To not donate to charity?

[SerialReJoiner]

Some chap knocked at the door during pudding tonight, asking for me to fill in a "quick five minute form" for the charity, and the moneys wouldn't start coming out until January. No leaflets, nothing for me to take away and read, just wanting my bank details.

He said he's been approved to canvass the area by the police and council, and had a badge with his picture on it, but argh.

Does anyone actually sign up for these things on their doorstep? I make charitable donations that fit within our household budget - surely it isn't reasonable to expect me to make a financial commitment on a whim?!

My DC opened the door before I got the chance to see who it was - next time I won't be opening to strangers at that time of night especially.

[c3pu]

YANBU.

Pestering and nagging is not conducive.

[PicnicPie]

I never sign up to anything at the door. I always make an excuse that I'm in the middle of something. If it's something that I'm interested in I will ask for a leaflet/info and then check them out online. Id Never sign up on the doorstep.

[SJane45S]

You're not being unreasonable at all if it's not a charity you want to support - but I'm a bit ?? about what you've said the process was! I used to be a door to door Fundraiser (Greenpeace Canada) and work with a lot of Fundraising agencies. The process is usually to talk you through (if you're willing) what the Charity is doing, current campaigns etc and then ask for your support. Again if you're willing then the form comes out then. There's a process to go through and the way you've described it the Fundraiser knocked on your door and presented you with a form - sounds a bit strange to me!

With cuts to benefits & funding and crises' around the world - now more than ever, Charities need our support. Whether you personally like it or not, they need to fundraise and make people aware of the work they do. Face to face Fundraising is one of the most successful ways to do this.

For the record, if you had signed up, you would have received a Welcome Call. It's obligatory, all Charities have to do it. They would have asked if you were still happy to proceed or wanted to cancel. They would also have asked if you were happy with the Fundraiser.

[OohhThatsMe]

SJane, that might be true about charities you know (re welcome call) but I have signed up to two (Marie Curie and the helicopter rescue) and haven't received a phone call for either.

[LouisvilleLlama]

YANBU but it must be semi successful or they wouldn't do it

[SerialReJoiner]

He didn't have the form out and ready, but he was more than willing to give me a very short intro and then give me the form on the doorstep. Sorry that was unclear.

I donate time, money and goods to several different charitable organisations. I know they struggle, and I know this is the time of year when they probably get a lot more people signing up. I just don't like the expectation of making a commitment of my time/money/resources without having a chance to mull it over and do a bit of reading first.

[gamerwidow]

I don't even answer the door unless expecting someone to avoid these sales people.
I did come downstairs once to find my husband had actually let one in because he didn't know how to say no. I soon sent them packing

[228agreenend]

Yui think it's known as chugging. I remember watching a programme where they said that the people get commission for each successful sign-up. It amounts to,roughly one year's average donation. Best to donate to the charity directly.

[CockacidalManiac]

Nope. I won't give to chuggers, and I'd have told this bloke to go away.

[slenderisthenight]

YANBU at all to not give to that chap. Personally, I think we should all try to give what we can, in whatever way we can.

We look very ungenerous because we never give off the cuff (unless it's a tiny amount of cash). We do have a charity budget but it goes out through direct debits each month and so we're being perfectly honest when we say, 'So sorry, we have already allocated our charities for this year and the list is full.'

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

YANBU. I don't even answer the door if I'm home alone. If DH is in one of us answers and either says we're not interested or can we have a leaflet to look at at our leisure because we're busy etc. I like to research what charities I give to so I know my money is being spent properly.

I had a fella come round once selling pictures he'd drawn himself. He held up a card which said he was deaf and he was raising money for his studies. I sent him away with some loose change because when I tried to tell him I wasn't interested he just looked blankly at me. Went next door but one who said it was a scam. This was years ago before I became suspicious of everyone lol

[SJane45S]

228agreenend, what exactly equals a years donation? Their weekly bonus? Daily bonus? Yes Fundraisers get bonuses - they're often on very low wages. You may not like this but it costs the Charity a huge amount less than a TV advert and therefore more money goes where it should. You may not like Telephone or Field Fundraising but for Charities they are one of the cheapest and most effective means of raising funds for their causes.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

My elderly, nearly blind mother signed up for a £10 a month donation when she was doorstepped by MacMillan. I went mad when I found out, cancelled the direct debit and complained to MacMillan although I'm sorry to say I never followed up on it.

I will no longer donate to MacMillan because of this - it's obvious my mother can't see so there's no way she should have been allowed to sign anything. I tell charity collectors where to go, but my mother is far too soft.

[BaldricksTrousers]

YANBU. I am fairly charitable and usually will not hesitate to donate to certain charites on my own time, but I don't give a quid to chuggers, doorsteppers, or cold callers. I don't agree with the practice of hiring people to pressurent other people.

[QforCucumber]

The door to door ones are usually not paid a wage - commission only, paid only per sign up. And then it's 3 months after the sign up too to make sure the person doesn't cancel. My brother did it while at college - advertised as field marketing and didn't even know there was no wage until he started. They don't work for the charity directly either, rather a 3rd party company who the charity ask to do the door to door for them. The same guy will be doing a different charity in 2 weeks.

[BaldricksTrousers]

*pressure even. I know that it's one of ther most cost effective ways for a charity to solicit donations but I don't care, chuggers do my head in.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Chuggers get the door shut in their faces. I also won't donate to charities that pressure me to donate more. I used to donate to Guide Dogs until they phoned me asking me to double my donation, I cancelled the direct debit and no longer give them anything.

[MissDuke]

That's why I never answer the door! It's always somebody wanting something

But........ but........ what if the street was on fire? Or someone was telling you they were going to steal your car?

[Stanky]

It could have been a scam. We don't know who these people are. I was caught off guard one night, and ended up taking part in a survey. It went on for ages, and some of the questions were really personal. I called the non emergency police, and they were interested, but when they checked the area, the people were no where to be seen.

I just say No thank you! when sales people turn up at the door or on the phone now. I should really put up one of those No cold callers signs on my door.

I hate people knocking at the door. I don't even like it when it's people I do know! I'm like a little old lady. I want to shut the world out when I'm at home.

[SJane45S]

As an ex 'Chugger' (door to door fundraiser for Greenpeace), I can honestly say it's a hard, often demoralising and underpaid job. To all of you who've said they 'shut the door in their faces', I personally don't like being called at work every friggin 5 minutes by someone trying to sell me media space/energy contracts etc or double glazing men on my doorstep BUT good manners and a polite but very firm no thank you doesn't cost anything and makes the world a nicer place!

[Chattymummyhere]

I had one tonight, heard a knock at the door, looked out the window with DD in my arms saw a chugger waking away he turned around looked at me and started walking back. I went and sat on my sofa. Fed up of people knocking at my door for money, if I wanted to donate I would already, same as the ones in the streets "do you like animals?".... "Yes thanks very tasty!"... or the one who grabbed dd1 by her arm to try and engage me nearly got a punch in the face.

[Scholes34]

You don't have to be rude. Just politely say no. You don't have to say why.

I do give to charity. I choose the ones I donate to carefully, with my preference for local, community based ones. And for me, that's my justification to me why I feel comfortable saying no the charities when I do.

[maninawomansworld01]

I'll give one off donations now and then as cash / cheques but no one gets my bank details and he'll would freeze over before I'd hand them over to some cold caller or chugger in the street.

Frankly I am amazed that anyone does it , but I guess they must or these cold callers wouldn't be doing what they are doing. Amazing!