A very interesting thread
I've been flying passengers for many years on my PPL and occasionally received some cost sharing funds in return - not sure if the beers or rounds of bacon butties count as a benefit though.
What seems odd is that we can perfectly well fly people as long as we don't benefit. I take the view that I intend to corrupt as many people as possible into taking up the sinful activity of recreational flying and I take that task very seriously whether or not I get financial help.
I don't take particularly seriously the view that because I am not an instructor I am automatically putting my passengers lives at risk. I have more hours and experience than some of the junior instructors I've flown with.