I’ll tell you what I do. I give a 20 baht tip to deliverymen and gas station attendants. My husband and I pay a good wage to our part time maid. We give a gardener 300 baht for 3 hours of work whenever he can spare the time since he also has a full time job. When my kids were little I would buy snacks for the whole gang and take them to movies and concerts. We had a hard working maid at our old house in Nonthaburi. She worked for the neighbors too and I noticed she never took a vacation even at Songkran. After 20 years of this dedication, I thought this is a person we can help. Especially after her husband left her. We moved to Bangkok and it was too far for her to work for us any more, so my husband and I put her daughter through college (she graduated) and we are now paying for her son’s education. Also I sponsor a cat at Soi Dog Foundation. I wouldn’t pay for strangers at a store. You don’t know whether they even need it. 

On 5/6/2020 at 6:32 PM, mtflamingo said:

Oh really then you haven't ever heard of Peace Corps which the Thai government asked for assistance back in 1962.

https://www.peacecorps.gov/thailand/

I mean that during the 2 years that I served the government of Thailand payed for my housing.  

And only charged you double for electricity.

On 5/6/2020 at 6:23 PM, mtflamingo said:

No you are completely right.  I only have a degree in K-8 education from one of the best colleges in the USA so really what would I know?

Get over yourself.  Volunteerism in Thailand is a pay to work, bad joke.  Seen scores of angry feminazis, with an agenda, usually having problems at the local immigration office.  If you are even insured and fully legal, it would be surprising.  Your written English is subpar, even by trash-packer standards.  Have you ever been certified in the US?  Where did you get your degree?

1 hour ago, Ragnarok said:

I’ll tell you what I do. I give a 20 baht tip to deliverymen and gas station attendants. My husband and I pay a good wage to our part time maid. We give a gardener 300 baht for 3 hours of work whenever he can spare the time since he also has a full time job. When my kids were little I would buy snacks for the whole gang and take them to movies and concerts. We had a hard working maid at our old house in Nonthaburi. She worked for the neighbors too and I noticed she never took a vacation even at Songkran. After 20 years of this dedication, I thought this is a person we can help. Especially after her husband left her. We moved to Bangkok and it was too far for her to work for us any more, so my husband and I put her daughter through college (she graduated) and we are now paying for her son’s education. Also I sponsor a cat at Soi Dog Foundation. I wouldn’t pay for strangers at a store. You don’t know whether they even need it. 

Must be nice being rich.

Who actually earned the money? You or hubby?

Just wondering as I'm rarely that generous with money I had to earn.

I got a migraine reading this thread. 

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Must be nice being rich.

Who actually earned the money? You or hubby?

Just wondering as I'm rarely that generous with money I had to earn.

Hubby’s mom earned the money. Nicest mother-in-law ever!