topic Re: Charities at the the checkout register in Community Chat

Charities at the the checkout register

spenditallbaby — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 02:29:03 GMT

Anyone have an opinion on this?

Today I was making a small purchase at a chain housewares store and was asked if I wanted to donate to such-and-such charity. Depending on my mood, I can say "yes" or "no". Today was a "no" day because, for some reason, it just bothered me to be asked for money when I just came by to buy an item. I'm practically accosted on the streets daily by people asking for "spare change" and I'm sure the cashier must have to repeat the charity-contribution request at least a hundred times a day.

I do major year-end contributions for tax purposes, primarily to animal causes, and have been known to flip tens during my daily travels to those who ask and look like they might need it--and I don't mean to sound condescending. I don't know why this was a minor irk for me today (probably because they are MAJOR retailers than reap tax benefits) and I was wondering what posters thought.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Helen Erth — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 02:30:47 GMT

They are annoying and I never give, just like the ones outside the door.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

clemintine — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 02:37:31 GMT

The places that do the local food pantry I give $1.00 each time. That includes the grocery store. By the end of the season I'll end up donating about $50 (just guessing)

I see it on the register as designated to the charity.

My issue is the bookkeeping, but I try to not be skeptical and just do it. Would I rather buy a grocery gift card? I don't know. Who knows who would actually end up with that?!

....and you don't have to PROVE small donations, so add it to your own tax list if you want to!

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

millieshops — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 02:40:49 GMT

I just say yes or no, depending on what is being asked. Same reaction when a mailer comes or a person calls, etc. I don't expend my energy getting irked.

I also don't get too exercised about any tax benefit - when I gave to a food pantry via my supermarket, my money didn't show up on my receipt as just food - it had a separate category, They obviously might get away with scamming and taking a tax deduction for my money, but that would be some dangerous thing to do. Imagine the fallout if that were caught - and it would be so easy to do once the register tape shows the amount as a donation.

Overall, I think the real reason I don't get irked is that in my own mind I know pretty clearly what I want to say yes to and what I don't. And I certainly agree with those who say the cashiers rarely, rarely have a choice - assuming they need their jobs. Been there, done that!

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Burnsite — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:17:31 GMT

I usually say yes, b/c I am fortunate in life and it's usually only a little donation.

Also, the cashiers sometimes get perks if they do well at fundraising. I wouldn't like to have customers say "no" to me all day long. They are all about feeding the hungry at my supermarket and a small donation to food banks and such doesn't bother me.

I've never been asked at a housewares store, though.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

colliegirls — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:24:09 GMT

They usually are good charities but I have no problem saying no if I do not wish to contribute. I am very polite about it, however.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Snowpuppy — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:26:33 GMT

I do planned giving so no, I don't donate in this manner.

First, how do I know that donation is going to whom it's supposed to get to?

Second, it's not just stores.....now the fast food drive thru are asking you to donate to some unknown/unheard of charity.

When I buy a coffee at the drive thru at Mickey D's I donate the change to Ronald McDonald House. That's the extent of my drive thru donations.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

september — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:45:00 GMT

I'm like you, OP. Some days I say yes, other days, no. Usually my no days are when I've already been to several other stores, and been asked (and donated) at each of them, too!

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

hsawaknow — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:46:16 GMT

I usually give to the red kettles -- Salvation Army. I always have spare change and I know that its going to my local one.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Moonchilde — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:52:08 GMT

I give occasionally at the grocery store, but only occasionally. The more different causes they come up with every other week, the less likely I am to say yes. I am most likely to give to food banks or similar, when I feel like it. They are going to do overkill with hitting people up constantly, and it's going to backfire at some point. ETA i do also give to the Salvation Army this time of year, even though unlike in my youth when all kettles were manned by actual members, now they pay random people to watch the kettles. Not crazy about that as I'm never entirely sure the money gets where it ought to.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Allegheny — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 03:53:19 GMT

Our supermarkets and stores like Kmart have it preprogrammed into their checkout machines. I'm like a few others, it depends upon my frame of mind at the time. We also get solicitations in the mail and do donate thru them to our local food bank. And I always give to the bell ringers for the Salvation Army. They are at every store practically, but I know they do good work and I appreciate their dedication for sitting/standing there for hours. And anytime for animals causes.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

colliemom4 — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 04:06:18 GMT

I don't care for it but I care less for the people asking for money in grocery store parking lots for charities etc.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

spenditallbaby — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 04:53:06 GMT

On 12/1/2014 Burnsite said:
I usually say yes, b/c I am fortunate in life and it's usually only a little donation.

