WIBU to walk away from this charity?

[unobtanium]

I get accosted on my high street at least twice a month by charities asking for donations.

I really want to give -- the causes are always worthwhile, but their "conditions" make it so difficult.

They won't take cash, they won't take cheques, they won't take one-off donations from any card.

No, they MUST have your signature for a direct debit, here and now. Of course you can cancel the arrangement after a year, if you keep all the documentation, and remember to go through all the correct formalities in June 2014.

When I protest that aside from the odd ad-hoc donation, my husband and I already sponsor a Kenyan child and her family, plus contribute to one other cause on an ongoing basis, and that we always agree together on long-term commitments... they don't quite seem to get it.

They won't give leaflets to take away, nor even the direct debit form (the one they want me to sign then and there) to complete with my husband and send in to them later.

I always feel absolutely terrible after these encounters. It's probably very frustrating for them too.

Could they not be more flexible? I know they need to be able to plan, but their terms put so many people off, and surely a one-off donation here and now is better than nothing?

I was asked recently "don't I care about starving children?"

The reply, "ask me that again, but call an ambulance first" didn't go down too well.

There's a knob of a chugger in Newcastle (I think he's scouse though) and he walks down the street beside you yapping away, trying to put his arm around your shoulder - I hate him. He's quite arsey when you don't engage, as well.

I foolishly sent a text to donate a few quid to Children in Need. I now get weekly texts and phone calls from various charities begging for money. Never again.

I always tell them 'too late, I'm already signed up!'

Of course, I don't mention exactly what I'm already signed up for - avoiding chuggers

And, it leaves them thinking oh no if I'd got to her earlier I could have signed her up and got commission. [evil cackle]. (I'm not usually mean but chuggers are different!)

YANBU, and never sign up to a charity by chuggers and cancel after-that's how charities get stung a lot. They stupidly use chuggers who harass, then people cancel their DD meaning the charity is out of pocket when offsetting what they pay the chuggers company.

Personally I just tell them I do everything online and wouldn't trust anyone with my DD details, they try to harass but then I use then ''cheers anyway' while they are waffling and walk off. Year or so back, I did get one swear and rant at me but i went straight on the charities fb/twitter pages and told them exactly what i thought of said chuggers and how harassing they were. Funnily enough the charity deleted my comment after about twenty other people also commented citing the same! Never saw chuggers for that charity in their normal spot again.

Friends sister has learning problems and like 11 year old. Very obvious but every time she does into town she signs up with dogs trust as she liked the pictures. Sister spends every Saturday cancelling the dd and saying she buy her pictures of dogs. Must be law against taking advantage of vulnerable people... Got one chugged confused once when I said sorry I don't support bloggers. Gave me enough time to get away. X

No matter what charity is chugging on Northumberland street, I always say no thank you. If they persist I say I already donate. This is never true and the RSPCA chugger who followed me asking 'so do you not care about animals then?"obviously suspected this. He had to be put off by telling him he was making me late for my dog fight. Had one at the door last night for Samaritans asking me to imagine how I'd feel if a child couldn't get through to their helpline and then committed suicide. Answer was still no because that's how mean I am

I foolishly sent a text to donate a few quid to Children in Need. I now get weekly texts and phone calls from various charities begging for money. Never again.

Me too - £5.00 for a mosquito net, and Christian Aid are still ringing me up three years later...!!

I always feel absolutely terrible after these encounters. It's probably very frustrating for them too.

You shouldn't give to charity because they make you feel guilty. You give to charity because you think its worthwhile and will make difference.

\OP just wanted to tell you these collectors are employed by the charties usually students that probably dont give a lfying fig about the charity they are trying to sell

I never engage with chuggers as if I want to give money to a charity I will but I won't be hassled into it.

I don't agree with them getting paid, I am a volunteer for a charity because I think their work is important and I want to help them, I would never expect to be paid for it.

