Charities - SECOND NOTICE rant

[Ed of all trades]

I pity the people that make the calls. I worked with a guy selling auto parts for a while and ran into him a few years later. When I asked him what he was doing now he hung his head and said, I am a telemarketer. I hate it but when my wife divorced me I got depressed and lost my job and this is what I could get. I know that not everyone doing that is like this guy but some are and I won't try to make their life any worse than it is. That does not mean that I will go along with them or put up with their rude talk, but i will not be rude to them in return. Ed

 

[newbury]

SWMBO handles all the charitable giving. One of our prime rules is that she keeps a list that I can refer to so I can hang up the phone and be rude when they pester.<snip>

When I wrote "be rude" I meant if they are.
A typical phone call goes like:
Telemarketer:Hello, can I speak to XXX? (usually only a first name)
Me:May I ask who is calling and what it concerns?

If their response is their name, the name of who they represent and why they are calling I give them the "we only respond to Post Office mail" line. About twice a year a new charity sends us mail and SWMBO might decide to support it.

Often they don't respond with who they are and what it concerns then I just hang up.

I especially dislike all the "local" firefighter and police "scum charities". One year we checked out the stats of those calling and found out that out of about 2 dozen charities only about two were bonafide and actually got some support to the local departments. The rest spent nearly 100% on "administrative fees". I've had some police "scum charities" get REAL rude when I wouldn't let them talk to SWMBO.

I really like the idea of sending overweight mail back to charities.

As an aside (it's my thread) probably about 8 years ago I must have filled out a form at some conference w/ the letters of the project I worked for: DTSS.

Somehow that got transformed into DDS. Every spring I get employment agencies calling wanting to get dental interns employed. For a long time I got free samples of toothbrushes and paste. Occasionally I get free magazine subscriptions. I like the free toothbrushes. Invariably a few times year someone calls up asking about the dental service, I politely inform them that I'm not a dentist and I've tried getting it out of the database (which I did) but it's persistent.

 

[TomSeller]

I think giving to most formal charities is a scam. They are run by people who live a lot bigger lifestyle than we do.
.

Exactly. Same as many "churches" these days.

 

[Carhartt Cowboy]

I joined the ACLU For one year 10 years ago: I wanted to be a Card-carrying member of the ACLU and NRA at the same time....

That right there is funny, don't care who 'ya are, that's funny.

 

[MikePA]

Ignore the calls by saying no and hanging up or take the nice address stickers out of the envelope then throw them away.

Clearly, we are in the minority in this thread.

 

[orezok]

I stop at an area Casey's convenience store on the way to my property. They have fresh brewed unsweetened iced tea which I enjoy. They are always asking if I want to donate my change to XXX charity. I hate businesses that do this.

I always wonder if the store takes your money for which you don't get a tax credit and then donate it themselves and take the tax credit. Fraud in my opinion.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I got my first "second notice" the other day. It was trying once again to sell me a maintenance contract on my 8 year old car..

Harry K

I got the same thing, through a telephone call. They guy said something like "We've sent you a second notice on your maintenance contract and would like to know why you haven't responded". I said (I was really pissed) "I don't want what you are selling and don't call me ever again". So far, so good. BTW, we still have a year left on the factory warranty.

 

[oosik]

My dad would tell me stories about the American Red Cross and their activities during WWll providing "aid" to the GI's. I give to only one - Salvation Army. I've seen what they do locally and its good.

Otherwise - I don't think I receive one request(snail mail) per month. By phone - zero.

My cell phone is ALWAYS turned off. I try to remember to turn it on almost every evening to see if anybody left a message and if I want to return a call. Being as remote as I am - I don't have a land line phone.

Some supposed disadvantages DO have a silver lining.

 

[Jstpssng]

I think giving to most formal charities is a scam. They are run by people who live a lot bigger lifestyle than we do.

We almost never get phone solicitations. Our land line goes to the fax machine, which will ring through the day but which we never answer.

We give locally. We contribute to our church, and if there is an event that has a cost we will sponsor a family or two to that event. We help support a missionary family that we know.

We frequently hire people from local families to do work we could do ourselves. Often this doesn't end up being a tax deduction, so the amount we can put into it might be lower, but I am not convinced that God has much of a relationship with the IRS. What it does do is give people both needed money, and the dignity of working for it.

I like that!:thumbsup:

My dad would tell me stories about the American Red Cross and their activities during WWll providing "aid" to the GI's. I give to only one - Salvation Army. I've seen what they do locally and its good.

Otherwise - I don't think I receive one request(snail mail) per month. By phone - zero.

My cell phone is ALWAYS turned off. I try to remember to turn it on almost every evening to see if anybody left a message and if I want to return a call. Being as remote as I am - I don't have a land line phone.

Some supposed disadvantages DO have a silver lining.

I give to them for the same reason. Recently there was some flap about their political beliefs, which apparent caused some to stop donating, but all they really are punishing is the ones who are being helped.

The only point of sale I donate to is the Ronald McDonald house on the rare occasion I eat at McD's... They make it easy with the drive up slot, and employees don't ask for donations.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I am concerned about the high cost of administration on some charities. And you hear occasionally about so-called charities being prosecuted for fraud.

I know there are good charities as well.

But for the last few years I have given little to charities and instead have been helping my sister financially. I know it is going to someone who needs it. I don't get a tax deduction but that's not my purpose.

If she didn't need help I don't know what charity I would give to. I would definitely research any organization before I gave. Perhaps a local homeless shelter or food bank, or St. Vincent orphanage nearby.