Now Accepting Credit Cards: Abe Hagenston, Detroit Homeless Man, Goes High-Tech

This is the kind of news that belongs on ATS...! A homeless man by the name of Abe Hagenston now accepts donations by credit card. He accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. How you say? Well, he uses a credit card reader that can connect to cell phones called "Square."

Can you spare a swipe?

A Detroit homeless man has taken panhandling high-tech: He accepts credit cards on the 8 Mile highway overpass where he lives and created a website where he can be hired to work odd jobs.

Abe Hagenston, 42, who goes by "Honest Abe" on his website, told NBC affiliate WDIV he has been homeless for about a decade. He takes credit card donations through Square, a credit card reader that connects to cell phones

This is a good idea but I almost feel cheated because as a homeless man, he doesn't have to pay any income taxes. One day will it become more profitable to be homeless and panhandling like this guy than working? Of course this would be harder with a family to support, but still, possible. What does ATS think...? Will this idea catch on for other homeless people...? Is this the wave of the future for the homeless...?
What say you, ATS?

www.nbcnews.com...

what if the minimum donation, if he does not take care of that he may be even more poor as there is a fee for each credit card transaction.

a reply to: lostbook

There are people who make good money panhandling.

Obviously, he's not doing too badly if he can afford a cell.

Some people on the street really are down and out, and some are working your sympathy.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: lostbook

There are people who make good money panhandling.

Obviously, he's not doing too badly if he can afford a cell.

Some people on the street really are down and out, and some are working your sympathy.

Not doing too badly? I don't think he sleeps under the 8mile bridge at night in the winter to work your sympathy.

a reply to: HighFive

Believe it or not, some people actually like that lifestyle and make good money. There was one in KC who lived in a shanty, but pulled somewhere just north of median income panhandling. It was her choice not to live in an actual apartment with amenities even though she could have afforded it.

a reply to: lostbook

He saved me from getting rear ended about a week ago by a driver that was texting while driving. Thinking I might swing over there this weekend and give him the ol' swipe. I gave him three bucks then, it was all I had on me at the time.

Edit to add: The processing fees for Square aren't that bad. I wouldn't be shocked if they're waiving his fees, if anything just for the publicity. We wound up switching to it after using PayPal's version for a few years.

a reply to: ketsuko

I think this guy is creative. Using a $10 card reader to accept payment for odd jobs, and panhandling with it in between. If he's not on drugs, he won't be sleeping under the bridge long.

one word...

Shameless!

a reply to: combatmaster

one word...

Shameless!

it is messed up when a man a can make more money doing that in the motor city than working.

Just a couple of questions

Where do I get one and do they work on android?

originally posted by: tinner07
a reply to: combatmaster

one word...

Shameless!

it is messed up when a man a can make more money doing that in the motor city than working.

That's the point I am alluding to. If you're smart about it, homelessness is a good money making venture.

originally posted by: lostbook

originally posted by: tinner07
a reply to: combatmaster

one word...

Shameless!

it is messed up when a man a can make more money doing that in the motor city than working.

That's the point I am alluding to. If you're smart about it, homelessness is a good money making venture.

If your smart, you wont need to become homeless to make money!

i make it a firm offer to buy the "homeless beggars" a soda or a meal, i never give money. 9 out of 10 times i get told, ____ you, i won"t give them money.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

Here. And thier free
squareup.com...

a reply to: HighFive

I didn't say he wasn't creative, and he may not be sleeping under a bridge long ... unless he likes being off the grid.

a reply to: lostbook

I think it already is more profitable to panhandle than to work a minimum wage job,lets do the math:

minimum wage = $7.25 per hour

times 8 hours = $58

If you can`t get $7.25 in an hour of panhandling you`re doing something wrong.

even if each person only gave you a dollar you would only need 8 people in an hour to give you a dollar and you would be making more than minimum wage.

on a busy street how many people would pass by you in an hour? Hundreds? thousands? of those hundreds or thousands of people only 8 of them would need to give a dollar each. if one of them gave you $5 then you would be over halfway to your $8 an hour goal.
If you collect $58 or more in less than 8 hours than you`re doing better than a minimum wage worker who has to work 8 hours for $58

a reply to: ReadLeader


Thank you. I think this will be very useful.

a reply to: Tardacus

Also, the money would be untaxed so you only really need about $5.80 an hour to equal the same as a minimum wage job.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

Having known a number of homeless people, theres a good reason for this. A lot of idiots think its funny to contaminate the food / drink they give the homeless. So unless they are stood next to you as you buy it for them, they won't accept it.

originally posted by: BMorris
a reply to: hounddoghowlie

Having known a number of homeless people, theres a good reason for this. A lot of idiots think its funny to contaminate the food / drink they give the homeless. So unless they are stood next to you as you buy it for them, they won't accept it.

Yeah I've known people that thought it was funny to screw with homeless people. I live in Warren on the boarder of Detroit. I see homeless people all the time along 8 mile rd. I'm one step away from being homeless myself. I don't have much but I help them out whenever I see them. I give pocket change or some smokes.