BitLife: How to become a Panhandler

With the release of BitLife's new Street Hustler update, players will now be able to branch out into some enjoyable grittier aspects of life after graduating from high school. There are four Street Hustler jobs to break into, and the Panhandler might be a suitable fit if you want to rely on other people's sympathies to get by. The Panhandler Hustle can be a useful source of revenue for those Bitizens who are so inclined, even if it is far from a nuanced answer to the challenges of homelessness. Here's what you need to know to get started.

Becoming a Panhandler in BitLife

Players will have to wait until their character has graduated from high school to begin their hustle, just like the other Hustles accessible in the Street Hustler update. Once they've done that, it's just a matter of going to Special Careers and selecting the Street Hustler job pack, then touching on Panhandler.

BitLife’s Panhandler explained

Your character takes up a position on a street corner, asking passers-by for money in The Panhandler Hustle. You just have to keep hustling that hustle to develop your talents as a panhandler. Choosing a busy street will help with this, ensuring a good turnout at the conclusion of the day. Unlike the Scam Artist, the Police don't seem to have a problem with panhandling, therefore you should be able to remain out of trouble.

That's pretty much all, however, BitLife does give you some control over your panhandling character, allowing you to customize the writing on the sign, the money receptacle itself, and the overall strategy at play. The ability to choose from a number of "props" that can influence your success rate is one of the more contentious options. Certain costumes and, in one case, a "fake pregnant tummy" were used to elicit sympathy from others.

It's worth noting that BitLife's representation of panhandlers and the destitute isn't exactly sympathetic. Players should be aware that some of the mechanics used in the game — particularly the usage of props and the possibility to choose panhandling as a career path at all — may not reflect the realities of homelessness.