Why do people in debt insist on giving to charity?

patwa_2

Hi. I don't mean this to be offensive but I really can't understand.

Putting all the moral and ethical issues aside for just a moment, why do people who are in debt or who have little money insist on giving to charities? Often when I'm talking to people and the topic of money comes up, and they're saying how they're hard up and trying to save money, you ask them how they're managing, they start talking about how're they're cutting down on food, selling everything they don't need, juggling multiple jobs to pay the rent, etc, oh and paying xxx amount to often multiple charities! It just seems to me like such a contradiction. On the one hand they need all the money they can get and on the other they're giving it away when it's not even often going to help them. And then there are those people who insist on giving to every single charity that advertises on TV or in the paper.

I just think if you added up all the money that people are spending on charities when it could be going on their debts, wouldn't they not be in such a hard up situation?

I'm not saying we shouldn't help those less fortunate then ourselves, but putting ourselves in a worse situation as a result just seems so wrong and counter-productive.

H.

Hapless_2

Because many charities like to make you feel guilty.

skirt

Low income families have always givem more as a percentage of their income than "wealthy" people. Maybe it makes them feel better about their lives, knowing they are supporting others who will be often worse off (in many ways) than they areMaybe its a "there for the grace of god" type feelingMaybe they ar in debt but economise elsewhere as they feel giving to charity is importantMaybe they havent got round to cancellingLots of reasons I guess. And I also think that being in debt doesn't necessarily make you stupid, so even if I was in debt to the bank I would still think I was able to spend whats left where I chose.

ryansace

Maybe they are just idiots...

rosieben

patwa wrote: »

...why do people who are in debt or who have little money insist on giving to charities? ...

I've been hard up all my life, and in debt for a good bit of it. I've always given to charites when I felt I could. not huge amounts, but as much as I could. I was brought up to not be selfish, maybe thats why.

If people are in debt and giving more than they can afford to charity surely thats just another sympton of their problems handling money; I dont see how its worse to give money you cant afford to a charity than it is to give it to the pub, or a tobacco company or a bookmaker or to debenhams or thompsons holidays or .....

so you could ask the question, why do people who are in debt or who have little money smoke/drink/take holidays abroad/gamble/buy new furnitute/buy expensive clothes/have flashy cars .......

captain_planet

I think it is more honourable for someone to do this, when a millionarie gives £1000 to chairty I don't think this is especially generous, but if someone on a normal wage were to give half of this I would consider this far more generous.

Quite a few people are in debt (me included after uni etc) in this country but there are people worse off elsewhere, there is always someone worse off than us.

rovinia

Interestingly CCCS take into account charitable donations when assessing your income and outgoings and what you can afford to pay to your debtors. Regular church goers for example would be able to count the pound on the plate on Sunday as an outgoing. Perhaps it is because they are a registered charity. Or becuse those of us who have see hard times are aware how every litte helps and those who have never experinced tough times don't give a monkey! How I combine moneysaving and giving to charity is to never buy new books only those in the charity shops!

I think saying 'they' are stupid is just plain mean.

Stephen_Leak

If I have learned one thing about the world in my 52 years upon it, it is that those with the least are always the most generous.

Spendless

No idea. I go on a thrifty U.S website where the owner of the site gives 10% of their household gross income to the church, meanwhile they have no medical insurance, which the figures they give it would be exactly the same as their tithe I always find hard to understand, but that's just me maybe I am more selfish,practical, not as religious call it what you will.

patwa_2

That's exactly what I mean. I fully agree you have no understanding of the hard life until you've lived it yourself (which I am forever grateful that I as yet haven't, and I mean that with every respect), but wouldn't one logically think that they would try to save as much as possible? If they then want to give to charities and what not when they're out of the doldrums, by all means let them express their gratitude when they actually have the money to spare.

I just don't understand this reverse psychology.

H.

Sarahsaver

I tend to give more in terms of my time, which you cannot put a price on. I would rather do voluntary work and see the difference first hand. And it costs you nothing so if you are broke it doesn't matter.