Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay the charity for my cuppa?

stmartinsdiver

You have no need to feel guilty about not paying for your cup of tea. Your time is worth far more to the charity than the few pence a cup of tea costs them. If you still feel uncomfortable about it then either pay for it or take a flask with you.

Cynic_Al

Of course you should---even though you have worked there all day for free !!

But if you are Camila Batmanghelidjh
of Kids Company on the other hand, it was OK to take circa £90,000 a year salary out of it, have several personal assistants paid for, and get your tea and coffee free--maybe even meals too--by the look if it ?
(Camila Batmanghelidjh -- born in the Iranian capital of Tehran to wealthy Iranian and Belgian parents, and is an alumna of the £32,000-a-year Girls School in Dorset- Sherborne.)
Ideally brought up and trained to understand what it is like to be a penniless kid on the UK streets,-- and how to manage small amounts of money for the good of many, rather than one's self and a chosen few--some even imaginary ?

newpuppy

If this was me, I'd go with the flow. If other people donate for their cuppa, then so would I. If there was a a general 'help yourself' attitude, then I would probably have the odd cup of tea, but not abuse the situation. Why rock the boat by doing anything different? It would make me feel uncomfortable if others were donating and I wasn't.

koru

As a charity trustee, I certainly would not begrudge our volunteers a few pence of free teabags, milk and electricity. Probably 5p of cost per cup.

But if the materials are bought by one of the other volunteers out of their own pocket then that would be different. Perhaps suggest the charity should fund this?

[Deleted User]

If you feel mean about not paying for the tea in the past and don't know if you should do in future then how about donating tea. Just bring a box in every so often as a gesture.

highland_lass

As a voluntary charity worker for several charities rules are different with each one but in all of the places tea and coffee are provided free but in most of them we bring in a small packet of biscuits every few weeks and this is put in the box so everyone can share. I donate enough of my time in lieu of money and feel that if the charity were unwilling to allow me and the other staff to have a cup of tea/coffee occasionally I would not be working for that charity for any length of time. There are enough highly paid workers for the various charities who all receive free tea/coffee that to make volunteers pay is definitely not acceptable.

phil1reynolds

Yes you are being mean!

roms

tallgirld wrote: »

If you feel you give enough then don't contribute towards the tea.

If you feel bad about it just stop drinking it.

Having volunteered for various charities for most of my adult life I totally agree with tallgirld.

Cimscate

phil1reynolds wrote: »

Yes you are being mean!

I don't think you are being mean although maybe you do and are trying to get others to make you feel better, if you feel guilty just bung in a few pence each week.


I work for 2 charities and have never been charged for tea or cake which a lot of the staff bring in themselves. I claim travel expenses as I think my time is enough and petrol is expensive!


Really you just need to decide what you think and act accordingly.

ButterflyLC

I really don't see the problem here. If you volunteer for no pay and make donations in other ways etc I don't see anyone grudging you a cup of tea. But if you are asking then you must feel guilty. Put a pound in every so often.