christmas donation pressure

skintandscared_2

I don't know if it's the same in most major towns, but the worst ones in London are the charity collectors on the streets with the clipboards, trying to get you to sign up to direct debits on the street!! I tell them firmly that I'm not giving out my bank details to a total stranger on the street, and if I want to donate to a charity I will do it direct - rather than through them - because the first TEN months' payments end up paying their salary and the charity don't see a penny until the ELEVENTH month!!!!

dealornodeal_3

lunar wrote: »

I really dont want to sound selfish here but as christmas gets closer im expected to give a small fortune to charity. As a family we give money to a charity through the year, then at christmas we always do something like the oxfam unwrapped gifts. this year we have sent a cow, and animal feed and shelter. we like to gvie something larger that will make a real difference than give odd bits of money to different charities.

there are just so many collections, raffels etc and if you ever dare to say no to someone you are tight, selfish, miserable etc.

Im not really posting for someone to give me a magic answer, i either pay everything or say no and put up with the comments. i just dont understand how peope think they should spend my money for me!

So do i sound selfish? maybe i am just being a christmas scrooge. sorry for the rant im just so frustrated with the christmas guilt trip, it feels like im a bad person for enjoying it sometimes.

Since the Credit Crunch, and Banks in trouble financially. One Icelandic Bank ICIC, it was revealed that savings was lost by many charities. Question to everyone, if charities are charities; then they pay out to whom they are collecting for?
So what are they doing with over £1M in the Banks?

lunar

Thank you to everyone who replied, im glad its not just me that feels this way. Im sure when im debt free i will prob pay up again whenever someone asks as i do hate to say no. but for now it will just be my usual charities i will give too.

mymatebob

I just had a quick google (ooh er missus) and apparently there could be over 400000 charities in the UK.

You can't give to them all so there is no need to feel embarrassed, guilty or ashamed if you say no.

I choose who I give money to, OH does the same.

JES_F1

As well as two monthly donations to charities, I used to sponsor or donate to pretty much anyone that asked because I couldn't bring myself to say no.

Since being on my DMP, I've had to say no many times - and have said I'm only now giving to my favourite two charities.

I cancelled one of my two monthly donations as I could no longer justify both. I've continued to donate to the other, paid out of my food budget or from selling stuff.

annamc75

A lot of charities out there dont want money but want the gift of TIME. No one should feel that they have to do some charity work but for those who want to but can no longer afford to, volunteer.

A few hours in a charity shop, collecting local donations, walking dogs for the rspca, reading to the blind, visiting people in care homes are all within our reach if we truly want to be charitable.

Anna

PS Charity does begin at home but it doesnt need to end there. I give time to CAB - I am an adviser there, I do sponsored events every now and again and used to support HIV affected families in a local support centre.

Hermia

lunar wrote: »

So do i sound selfish? maybe i am just being a christmas scrooge. sorry for the rant im just so frustrated with the christmas guilt trip, it feels like im a bad person for enjoying it sometimes.

Don't feel bad. Just explain your reasons calmly to anyone who says something to you.

I have a lot of problems with sponsored events. Last year 16 people I know did the Race for Life and I couldn't possibly afford to give a decent amount to all of them. I could only afford £10 and it seemed silly to sponsor each person a few pence. Some of them were quite happy for me just to choose one or two people and give them the tenner as the money would still go to the same place, but others got a bit shirty that they weren't the chosen ones. I do think a lot of sponsored events are quite easy now which means that loads of people take part. I am quite happy to sponsor someone who is going to climb a mountain or walk hundreds of miles. But recently I seem to be given sponsor forms for events that take absolutely no time to complete and require no hard work or sacrifice. E.g. my friend's 11 year old daughter has to take part in a sponsored read at school where they read 5 books. They could choose the shortest books possible and many of the kids read anyway so it was no effort for her. Or I've had friends go on walks of a few miles for charity. I mean, most people who are not disabled, ill or infirm can walk a few miles especially as there was no time limit. I think I'd get more enthusiastic about a sponsored event if I felt the people were really putting some effort into it.

taxi73

I do not give cash to charities but give goods to their shops.I do however give money for poppies.

always29

At work, I run charity giving through the payroll via the Charities Aid Foundation - as well as being incredibly tax efficient, you can set up an account where you donate monthly and get a "cheque book" to make payments from your donations. You can also donate to specific charities regularly and change them - I used to donate to Cancer Research but as I do the Race for Life, now I donate to the Terence Higgins Trust as the are helping someone close to me who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford their help.

JES_F1

taxi73 wrote: »

I do not give cash to charities but give goods to their shops.I do however give money for poppies.

I agree about the poppies - I was more than happy to part with some cash for my poppy. Now wearing with pride!

I do take stuff to a hospice shop but feel a little guilty for trying to sell for my own purposes first!