To think collections in work should only be for significant things

[Janeatthebarre]

I have no problem giving to collections for people leaving/retiring or getting married or some other big event.
But I am fed up giving to collections for someone being transferred from one area of the Dept to another; 30th birthdays of random colleagues and other such stuff.
There have been two collections this week for this type of thing and one a couple of weeks ago for someone who got engaged that I'm not particularly friendly with. So far, out of my current paycheque I've had to fork out about twenty euro for collections. It mightn't sound like much but I'm on a really tight budget and wish over zealous people with no money problems would stop constantly starting collections for this, that and the other. I know I can refuse to contribute, but its very awkward.
AIBU to wish that general collections could be confined to the big occasions and that close work friends can have a whipround amongst themselves for other stuff?

Just don't give any money then.

We only do them for births, weddings and big birthdays at our work. Although 30 would count as a "big birthday"

It's annoying being asked to contribute to a pointless gift for someone, especially if money's tight, they earn way more than you and you don't even like them, so IMHO YANBU.

Where I work, collections tend to be done by passing round a big A4 brown envelope along with a card to sign. If you want to put cash into the collection, you do. If you don't, nobody will know you didn't. I think there's a lot to be said for this system.

We do the same Caspar.

I try to put at least a £1 in each collection - my view being if everyone did that there'd be a decent amount collected. However that doesn't always happen.

If I'm close to the person I'll put more in.

Where I work a fiver is considered the minimum. It can add up very quickly if there's been a few significant birthdays, a couple of babies and an engagment.

We only do marriage, leaving, births and big birthdays (21, 40, 60) and within our little teams we do smaller events but just a card.

Just say no!

Janeatthebarre, a fiver?? Blimey, that's a lot. We have the brown envelope system and I think a pound or two is the norm, and I've never really felt any pressure. I think being expected to contribute to every collection is out of order.

Oh fucking hell I agree totally. I work in the NHS - we're losing people hand over fist.

It's awful, but in with the leaving collections, raffles, lunches and dinners - it's a very dear do at the moment!

Brown envelope defo the best system - you can put in a fiver for your mates, a quid for that bloke you sometimes say hi to in the lift and nothing for the people you wouldn't be able to pick out of a lineup.

Well, why not suggest it at work..... either in a staff meeting, or an e-mail, or amybe sound out a couple of other people first that you sit near or have lunch with ? I'm sure a lot of people will feel the same.
It's difficult to say as it depends on so many things. I'd agree with you that it can get a bit out of hand if you work as part of a bigger team / department.
I've worked in some places where everyone pays in say £2 a month and there's a general 'pot' available for small things like some flowers or a card and a bottle of wine without having to faff with a whip round for more 'minor' things. Depends as well how 'stable' your staffing is - if a lot of people work for you for only a couple of years it's a bit different from if you've all been there 10 years. Also different if you are all in your 20s, in that you get a lot of engagements, weddings, babies, etc that you don't get in older teams.

I agree it can be an expensive extra,but what I find more annoying is that when someone leaves-a colleague who people claim to be close to people struggle to cough up a couple of quid in advance of the leaving drink etc claiming poverty yet stroll into work every day with a pret coffee and sandwich!