In our town they have 2 main streets and the chuggers are on one, I always say no politely but they still make you feel guilty by saying, just a few minutes of your time etc! Then on the other street there are people from different companies it varies weekly usually a broadband or gas/electric company. I just want to walk round town without being hassled!

You're missing a trick. Never sign up to a charity which knocks on your door as you get enough harassment whilst you're walking through the city centre so your home is your personal space, and you never sign up to a charity which approaches you in the city centre as you get enough harassment from them when you're at home.

I'm rather concerned about those who can't say no to them though and will sign up with all who approach them. Some must have charity direct debits taking up the majority of their income. There needs to be more regulation and control.

I live in a fucking cardboard box so the diabetic donkeys of Damascus can have insulin

I can't stand chuggers either, but those that accost you at home are the worst. I once opened the door to a couple of pushy chuggers who tried to persuade me to sign up by recounting how wonderful it was that all the elderly people they called upon were filling in the direct debit form straightaway. I was sickened that they could boast about manipulating vulnerable people and not see any problem in this at all.

Since then whenever a chugger calls on my at home I interrupt them straightaway and politely but firmly explain that we have a household policy of not supporting charities who use this method. I've had a few shocked faces from chuggers who seem to think their jobs are morally beyond reproach but they do go away quickly.

FWIW I'm a member of the senior management team for a medium-sized charity and would NEVER support any moves for us to use on-street or at-home chuggers. I think they give us charities a bad name.

Just walk past briskly, smiling, and say, "no thank you, no thank you", until they get the message.

Have just remembered, a mate of mine used to rebuff chuggers with the immortal line, 'I'm sorry, I'm far too much of a cunt'. Worked like a dream.

Not a chugger but a salesman from a well-known DVD rental company made a bee-line towards me in the street. I said no thank you in a polite voice and he then moved in front of my plan and blocked my way. I said no more forcefully and he went mad - he got right up in my face shouting 'No, what do you mean no? You don't say no to me.' I said he was representing his company and looked to his manager and they both started laughing at me and shouting things after me as I walked away. I had to get DH to pick me up because I was too scared to walk back through the shopping centre with my two children. I've suffered rape as a child so was particularly traumatic.

I complained to both the shopping centre and company and they didn't care.

I once had an argument with a chugger. He'd followed me saying 'Don't you care about the tigers?' after I'd already said I didn't want to donate.

So I turned around and said no I don't care about tigers or pandas or anything else.

Of course I do really but not enough to give WWF any direct debit info.

On the weirdy salespeople in shopping centres, I was shopping in town with my DH and had one of them making a beeline for me and asking if I wanted to buy a paintballing session.

I was 8 months pregnant at the time and the guy looked confused when DH and I both burst out laughing.

Chuggers are bad enough if they are genuine but you've got no idea who you are giving your bank details to.

I recently got accosted in the street and asked to make a one off donation by mobile phone - could have been a premium rate number run by a scam artists for all I knew.

I had to stop my exdp once from punching one chugger in town. Id just lost my dad to cancer and we were having an awful time anyway and this chugger wouldnt take no for an answer and even followed us, mocking us for having long faces.

Was crying and dp went for him but I managed to pull him back and we went straight home after that. I hate them

A friends mum commiserates with them on having such a terrible job. They usually turn nasty pretty quickly when you do that.

Charities please note, I will NEVER EVER sign up to your cause if you come to my door or accost me in the street or supermarket.

It's my choice what charities I choose to donate or not donate to.
Employing a chugger who states " it's the same info you'd write on a cheque are you afraid I'd steal from you" does not help what so ever.
He may not steal my details but who else sees this information?

Just another wee note.
My daughter was working in a pub when a group of chuggers came in ,when they left they also left their clipboard with all the names, addresses and bank details they'd collected that day.
yeah thats secure data collection

Those Diabetic Donkey's in Damascus get everything!

Nobody cares about the blob fish

'Those Diabetic Donkey's in Damascus get everything! '

Oh Gods, what have I started?
I'm going to have to check that there really isn't a DDD charity, aren't I?