# How big a reward would you give this Good Samaritan? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366 "2015-10-21T17:14:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/41 "2015-10-22T21:20:37Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > :dubious: Yes, I understand the concept of the more money you have the more money you can afford to spend. What I do not see is what that has to do with someone saving your life. Do you think your life worth more if you make more money? Or is it that you think your life is only worth a percentage of your yearly income? > > There is no dollar value that can be applied in this scenario. One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other. But Jake is asking for financial assistance, so it is relevant. How would you decide what is fair? ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/42 "2015-10-22T23:31:57Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > But Jake is asking for financial assistance, so it is relevant. How would you decide what is fair? There would be no monetary “reward” involved. The guy incurred actual expenses and lost opportunities when he chose to save my life. If he was put out due to his assistance, then I would do whatever I could to make him whole. That has nothing to do with _my_ financial situation. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/43 "2015-10-22T23:34:35Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > WHY IN THE NAME OF ATHENA DAUGHTER OF METIS DAUGHTER OF TETHYS DAUGHTER OF GAIA THE SELF-CREATED ARE YOU HOSERS TALKING ABOUT SUING HIM FOR FUCKING WRONGFUL LIFE? Do you not remember the start of The Incredibles? I don’t have a monthly income at the moment, but I am absolutely going to plunder my savings for Jake. I’m also going to check my contacts to see if they need anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/44 "2015-10-22T23:35:12Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > There would be no monetary “reward” involved. The guy incurred actual expenses and lost opportunities when he chose to save my life. If he was put out due to his assistance, then I would do whatever I could to make him whole. That has nothing to do with _my_ financial situation. Are you always this Smurfy? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/45 "2015-10-22T23:40:03Z")
I got about $2k in a savings account, it’s his. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/46 "2015-10-23T00:15:26Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Are you always this Smurfy? He would have my eternal gratitude and would I provide assistance as if he was a brother. My gratefulness, however, does not have a dollar figure attached. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/47 "2015-10-23T01:18:33Z")
I’m not against charity but money is no guarantee in this situation. He had a foolproof plan for a better place to stay for the winter and a job and I screwed it up so I’d try to make that happen. I have a spare room and know enough people that I can get him a job somewhere. Until we find him a job, all expenses are on me. I wouldn’t rely on money to fix the situation. Say I give him $5000 and he finds a place to stay but due to the location has to get a car and although he looks every day, he can’t find a job. He might be a broke failure in a month. So I give him more money. His car breaks down so I give him more and more and before you know it, winter is over, he’s been miserable for months and goes home wishing he’d never met me. Nah, option 1 is better. He wants a job and a place to stay. I can’t do that. Kind of a dick move of him to bring it up though. Like jeez dude, we get it, you’re a freaking hero and I’m a screw-up. Fucker probably quit being a surgeon to go live in the woods because nobody liked him, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/48 "2015-10-23T01:32:05Z")
It’s an interesting question because it depends a lot on my own finances. When I was in grad school and supporting myself and my fiance on $20k a year in stipend money, well, I was pretty darn close to paycheck-to-paycheck. I’d only have maybe a thousand in the bank at any given time, so it’s not like I could give him a lot. Maybe I’d be able to swing 500 bucks, which would have been maybe half a months salary? Maybe I’d do better with dinner whenever he wanted it for the next year since adding one person’s meals to budget is a lot easier to do than a cash dump at once. But now that I’m making six figures, my wife is too, we have six figures in the bank account, and excellent insurance, I could cut him a $20k check without blinking and tell him to come back in a month if he still hadn’t found a job. That’s a couple months salary (for just me, one month if you include my wife’s salary), but there’s no pain since I make so much already (yes, I am very fortunate) I guess at some point I would start being concerned about overdoing it. I might also wonder why a trauma surgeon is flat broke when that is a super-highly-paid profession. None of my business and I owe my life to the guy, but I don’t want to become his personal money well for life either. That came out more selfish than I intended to. I guess I’m saying it’s easier to give several month’s salary when that doesn’t cut deep, and much harder but more meaningful when you have practically nothing to give anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/49 "2015-10-23T01:38:57Z")
