To wonder what this was all about?

[changeyourusername1]

Was eating my dinner on Thursday night around 7.30 pm, knock at the door, I answered and my hear sank when I seen it was someone wearing an Alzheimer's UK jacket.

I have rosacea and had no make up on, so there I was standing at my door, in my pyjamas, still chewing and my rosacea on full show. So I stood there listening to her speech (because I have no backbone and felt totally put on the spot), nodding away politely.

At one point she asked me, 'you're not a millionaire are you?' I said, 'sorry?' She repeated and I said, 'oh no I wish' did not understand how this was relevant to what she was saying.

Anyway moving on, at no point during the speech did she give me an out, no asking are you free to talk? Is now a good time? Just bombarded, so I stood for 10 minutes, she starts saying I just need to fill out a quick sponsor form when I hadn't actually agreed to sponsor anything.

At that point she said, 'you can only sponsor us if you're over 30'. HURRAH I thought as I'm only 28 which I proudly told her, she said sorry then and walked away.

Not I'm not a rocket scientist but wouldn't it make more sense to lead with that? She wasted a good ten minutes. Also why do you have to be over 30 to sponsor them? Was very confused by that. Now I see why most mumsnetters don't answer their doors. Won't make that mistake again!

PLease just interrupt and say "Oh no thank you I'm busy" and CLOSE THE DOOR IN THEIR FACE.

Don't listen to them!

Yes, as above! "Sorry I'm not interested" and shut the door. Simples.

Yes you have to get in quick at the beginning...."Sorry I'm busy"

I find raising a hand with an assertive ‘can I stop you there’ should make her pause long enough for you to say no thank you!

If I accidentally answer the door to someone like that I just say up front I'm sorry but I won't conduct any financial transactions on my doorstep so won't waste your time.

Lately my DH opens the door and says sorry I can't chat for long as I have covid and I'm not feeling great. They can't get away quickly enough!

@Gemma2019 that's a good one, will definitely use that in future.

I just stop them mid flow and say we don't give to charity at the door, so you're wasting your time then close the door.

That’s weird. I got away with telling charity sales people I was under 18 til I was 25 😂 but over 30 is a bit odd!

Where on earth does 30 come into it?

Always say immediately, 'sorry I won't waste your time. I already contribute to charity, or I'm in middle of work, etc. While starting to close door.

Are you sure she didn't mean £30?

Over 30 years old, or did she mean £30? 30 seems a very strange age to have to be. I've been sucked in by those in my twenties, definitely! By the time I reached 30, I'd grown a spine!

The onus was on you to politely and firmly say 'No thank you', as you smile and close the door.

Everyone needs to practice doing this.

It's better for the householder and much better for the cold caller.

You just need to interrupt op. You don’t need to stand there listening. And you can just say no, you don’t need a reason like you’re not 30.

Also it’s not 30 years old, it’s 30 quid to fund one of their services.

She probably scarpered as she thought you were a bit nutty 😃

I just say " I haven't got time sorry" and go to shut the door before they launch into the speech. I used to stand there for ages nodding along before thinking up an excuse but I can't be arsed with them anymore.

I’m sorry but you’ve got me properly chuckling at the thought of you saying oh I can’t I’m only 28....😂😂😂

That does sound very odd OP. I also had a strange conversation with a charity the other day but it was one that I do support and it was by phone. I do their lottery and received a phone call from someone 'thanking me for my continued support over the last year'. I was waiting for the punchline of 'would you be interested in increasing your Direct Debit to do an extra number each month' but it never came. She was definitely from the charity as she was aware of another sponsored event which I'd taken part in which was organised by them last Summer, and thanked me for that too. She just kept thanking me (for my £8 per month) until I eventually brought the conversation to a close - but it was all very odd and seemingly pointless!

PS charities who knock on my door or accost me in the supermarket or street get very short shrift.

@Bluntness100

Also it’s not 30 years old, it’s 30 quid to fund one of their services.

She probably scarpered as she thought you were a bit nutty 😃

Hahah really? I did think that was rather strange, I am so sure she said, 'the only thing is you must be over 30..' and I said, '30? Oh I'm not 30, I'm 28, 29 in a few weeks' 😳

My stock answer that works everytime is to raise a hand and politely say “sorry I rotate my charities bi-yearly and don’t give my details out On the doorstep, I’ll consider you when I change in June though thanks” they say thanks and walk away ✅

Who seriously wants to give their details out on the doorstep anymore!!

You don't need an out. You just say 'No,' and close the door. Maybe aim to be less spineless by 30?

This sounds like a misunderstanding. My gran once spectacularly scared away a local politician doing canvassing door to door. She was asked if she'd be voting for them and wanted to say she was undecided. Instead she blurted out matter of factly 'no, I'm a swinger' she was attempting to reference the swing vote in the area of course. They got very confused and practically ran off. My gran was quite embarrassed when she realised she hadn't said what she meant.

Opening the door wasn't a mistake. You could've said 'oh sorry, I'm in the middle of dinner and can't talk right now, goodbye'.

Only on Mumsnet do people ignore their front doors and start a thread about their annoying neighbour's [insert new garden or front drive addition] instead of saying 'sorry I'm busy' or talking to people directly.

OP, don't take MN standards into consideration in your day to day life. They're not realistic. This website is great but shouldn't always be taken seriously.

They’re chuggers and they are paid a fortune hence why they’re so pushy and manage to achieve so much success.

I had the most obnoxious one from the Red Cross a few years ago. I opened the door and she launched into “I won’t patronise you by telling you what the Red Cross do…” at which point I said “I’m not going to give you money,” she said “oh I’m not looking for money,” at which point I replied “I’m not going to fill in a direct debit for you either.” She became very aggressive and said “Don’t you care about people in the 3rd world?” To which I replied “no.” And shut the door.

My DS saw one raising money for guide dogs in the shop by his school. He thought they were raising actual money so went over to give them some. The bloke said that he was taking sponsorships, to which my DS replied that I and some others on his DF’s side of the family are visually impaired, at which point the chugger said “poor you, it must be so difficult for you having to live with blind people.” I rang up the organisation and complained, and suggested that if they must employ these people, they might want to educate them first.