Community Chat

[jackthebear]

On 12/1/2014 Wsmom said:

On 12/1/2014 Issiestorm said:

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!

Oh, no, not his work. The scolding came from United Way!!!!

unbelievable

[Topaz Gem]

I prefer to give privately. I can never be sure that the charities get the money that is supposedly collected for them.

[jackthebear]

On 12/2/2014 JuJu Squeezie said:

Except for a red kettle or toys for tots, I give in private to charities I support. The check out ambush isn't very appealing, just like the "would you like to put this on your acct.?" No thank you, I'm paying cash. "Do you have an acct. with us?" No, I'm paying cash. "If you open an acct. right now you can get a 10% discount..." No, Please let me pay in cash. "Sure, but if you opened an account today..." Do I have to harm you some how to pay with cash?

Yes JCPenney, I'm talking to you!

If you ask me again, I will leave the store,

makes me nuts

[jackthebear]

On 12/2/2014 kittyloo said:

I work at a major retail store. we do the "round up" method. when your purchase comes to $14.99 we will ask you to round up a penny. always for national well known charities.

you would be surprised at how many say no to under a nickel, because they "already gave" somewhere. Were talking about 2cents sometimes here.

it always irritates me when someone won't round up 2 or 3 cents. it does add up.

Kittyloo,

I get what you are saying, but the point is, asking at the register puts people on the spot, maybe I don't want to "roundup", I want my bill to reflect the actual cost of what I paid for, or just don't want to deal with having to say no.

If the store wants to contribute to a charity, let them do it on their own dime.

[anisa]

I just say No Thank You or Not Today when asked. Every trip into Walgreens and various supermarkets and stores ask for donations. I think they rely on customers being embarrassed or afraid to say No. It gets old mighty fast.

[RainyDayGal]

I do not like being asked. I usually use the machine to check out and it will pop up on the screen asking whether or not I want to donate. That's fine, but really would prefer cashiers not ask at all. I'll let you know if I want to. And I don't like it when they announce over the loud speaker that a donation was made on check stand # whatever.

[blackhole99]

I don't give at the check out because I don't like to be put on the spot for a donation. I will give to the charities I want to support.

[dex]

I never give the dollar tree toy to a child that isn't getting much for Christmas...what a let down those toys that barely make a day before they break must be.I like to buy something that I would gift my own child for that one special gift.

[winamac1]

On 12/9/2014 anisa said:

I just say No Thank You or Not Today when asked. Every trip into Walgreens and various supermarkets and stores ask for donations. I think they rely on customers being embarrassed or afraid to say No. It gets old mighty fast.

I agree. I sometimes say yes, and I usually say "no". I've been hit up 6-10 times in one day at almost every retailer, grocery store, etc. that I went to.

[ROMARY]

It doesn't annoy me. I just say 'no thank you' if I have already donated on a previous shopping visit. What really annoyed me, a few years ago or so, is when someone at the front desk yelled 'Yahoooooo' (and whatever else) on the microphone/sound system, jumping up and down. Each time a person donated. It was very annoying, because all of the customers in the entire supermarket had to hear the very loud yahooooos/whatevers over and over again as they (we) were shopping. Hope not again this (or next) year.