to be annoyed at people trying to stop you in the street to sign up to charitys??

[mummyloveslucy]

It's just really annoying, I hate shopping anyway and find it a bit stressfull. They always pounce on you and when I say "no thankyou" it makes me feel really mean.
We already sponser two children in developing countrys, give to sight savers, water aid and NSPCA. We really can't do any more. We don't earn alot. It just makes you feel mean for saying no when in fact we are very generous to charities.
I usually try to avoid them, make no eye contact etc but they always get me. I'm always very polite as I know they are working for a good cause etc. I am very shy usually and don't feel comfortable with it. The charities we give to are ones that we've researched ouselves and chosen, usually after seeing an advert on telly or something in the post.
I'll probubly be slated now, but I'm sure other people get annoyed with it too. (it they're honest)

We have had them knocking on our door recently - really winds me up esp as they always seem to call when I'm changing a nappy/giving lo a bath.

you need to be in a wheelchair. Then you become invisible to them. Its like a super-power

Smile and say 'sorry i've chosen my charities for this year/next year already'
polite and don't look mean (which is good for people pleasers such as myself)

Presumably charities only employ them because it works. I wish that everyone would boycott the chuggers as a means of donating to charity and then it would stop. Although I suppose that some people, who can afford to, would not seek out alternatives and would never give anything.

But that's their choice Pixie isn't it?

I ignore them.

When I asked one charity worker about donating through their website, I was fobbed off - there was no way in the world I was going to stand in the street giving a stranger my bank account details! I would have thought he would have been grateful for any support for his charity but obviously not.

YANBU.

They are very annoying.

I ESPECIALLY hate the young men who flirt - thinking they can FLATTER me even though I'm old enough to have given birth to most of them - piss off - I wouldn't, even if I WERE 20 years younger.

read this

Really good article - I LOVE David Mitchell. Fancy him a bit too

The problem is how could I ignore the young men in their uniforms collecting for Help for Hero's on Saturday I'm a sucker for a uniform. My DP thought it was hilarious when I went all girly.

mummyloveslucy - if you already give by DD tell them that. I do. "Sorry I already give by DD to several charities and I can't afford any more". It seems to work.

Help for Heroes was I presume a direct collection, and I married a man in uniform, so I'm a sucker too!

I used to be one of them! It was the most awful job I ever did and in the end it stressed me out so much I had to quit. Only time I have ever walked out of a job.

It was a few years ago now so it might have changed now but we never got commission. We were put under horrible pressure to sign people up though which was unpleasant, then of course the general public were also pretty horrible to us. I stupidly did it because I thought that I would be doing a job where I could make a difference. After I quit I decided I would be a volunteer somewhere instead - much more productive and a lot less stress!!

I usually just say no thanks and walk on. I was always happy when people were at least polite to me. Of course I was always polite in the first place - I realise that not all of them are like that!

There is a street near where I work where you get accosted by about five chuggers and market research bods and the only solution is to get out your mobile phone and pretend to be having a very important conversation. They never bother me now!

I'm glad that others feel the same way as I do. I am constantly zig-zagging down our high street to avoid the chuggers feeling both annoyed and guilty. I am always polite as I too am a bit of a 'people-pleaser. Ultimately, I feel I give to the charities I can and shouldn't be made to feel guilty that I haven't given to every charity that requests donations.

When I'm with the children, if the chuggers catch my eye, I scream "run children, run, chuggGERRRS!"

I've had one (chugging for NSPCC which is not a "charity" I would ever give money to) come back with the "don't you care about child abuse then?" type line before and just to shut them up I've said, "that's right, I don't care about child abuse. Will you leave me alone now?"

I give money to charities who actually fund and do work in the field, not ones who use chuggers on commission to help them raise money to spend on advertising and campaigning.

They are a menace. I feel no compunction about completely ignoring them.

I had a similar incident recently with a very well spoken woman doing a terrible job of protesting outside a deli. She came up to me and handed me this leaflet saying very quietly "did you know so and so here now stock fois gras" and I thought she was trying to give me a money off voucher!!

YANBU.
Whenever they try to stop me in the street/call on me at home, I remind them that I AM one of the people they're collecting for (my family ticks most of the boxes)!
I do however buy Big Issue if and when I can - there but for the grace of god go I

Totally agree with *sinpan)
I ran the Race for life for the last 3 years, every year since, about this time of year, they call me to say that "You where so fantastic to do that but... we do need ssooooo much more money, how would you feel about giving a monthly summ of blah blah blah" Every time it takes me about 20mn to really get rid of them as I always tell them that running is my way of contributing. They then go on about how £20.- a month would be just 75p a day and how can I not afford that? It really does not feel like you are given a choice anymore.

RE giving details to someone in the street (charuty badge or not) I will NEVER do it.

Sorry, I had missed a page and crossposted BIG TIME!
"YANBU I make a point of avoiding charities that employ high pressure sales techniques, it's completely inappropriate " is what I was refering to.

Loved David Mitchell "free comment".

Sorry, I had missed a page and crossposted BIG TIME!
"YANBU I make a point of avoiding charities that employ high pressure sales techniques, it's completely inappropriate " is what I was refering to.

Loved David Mitchell "free comment".

YANBU. I used to feel mean, but because they are literally everywhere these days, I don't worry about saying "no thanks" anymore.

Recently a very pushy woman rang me from Save the Children and I explained that my DP and I prefer to give reasonably large one-off donations to Save the Children, Comic Relief, Oxfam Unwrapped, etc. To which she replied, "a regular monthly donation would be much more beneficial to us". I had to restrain myself from telling her not to push her luck, cheeky cow!

Brighton's a nightmare for them - I've been given the 'don't you care?' type spiel before now - one guy thrust a picture of a starving child under my nose and said 'this isn't fair' - to which I replied that it wasn't particularly fair for him to be harassing me in the street for money I didn't have. he backed off but it shouldn't have to take that much to get rid of them! I always pretend to be on the phone now. Works a treat!

Bloody chuggers are a nightmare. My ex boyfriend used to be one and he earnt good money from it, but I think it is a cheek that they try to make you feel guilty when they don't care about the charities either. Bear in mind that they are paid over £7 and hour - and that money has to come from somewhere.
I always just say 'no thank you' and keep walking.