Also, the cashiers sometimes get perks if they do well at fundraising. I wouldn't like to have customers say "no" to me all day long. They are all about feeding the hungry at my supermarket and a small donation to food banks and such doesn't bother me.

I've never been asked at a housewares store, though.

Hi, Burnsite--It was for St. Jude's at Home Goods.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

June Lands — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 04:56:33 GMT

I just say no thank-you. I give to charities of my choosing....not at a check stand. I checkout the charity to make sure the right amount of money goes to where it is needed. I do not just hand it out right and left to anyone who calls themselves a charity.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

occasionalrain — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:00:05 GMT

I don't like that they put people on the spot and some will give whether they want to or not. Of course that's the reason they do it, a form of gentle extortion.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

issiestorm — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:10:24 GMT

On 12/1/2014 occasional rain said:
I don't like that they put people on the spot and some will give whether they want to or not. Of course that's the reason they do it, a form of gentle extortion.

I agree. However, I do give funds to animal rescue charities at Petco. But that's it.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

Wsmom — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:34:09 GMT

In stores if the person knows what it's going to, sometimes I will. If it's a donation for the homeless or food bank or some kind of youth organization I want to know if the money is staying in my community. If they don't know, I won't. It irks me when they are collecting money here to send the money to the streets of Los Angeles (I live at the other end of the state). We have plenty of people locally that the contributions could be going to.

The people who stand outside the stores, generally they have no clue what the purpose of their organization is so I won't. Many times they are fundraising for disabled children so I ask what organization is it going to? I say I want to know so that I can tap into it because I have a disabled child. Dead silence. I have yet to encounter one that knows where the money is going.

Interesting story on United Way, which I do not donate to because I'd rather give to the actual charity I want the money to go to so UW doesn't take a cut. My husband does donate through work and we have a couple of favorite charities that he directs the money to. He got a scathing letter from them that they didn't want him donating to those charities and directed him in the direction they wanted him to donate the money. Amazing.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

issiestorm — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:38:16 GMT

On 12/1/2014 Wsmom said:
In stores if the person knows what it's going to, sometimes I will. If it's a donation for the homeless or food bank or some kind of youth organization I want to know if the money is staying in my community. If they don't know, I won't. It irks me when they are collecting money here to send the money to the streets of Los Angeles (I live at the other end of the state). We have plenty of people locally that the contributions could be going to.

The people who stand outside the stores, generally they have no clue what the purpose of their organization is so I won't. Many times they are fundraising for disabled children so I ask what organization is it going to? I say I want to know so that I can tap into it because I have a disabled child. Dead silence. I have yet to encounter one that knows where the money is going.

Interesting story on United Way, which I do not donate to because I'd rather give to the actual charity I want the money to go to so UW doesn't take a cut. My husband does donate through work and we have a couple of favorite charities that he directs the money to. He got a scathing letter from them that they didn't want him donating to those charities and directed him in the direction they wanted him to donate the money. Amazing.

Are you saying that your husband's work scolded him for donating to charities of his choice?? I'd have told them to take a flying leap (assuming that's possible and he doesn't lose his job over it). What unmitigated nerve!

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

LyndaGee — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:44:52 GMT

I say yes - They usually only ask for $1.

Re: Charities at the the checkout register

kibbi — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 05:46:10 GMT

It does not bother me. If it is a charity I would give to anyway, then I'll say yes to $1.00.

Today at Dollar Tree I gave a 1.00 toward a toy for children in military families. You pick out the toy and put it in a huge box.

The last time I shopped at New York & Co. I gave toward St. Judes.