Rather than look at monthly income, maybe it’d be more helpful to look at portion of accrued wealth. I’ve got a little bit of money in savings right now, we’re hoping to have enough to afford hardwood floors in our downstairs in the next year or so, replacing stinky cat-pee carpets. Jake could get that money, we could live with the stinky carpets for a couple more years. Edit: if you really need that in terms of my monthly income, I could probably swing him about a month’s worth of my income. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/50 "2015-10-23T02:44:06Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Rather than look at monthly income, maybe it’d be more helpful to look at portion of accrued wealth. I’ve got a little bit of money in savings right now, we’re hoping to have enough to afford hardwood floors in our downstairs in the next year or so, replacing stinky cat-pee carpets. Jake could get that money, we could live with the stinky carpets for a couple more years. > > Edit: if you really need that in terms of my monthly income, I could probably swing him about a month’s worth of my income. I phrased the question as I did so nobody would feel obligated to give specific amounts in order to play. After all, we DO have that one Doper who’s an admitted super-villain.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/51 "2015-10-26T02:24:00Z")
I can’t actually afford my healthcare now. I imagine that I’m worse off than he is. I’ll do what I can, but 10% is reasonably much more than I can afford. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/52 "2015-10-26T02:46:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I can’t actually afford my healthcare now. I imagine that I’m worse off than he is. I’ll do what I can, but 10% is reasonably much more than I can afford. You realize that 10% (or whatever) of a month’s pay is a one-time thing, right? Not every month; just pulling that much out of your savings. ---
**Author:** ![XaMcQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f9ae1b/32.png) [@XaMcQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XaMcQ)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/53 "2015-10-27T12:34:07Z")
Between 75% to a whole month’s pay is the greatest amount I could afford without risking not being able to make my other obligations. I would certainly try to give this guy enough to live in a warm place till he could find a job, and I would make sure the media told this story in hopes that other’s would pitch in too. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/54 "2015-10-27T20:42:13Z")
I think I’d hit up **Skald the Beneficent** for a generous contribution for Jake. After all, I know how much my well-being means to **Skald** , so he’s likely more than happy to open the coffers and give 'til it hurts. StG ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/55 "2015-10-27T21:16:19Z")
And > [@stgermain](#): > > i think i’d hit up **skald the beneficent** for a generous contribution for jake. After all, i know how much my well-being means to **skald** , so he’s likely more than happy to open the coffers and give 'til it hurts. > > Stg I HAVE NOT TURNED GOOD!!! :: murders random passerby :: Now say something nice. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/56 "2015-10-28T03:04:05Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > And > > I HAVE NOT TURNED GOOD!!! > > :: murders random passerby :: > > Now say something nice. **Skald the B** is your not-so-evil twin. He’s always on the lookout to thwart your plans. StG ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/57 "2016-02-06T03:24:40Z")
He’ll be lucky if I can scrape up 10%. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/58 "2016-02-07T00:18:56Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Can I sue him for wrongful life? > > If it were a Hallmark movie, I’d give him my love which is priceless. > > But realistically, I’d probably pay his rent for a few months in town, which would be about one’s month’s salary. I think that sounds eminently reasonable. If you are wiling to give him some money and your job is fairly secure, then one month’s salary would be just about the perfect amount IMHO. After all, he did save my life and he went way out of his way to do that. He didn’t have to do any of that. But he did it anyway. If I was going to give him a different amount, I would give him a higher amount rather than a lower amount. But, one month’s salary seems just about perfect. In addition, I would try to befriend the man. After all, if he really was a doctor and gave that up to live in a more Thoreau-like way of life, he would probably be a very interesting fellow and maybe I might be able to help him out in ways other than just giving him some money. I might enjoy his friendship very much and I would def ask my wife what she thought about that (if I had a wife - which I don’t). ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/59 "2016-02-08T17:38:16Z")
I’ll be pretty sad at Jake who had the misfortune to save me when I am smack in the middle of purchasing a new home and therefore my financial resources are pretty much tapped flat or generally unavailable\*. I would, however, be happy to host him over the winter in my nice heated home with free foods and WiFi, so there’s that. \*At least until after I sell the house I am vacating for the new house, at which point I’m happy to revisit the conversation. However, since the hypothetical pretty much implies that Jake’s looking for an immediate, one time reward, that’s kind of out. I don’t anticipate selling my current home will be a terribly lengthy process (we’ve priced it competitively, and homes in my neighborhood are moving fairly quickly), but even if I accept an offer today it’s still gonna be 45 days before close on the sale, which puts us well into March and closing on April. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366/60 "2016-02-08T18:34:38Z")
Maybe I missed it in all of the posts - what would you do for Jake, **Skald**? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-a-reward-would-you-give-this-good-samaritan/735366.md?page=4)