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Original poster

Birthday fundraisers on Facebook

20 replies

Lludmilla · 29/03/2019 20:50

I feel like I'm being a nasty cow even saying this, and I'm not disputing for one second that raising money for charitable causes is a good thing to do. If I could afford to I'd give to most or even all of them, so it's not like I don't care about the issues being fundraised for. But it's really hard if you're short of money, now that these Facebook birthday fundraisers have become a thing on top of the day-to-day fundraisers one comes across, it feels like requests for money (albeit for a good cause) are just constant, and feeling guilty because I just can't afford it seems to be getting pretty constant too. Surely I can't be the only one?

OP posts:
FlashingLights101 · 29/03/2019 20:52

I don't think I've ever come across one. Do you mean people are raising money for their own birthdays?! That's pretty... odd!

Marmite27 · 29/03/2019 20:53

No, raising money for charity on their birthday.

I bloody hate them!

isseywithcats · 29/03/2019 20:54

if i gave to all of them i wouldnt have any money for myself so do what i do wish the friend or relative happy birthday and totally ignore the charity request, that is all it is not a summons

PrinceOfPies · 29/03/2019 20:54

I've never seen one but I'd assume it was a ge eral request with no expectations.

Malbecfan · 29/03/2019 20:55

Totally agree with you OP. I just had a birthday and ignored all the grabby messages. Most of the charities/good causes are huge ones and the odd £ here or there won't make any difference.

Any charitable giving from me is either in terms of my time or expertise. I play in a lot of concerts raising money for specific local charities. I shop in local charity shops and donate to causes I believe in, not the few that sign up to FB.

Cloudyapples · 29/03/2019 21:01

I think the idea with them is that they are asking for a donation instead of a gift? So if you’d usually spend a tenner on someone then you could instead donate it via the fundraiser to their chosen charity. If you’d usually not get them a gift then you shouldn’t feel any obligation to donate.

Elphame · 29/03/2019 21:05

I'm sure FB takes a cut too

TroysMammy · 29/03/2019 21:07

I see them and I ignore them. I just wish the friend a Happy Birthday.

ellendegeneres · 29/03/2019 21:08

My birthday is coming up and Facebook ‘suggested’ I opened a fundraiser for my birthday and had two or three suggested charities listed.

Ok so first off, never heard of these charities. Second- why my birthday? Why not a suggestion to raise funds for a charity close to my heart on ANY day of the year??

I’m a charitable person, but not a single person I’ve seen doing this on their Facebook has even had a pound donated. I’ll donate to something that is meaningful to me in my own time.

Original poster
Lludmilla · 29/03/2019 21:11

I think the idea with them is that they are asking for a donation instead of a gift? So if you’d usually spend a tenner on someone then you could instead donate it via the fundraiser to their chosen charity. If you’d usually not get them a gift then you shouldn’t feel any obligation to donate.

I think that's probably the sentiment too... hard not to feel under any obligation whatsoever, though...

OP posts:
hairypaws · 29/03/2019 21:15

I've got a few on mine and I'm just ignoring - I don't like it either. It's as if it's trying to guilt trip us all. My birthday is very soon and it keeps encouraging me to start one. Not a hope in hell.

Iamnobirdandnonetensnaresme · 29/03/2019 21:16

Not all the charities are big ones.
I did it for a very small charity that wouldn't normally be noticed . I didn't expect anything from anyone. It is a very easy way of raising awareness. The money my fundraiser made will really really make a difference to my charity.

Nobody is forcing anyone to donate.
Now when schools join in with Red Nose Day/ children inners etc and demand money that's annoying.

MidniteScribbler · 29/03/2019 23:25

If I wouldn't normally buy them a gift, I completely ignore it.

DIZZYTIGGER87 · 29/03/2019 23:37

Only 1 of my friends has done this (that I noticed anyway) and it was for a charity that no way in hell I would donate too, and actually as I wouldn't normally get her a gift, even if I had agreed with the charity I probably wouldn't have donated.

I don't really use Facebook much anymore and if I could, I'd get rid fully but for now I will exist in the background

TinselAndKnickers · 30/03/2019 00:14

And the cheekiest fucker award goes to...

Birthday fundraisers on Facebook
joyfullittlehippo · 30/03/2019 00:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SparklyLeprechaun · 30/03/2019 00:24

See, Tinsel, I think that's a really honest fundraiser. I'd rather give a gift to a friend who said that then to my virtue signallers friends who fundraise for charity but never give a penny themselves.

Sparklesocks · 30/03/2019 01:02

I have seen them on fb, but nobody has ever sent me one directly so I don’t feel obligated to donate. If they just post on their wall and it’s not a cause I have a connection to then i just ignore.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 30/03/2019 01:14

@TinselAndKnickers now that's one I would contribute to rather than all the virtue signalling.

Scroll past them OP - I never ever see anyone with any money raised on them.

TinselAndKnickers · 30/03/2019 09:39

She posted one for Alzheimer's first and raised £10 then decided it was better for a holiday Grin found it funny

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