Those Plastic Bag Charities Stick Through Your Door For Filling

[Pupsiecola]

We get at least one a week, usually more. Who has that much surplus stuff? Sure, they don't count on all of them being filled, but are any of them? It must cost them more to produce them (in £, and effect on environment) and pay people to deliver and collect them. Mine go straight in the bin. What a waste!

[acasualobserver]

I tried filled one when I was having a clear out and left it outside the front door as instructed. It was never collected.

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

Use them as bin liners rather than actually chucking them in the bin.

[bingolittle]

Also... they're not normally actually from charities. If you look at the small print, they're mostly from limited companies who promise to pass on some money (how much???) to the named charities in return for bags filled with stuff.

I guess the charity lets them use their name in big letters on the bag because getting something is better than getting nothing.

Call me suspicious, but if I've got anything vaguely saleable to donate to charity, I'll take it to a charity shop instead. At the very least these limited companies are taking a good cut of any proceeds before passing it on to charity.

[Wavingchinesecat]

Treated as free bin liners here! Would rather donate direct to the shops.

[lucy101101]

I have been told that they are mostly a scam and are selling on the clothes.

[HateSummer]

Free bin bag here too. We get two a week during this time of year. I'm filling one up right now.

[ErrolTheDragon]

The ones from Shelter or British Heart Foundation get filled as and when (I usually keep one in the spare room to add to) - they collect reliably and at reasonable intervals hereabouts. Any others are useful for rubbish esp now there's no free carrier bags.

[DramaInPyjamas]

I filled up a couple before we moved house and left them at the front door. All from various charities and sat out on the designated collection day. They were never collected. They are still there a few months later and the new people have moved in!

[Oysterbabe]

The one time I filled one it wasn't collected.

[Fortybingowings]

I think they're fab. I always have stuff that the kids have grown out of and it saves me a trip to the charity shop where I can never find a parking space anyway.

[MrGrumpy01]

We get none for weeks and then 3 in a matter of days.

Most I don't fill, I often fill the ones from the shops - we often get BHF, Mind, Age UK and YMCA. BHF ends up in the shop as I have seen my stuff in sale when I have next gone in. I normally drop the bags in but if I have things waiting and a bag will be collected then I will put it out.

As for the others I generally don't fill them, but I will occasionally, it is generally the things that are still ok but probably not charity shop standard. tbh I am not bothered where they end up and how as long as they are not just chucked in the bin. I'm aware the charities only get a small cut but if they can be re-used then I am all for it.

The unused bags are generally used in lieu of carrier bags - so dropping things off in charity shops, passing things on through freecycle etc. I don't throw them away.

[ozymandiusking]

Read the small print on the bag, if there is a charity number there they are legitimate. I hang one on the inside of the door of the cupboard under the stairs and we put our paper for recycling in it, saves going in and out to the bin all day.

[KingJoffreysRestingCuntface]

I get one a day.

They go in the bin.

If I filled up every bag which came through the door my house would be empty.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I use them as bin liners too. I have three other family members who collect them for me too.

[lovelybangers]

I can generally find enough to fill the genuine bags - the scam bags I just use as bin liners.

[MrGrumpy01]

I prefer to fill the Great North Air Ambulance one if I am doing anything - or I think we get the Salvation army as well.

As I said though I am in a mass clear out session and recently the lot has gone in the bags that happened to be through the door that day. I can't have stuff hanging around until a bag comes through that I like the look of.

[Nakatomi]

I use them as liners for the cats' litter trays. They work brilliantly and save me buying special liners for them.

Any stuff that goes to charity goes to the charity directly and not a middle man who takes a cut, same as the chuggers. We have standing orders for our favourite charities (CISWO, Terrence Higgins Trust, Marina Dalglish Appeal, Help for Heroes, RNMRC and Mind)

[FasterThanASnakeAndAMongoose]

I prefer to take stuff into the shop and give my gift aid details.

Also, it's not unheard of for filled bags to be stolen from outside houses before the charity gets to them.

[ErrolTheDragon]

The proper charity ones include a gift aid form (sometimes the bag wrapper)

[littlemissneela]

I will fill the Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation and NSPCC and other genuine ones, but the others who may well be genuine but are such small charities, who I think would do far better joining with others of their ilk, I just throw away.
I did have one from a charity and I am kicking myself for forgetting which one as I said I wouldnt donate to them again, but I filled my bag although only half full. The van drove up the road, turned around and drove off! I emailed them and they said they would collect it the next day but they didn't. It also rained during that time, so all the stuff was ruined, well the books etc that were on the top.

[TheFlyingFauxPas]

I use them when I'm mowing the lawn. Very handy. I do donate to charity shops, but that's after I've considered ebaying and donating to friends so slim pickings really.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I had two different charity bags to be collected on the same day, so put some clothes in each after a clear out.

I noticed a white van pull up and take both so not sure where they ended up .

[strawberrypenguin]

I use them as a bin liner too. Very handy now I don't have the stash of carrier bags I used to use

[CharminglyGawky]

I save them up and send them to a cat rescue who asks for them to use for rubbish. They are actually easier for them to use than a roll of bin bags as it is so much quicker to grab the number of bags you need, easier to keep different cleaning supplies stocked up etc, ok so it probably barely saves seconds, but if it does so every single day that adds up!

[JamieLannistersFuckButler]

We only get Salvation Army ones, which are never collected if I leave them out filled (rural area).

However there are also Salvation Army collection bin/skip things in a couple of local car parks, so I fill the bags and put them in the collection bin myself.

The Salvation Army I believe has its own recycling chain - so things that are beyond re-sale like elderly tshirts go in a bag labelled "cotton rag" and then into the SA collection bin.