don't necessary think because people are fat that they can't afford or not groceries.

Never had that happen to me.

I'm more of a generous person who reacts to those around him whom I feel are good people based on my observations.

I think I do a lot in that category.

As far as paying for someone's stuff in a grocery line.....it would really entirely depend on the situation.

If you are a charitable type this situation gives you a chance to directly help someone instead of sending $ to some charity which just absorbs the cash for internal use, like a payroll. You make a decision if the person seems to really need help and you get the good feeling you did something important in that little exchange. My wife recently helped a young mom buy 3 canisters of baby formula in a Dollar Store that doesn't take WIC cards. The girl was sobbing when she realized she couldn't get food for her baby and had to return the cans to the shelf. Sounds dramatic, but if you can help in a situation like that you have really done a good thing. What might be small change to you is near impossible to raise if you are really poor.

I did about six months ago. I felt sorry for the lady, having done a weekly shop then her card declined. It was a bit over $300. She said thanks and what is your bank account number and I'll credit the account when I get this sorted. Bless her, she did and gave an extra $10.

Depends..might if no booze in the basket.

I've never paid for the whole cart, but like most of us I imagine, there's been a few times where I've made up the difference.

I have a tap credit card. Makes it easy to pay for whatever....just tap the card.

I might if there’s booze in the basket and she’s a particularly hot milf in a clingy sun dress.

^^^ ditto
and I would be careful that no one else saw me do it.

Maybe I just live in a rich area, but I've never seen or noticed anyone at my local Frys not able to pay for something. With every single fast food place and convenience store accepting EBT now for any kind of junk food and all the fraud that goes along with that, I'm just not feeling that charitable.

Happened to me today at Starbucks. The girl in front of me ordered 2 fancy drinks with specific requests. She had 3 cards declined.

Why does a poor person need to get coffee at Starbucks? Nothing wrong with it, but I surely wouldn't pay for them.

Norman Chaney
 

I bought a Breakfast Jack for Chubsy Ubsy at the Jack In The Box in Castaic. It was a about 10:00am and this guy was going to die right there if he did not get his food fix. He was sweating away just praying for something to eat. He asked me for some change to eat. I said no money but if he wanted a sandwich I would get him one.

The look on his face was priceless and he scarfed that thing down like his blood sugar depended on it. Local kid he was about 15- 17 years old. The way he was dressed and kept he was not homeless just no money. He was a big boy topping 300 pounds.

I asked him his name and he said Norm Chaney. I responded thats a good joke.

Long time ago, back when working my way through college, I was the kid in the line at the grocery store who was a few dollars short on groceries. (I was always paying with cash back then, no credit cards, and had nothing really left in the bank that day.) The elderly gentleman behind me handed the cashier a few bills. I thanked him and asked if I could pay him back or come mow his lawn or something. He politely refused and asked that someday I do the same for someone else in need when I'm able.

I have many times. And I usually ask them to do the same.

I had a guy at the local Pilot gas station hit me up. He was heading to Fresno but had lost his wallet and needed gas. He offered me his 22k gold chain (worth approx $450) and I filled his tank to the tune of $125.

I'm taking the chain to the local pawn shop to recoup some of the cash. Wish me luck. :)

LOL! Do post again after visiting the pawn shop...

Slightly different story with the same end result. A few years ago around the end of December, my brother-in-law and I just got out of a Bruin's game at TD North Garden. It was a late game. We walked to the train station (north station), which is under the building, where there was this frantic young man who was asking for help. He was trying to get home to western Massachusetts for the holidays. He thought he was at the correct station to do that, but he wasn't. He was told he had to get to south station first and take the train from there. At this point he was crying and saying he didn't have enough money to do that. He walked over to several people showing them what he had for cash and saying what he needed above that. No one was helping, no one. He went and sat down on a bench and held his head in his hands and just cried.
So, I walked over to him and gave him a $20, which is more than he said he needed to get the ticket home. He lit up and just kept thanking me. After he left, my brother-in-law looked at me and said "sucker".
Maybe I was a sucker, but it doesn't matter if he scammed me or not, I am not even sure you can get a train out to Western Mass. What matters is I thought I was helping someone in need. Besides, what is $20 to me...nothing.