Too much money? Throw it away!

Giving money to the poor in Shanghai is not as straightforward as you'd think.

Donating a few coins to the street kids on places like Tongren Lu and DongPing Lu is just going to make sure they spend more nights outside, and rumors abound about the beggars on the subway (controlled by the Mafia, secret millionaires etc.).

Here's a good way we heard about to put something into the pockets of the people who obviously need help:

• Put a small bill in an empty water or pop bottle.
• Throw it in a public bin.

The people who will find the cash are the folk that make a living trawling through garbage- and we bet that even a 5RMB note will make a big difference to their haul for that day.

Pay it forward Shanghai, they need it more than you do.