Feeling generous? Be careful!

[Piston]

I don't donate to charities that contact me over the phone, but I do donate to charities I contact myself. I mostly only donate to local charities though, and individuals who hve had the worst of "luck" in my area.

Regarding phone solicitations, I tell them to please hold for my wife, she tells them to please hold for my husband, and both of us just put the phone down until the solicitor hangs up.
That's only for telemarketers though, not charities. I enjoy waisting telemarketers time.

 

[Western]

I get almost NO solicitors or telemarketers by phone anymore, since I registered all our phones on the "DO NOT CALL REGISTRY" https://www.donotcall.gov/
I will still get a few "Guvment" survey calls, but that is during election time. There are some exclusions, but mostly apply to government list IIRC

 

[Midniteoyl]

Ok.. gotta point this out - You DO know they got it wrong, correct? They are lumping 'soliciting' costs in with everything else. A good portion of the funds listed mostly do not actually offer aid, but educate and raise awareness. These are 'education and promotion' costs, not soliciting for more..

 

[doxford jim]

I will support just two charities - the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. Both organizations help everyone they can and the bulk of donations are used as intended. The other charities use far too much guilt messaging to extract money. I guess we will never know the full truth on how much money goes to helping the less fortunate.
As I said, my money goes to who seem to do the most with the least money spent.
Just my $0.02

Thanks
Jim

 

[Piston]

Also,
I've donated truckloads of seasoned firewood to those who have trouble paying for heating oil through the winter. I enjoy seeing firsthand how much people appreciate things like that, rather than not knowing where my money goes. It's a good idea for some who have trouble donating money to charities, but like to help in other ways.

 

[J F]

:thumbsup:

 

[Loadstar]

Maybe I will begin donating all the "free cruises" I have won this year. I think in about up to ten now. Lol

 

[hawkeye08]

Mostly I just hang up nowadays with folks asking for my hard earned money... but once in awhile, I will engage with them and pressure them, "Do you believe in this charity personally?", "How much do you give them each year?" "Why should I give them money if you don't?"

Another time, I insisted that they give me a billing address so I could bill them for my time (I use my phone for business). I told them I take credit cards so if they give me their card number with the security code, I can bill them directly..

Sometimes I change the subject to current events (there is lots of topics nowadays) and just get them off their script. I figure you all owe me for tying their time up talking to me and not bothering you...

 

[CobyRupert]

Here's the answer that will destroy the whole telemarketing industry, but it takes a united collective effort:
They operate on the basis of making many many multiple calls, So if they can make 150- 300 calls an hour (simultaneous computer dialing, answer recognition), they can find the 1 or 2 suckers. So: If everyone who gets a call keeps them on the phone for 30 minutes and gives no money, then during a 8 hour shift they will have only made 16 calls with no income. The industry would collapse. The world rejoices. But it takes all of us to do our part instead of quickly passing them on to find the next sucker.

Whose with me?! unch:

 

[daugen]

While I concur with the idea of not responding to phone solicitations, I hope this does not stop you from donating generously to known reputable charities.

There are many of us that are in "comfortable" circumstances and can easily afford $100's to help our less fortunate members of of our society.

It is this time of year (just at the end of the financial year) that I get great joy from ringing a number of charities and offering $25 - $100 each. The obvious joy from the recipient, makes it all worthwhile.

:thumbsup:
well said. My personal annoyance here comes from the scammers siphoning off needed charitable donations from those organizations that really do some good. Let's not throw all the babies out with the bathwater.