Charities Wasting Money

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DomRavioli wrote: »

So Cancer Research UK pay their head honcho £240,000 a year. That's not ok. That money could be spent literally saving lives, and instead it is lining a single person's pocket.

It depends what they do for that money. Cheapness doesn't equate to better value for money. They could replace them with a volunteer costing nothing, and the organisation as a whole be far less effective.

Unless you have some concrete evidence as to why that person isn't worth that money, you're simply making things up.

DomRavioli wrote: »

Nor is the £85 million that Oxfam have in reserve, and have had for a rather long time.

Reserves are there for a very good reason. Most charitable organisations are told to hold a certain amount in reserves to cover significant and sudden drops in income.

Without reserves, Oxfam would be unable to plan for anything other than very short term projects. If they are involved in any 5 to 10 year projects, they need a decent level. The fact that you say they've had that amount for a long time is probably a good sign.

Amber_Sunshine

Hardly a day goes by when I don't get accosted by beggars, chuggers or food bank collectors. Sometimes several times in a day.

I won't give to beggars because I'm not convinced they're genuine.

I won't sign up with chuggers because I object to this form of collection, and I choose very carefully which charities I support. I prefer to give my time to a charity that is run entirely by volunteers.

I don't give to food banks because I'm on an incredibly low income myself.

Maybe this sounds mean, but I'm not in a position to help others out except by giving my time. And I really, really dislike being stopped by people who are paid to sign you up, and where the charities actually get very little of your money. As for the huge salaries those at the top receive ...

Deep_In_Debt

I have worked for a fairly well known charity in past and have seen where the money goes. We were targeted to raise a certain amount each year in fundraising, which we did and often doubled our target. I felt embarrassed taking donations just knowing where it would go and they relied a lot on volunteers too.

I only support small local charities which are run by volunteers to that I know my donations go directly to the cause.

JReacher1

lincroft1710 wrote: »

In my case they were wrong!

I have had 2 more requests, one asking me to return a Xmas card so it may be given to a lonely person (but I already donate to that charity). And the other one tells me exactly who they are helping and how they are helping plus no "free gifts" enclosed - a salutary lesson to wasteful charities. Seems deserving of support.

It's a bit weird that you decide which charity to support based on whether they give you a free pen.

The free gifts are there to encourage you to open an unaddressed envelope and see what's in it. Many people will just throw junk mail away if it's not addressed to you. Having something in it encourages these people to open the envelope and they will then hopefully read the literature included with it.

It's a marketing ploy. I don't see why charities shouldn't also marketing tricks if it increases donations.

lincroft1710

Pollycat wrote: »

I'm not sure why you say the OP is 'one of the tightest people in the UK'.
She does donate to at least one charity:

Thank you Polly, but I'm actually a "he" and as you say do donate to several charities.

lincroft1710

And one of the charities who wrote to me personally, has now done an unaddressed mailshot!

lincroft1710

JReacher1 wrote: »

It's a bit weird that you decide which charity to support based on whether they give you a free pen.

No it's based on those who appear to spend the least money to get their message across and thus hopefully more money will go the people the charity is trying to help.

Sending pens, gift tags, cards, self adhesive labels etc, won't persuade me to support that charity. A simple statement of its aims and successes will.

JReacher1

lincroft1710 wrote: »

No it's based on those who appear to spend the least money to get their message across and thus hopefully more money will go the people the charity is trying to help.

Sending pens, gift tags, cards, self adhesive labels etc, won't persuade me to support that charity. A simple statement of its aims and successes will.

Just because I am quite interested in how your mind works. If you get literature in with the free gifts that lists it's aims and successes and you like them. Will you donate?

I admire your charitable endeavours but surely you can see if the free gifts encourage people to read the enclosed literature then it's not wasted money?

lincroft1710

JReacher1 wrote: »

Just because I am quite interested in how your mind works. If you get literature in with the free gifts that lists it's aims and successes and you like them. Will you donate?

I admire your charitable endeavours but surely you can see if the free gifts encourage people to read the enclosed literature then it's not wasted money?

Basically, in my old age, I am against wastage of resources. I am not convinced the free gifts encourage people to donate. I am probably so annoyed by the "free gifts" that I don't bother reading the literature. Which is why I say sending the free gifts doesn't work with me.

Having said that, IMHO sending a reminder or a duplicate is an even worse waste of money and resources, especially when the charity claims it is "desperate" for a donation.

JReacher1

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Basically, in my old age, I am against wastage of resources. I am not convinced the free gifts encourage people to donate. I am probably so annoyed by the "free gifts" that I don't bother reading the literature. Which is why I say sending the free gifts doesn't work with me.

Having said that, IMHO sending a reminder or a duplicate is an even worse waste of money and resources, especially when the charity claims it is "desperate" for a donation.

Fair enough. Not reading a charitable leaflet because they give you a free pen seems a bit weird but if that is how you roll then so be it!