The Big issue is clearly a good money-raising mechanism for the homeless but there are less arbitrary, and probably more efficient, ways to give. I began a monthly standing order to a homeless charity a couple of years ago. I commend it to others: it means it's easy to give a fairly reasonable sum on a properly regular basis. It also offers the benefit of being able to walk past Big Issue sellers without undergoing a guilt trip (well not to bad a one anyway......)