topic Re: WHY $19 A Month? in Community Chat

WHY $19 A Month?

Love my grandkids — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 22:56:35 GMT

Does anyone have any idea how all these charities and other organizations that advertise for donations on TV came up with the figure of $19 a month?

I did the math and know what is it per day based on a 30 day month, but why $19?

Is it because it sounds like/is less than $20? Anyone know for sure?

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Icegoddess — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:01:20 GMT

I would imagine there have been studies showing people are more willing to shell out less than $20/month on a charity. Yeah, I've noticed. But, there's one that asks for $11/month. Is that St Jude, or maybe Shriners?

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Janey2 — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:12:57 GMT

@Icegoddess $11 a month is tunnel to towers

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

grandma2pkmh — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:21:53 GMT

@Love my grandkids It a paper tax issue for the charity. I can't remember now exactlythe answer but can google it and it will be explained.

ETA to add:

One theory attached to the $19 figure ascribes more cynical motivations to charitable organizations. The IRS requires charities provide receipts for annual contributions of $250 or more, and individual donations of $19 a month amount to less than that. But organizations likely aren't trying to get out of sending receipts.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

LTT1 — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:23:09 GMT

@Love my grandkids

@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"

That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Marp — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:46:35 GMT

I think there are potential donors that will think $19 a month is an odd number and will up the amount to an even $20 or perhaps even $25.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

docsgirl — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:54:12 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@Love my grandkids
@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"
That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!

Which is probably why QVC instructs their sales clerks to tout a price tag of $79.99 as less than $80. Psychologically, the customer is thinking of the $79 and not the $80. They are legally within their right to do so but I don't think they fool most people. We learned to round up in 3rd grade. Brick and mortar stores do the same thing.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

tansy — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:57:33 GMT

Funny but I was wondering about this, too, after seeing a plea for teens needing a place to sleep at night.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

jackthebear — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:02:31 GMT

it's some kind of tax thing for the "charity" I bet they'd take as much as posssible a month

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Icegoddess — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:09:26 GMT

@docsgirl wrote:
@LTT1 wrote:
@Love my grandkids
@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"
That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!
Which is probably why QVC instructs their sales clerks to tout a price tag of $79.99 as less than $80. Psychologically, the customer is thinking of the $79 and not the $80. They are legally within their right to do so but I don't think they fool most people. We learned to round up in 3rd grade. Brick and mortar stores do the same thing.

@docsgirl I'm okay with them saying that since it IS true. It really bothers me when they go the other way and say and item is $79 when it's $79.99. I also don't like it when they say you're getting it home for $13 when $13 is the 1st EZ pay, not the item price.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

SilleeMee — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:16:57 GMT

It has something to do with the IRS and a $250 per year contribution receipt to the IRS. Anything less than $250 doesn't require a receipt to the IRS from the charity organization.

$19 x 12 = $228.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

grandma r — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:28:04 GMT

@Love my grandkids. I have no idea why that amount. I donate what and when I can. My only objection is that some charities feel the need to send donors a tee shirt, blanket, or something else. Imo, totally unnecessary. Instead of spending money on merchandise and postage, use it as it is intended.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

chrystaltree — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:42:36 GMT

I'm sure some consulting firm that manages those charities has done studies that show that is the amount that people are most comfortable contributing. They didn't arrive at $19 by chance.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Snicks1 — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:54:10 GMT

@grandma r, I totally agree with you. Keep the stuff, spend that money on whom the donations are intended. I recently ordered a new Christmas tree for the Veteran's Home here in town and they wanted to send me something as a thank you. I told them not to do so, but to instead use what they would have spent "thanking me" on our Veterans.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

781Florist — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:14:29 GMT

I understand that it is a very competitive and difficult thing to successfully solicit charitable donations and that there are so many extremely worthwhile organizations in need of help, but sometimes these charitable organizations sell your information in order to maximize their return and you get absolutely INUNDATED with appeals from every group on the planet.

I have donated to homeless shelters in my area and I feel hesitant to do so any more because I don't want to get on a few hundred mailing lists.

Some places harm their ability to raise money by using these practices.

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

bells4me — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:19:50 GMT

Is this a fake thread?

Re: WHY $19 A Month?

Zoe — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:52:26 GMT

From a marketing perspective, probably the same reason they price houses as $499,999 and not $500,000. The larger, round number feels much bigger and probably not as sustainable.