Tell us what you think about the Mumsnet Flendr platform for group money collection - £300 Love2Shop voucher to win!

[PoppyMumsnet]

We're on the hunt for MNers to test Mumsnet Flendr, an online platform for organising cash collections and fundraising activities.

The idea is to make it easier to do things like club together for a joint birthday present, collect for a teachers' end-of-year gift, or fundraise for something you care about. All lovely activities, but they often involve some fairly tedious money admin too.

So, if you've ever found yourself stuffing crumpled fivers into envelopes - or having an awkward ‘Er, could give me that money you promised’ conversation with a late payer, then we're hoping Mumsnet Flendr will help.

It's really easy to set up a collection, and people who pledge to chip in get auto-reminders. Contributors can make payments by PayPal, payment card or bank transfer, and organisers get alerts when there's a contribution. And unlike some other big fundraising platforms, all your money will go to your chosen cause, with no hidden charges or fees.

If you’re interested in testing Mumsnet Flendr, please click here to sign up.

If selected, we'll send you login details for the beta version and you can tell ell us what you think of the website and the collection process – all feedback gratefully received!

As a further thank you for being a tester, MN Flendr have agreed to contribute £10 to all collections above £30 with more than 3 contributors e.g. if you start a collection for a teacher's present, and get a combined total of £30 or more from 3 different people, Mumsnet Flendr will add £10 to your collection!

All testers will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Many thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard T&Cs apply

[JakeBallardswife]

Cash it in. ( not altogether!)

Or Cash in a tin.

Collecting jar?

[SoupDragon]

I would avoid any names with Whip in them. Googling would probably throw up all sorts of inappropriate things.

FRaiser: want to raise funds? Come see Fraiser...

[MrsJamin]

Have requested to trial it. I agree with others about the name, naming apps is hard nowadays, it's quite a science to get something short that someone else hasn't got already. But it does sound a bit nonsense, even though it fits these rules... Sorry. I know these things are difficult to get right.

[DaisyDando]

EKitty?

[EmpressOfTheSevenOceans]

EKitty works, I think.

[WellIGuessThisIsGrowingUp]

ClubTogether
LetsPay
FundTogether
PayIn

[exWifebeginsat40]

someone on page 1 nailed it with FundsNet. come on now, you know it's the best one.

[SoupDragon]

I wonder if tying the name in so closely to Mumsnet might put some people off though.

[SpaceDinosaur]

Goddammit I organised 2 collections recently and this would have been really helpful.

Instead I'm still £30 out of pocket for contributing for people who "promised" and then STILL have t paid me.

Bastards.

[PoppyMumsnet]

Thank you for your name suggestions! They're great

We have a couple of other questions for you:

If you have signed up to test Mumsnet Flendr, please tell us what collections you intend to use the platform for, as Flendr would like to negotiate special discounts especially for you with leading retailers.

What other features would you like from a collection platform?

[OmaC]

Not a good time at the moment as having trouble with mumsnet suspending my account

[doctorboo]

I think it should be called something along the lines of EasyCollect.

I've been selected to test Flendr and will be using it to collect for the end of year teachers gift (gulp) and hopefully also for family Birthdays.

[TheCookingMonster]

Tester here:

Agreed - poor name choice.
My Dcs have suggested
Chip In
Lolly pot and
Free2raise

What collections do you intend to use the platform for? Flendr would like to negotiate special discounts especially for you with leading retailers.
I would use this platform for raising money for different charities.

What other features would you like from a collection platform?
I would like a thumbs up for anyone that sponsors me.
I would also like a message on the page saying 'no donation is too small'

[Flendrtest]

I will be testing and plan to use it for family birthdays. What I would REALLY like is the ability to have more than one person take the money out. Because what I want to do is to set up pots at the beginning of the year labelled 'presents for mum' 'presents for dad' etc, then each family member can chip in, and 3-4 people are able to take the money out and buy the presents when they are needed. Generally we do shared presents and Christmas involves months of settling up, with 3-4 people each having bought presents for 10-11 people with the costs to be shared among 5-6. So I would also like an 'open ended' pot feature as well, where you don't have to set an end date. PLEASE? It would revolutionise family birthday budgeting!

[missytilley]

I don't mind the name although unsure how to pronounce it? I collect for cancer charity macmillan, feel slightly uncomfortable asking for promised donations. Im thinking a thumbs up email which turns green when given money each time which will hopefull inspire others to fill

[pinkspideruk]

We do a lot of collections in work for various events including:
birthdays
mat leave
retirement
new job
sick leave

^^ those are for staff and then we fund raise for various events including a specialist toy library ( to provide SEN toys for loan to children with additional needs in the area) whizz-kidz as we do a wheelchair skills training course with them and kids over the summer, Christmas Party (for kids and their brothers and sister we see). We also raise funds for things like Noah's ark appeal, pedal power and star light

So anything that helps with that kind of fund raising would be good.

Retailers we would like to see discounts with (and perhaps better value for your money eg if you raise £45 they give you a £50 gift card) would be:

• Mothercare / Argos / ELC / Boots for the mat leave people
  
• Spa Days / restaurants / activity days for other gifts
  
• flowers / chocolate / pamper at home hampers providers for Sick leave
  

for charity fundraising - this is more difficult because we have to buy equipment and stuff from specialists but perhaps a match percentage from companies who share a common interest? E.G if we are raising for the toy library and a company like The Entertainer or Smythes could be persuade to match what we raise in percentage at like 5% or something so for every £100 we raise they donate an extra £5?

Also I agree Flendr is a rubbish name - it sounds like a payday loan company and we all know they are the scum of the earth!

Something like CollectIt or Flection (Friends Collection) would be better - anything that gets rid of the loan connotations tho really

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I don't appear to have gone through to a survey but entered my details.

What about:

WithThanks
GivingWithoutReceiving (goods or spam in return)
Philanthropy

[angielou123]

Signed up and will be fundraising for a charity called 'Pounds for Poundies'.

[InMySpareTime]

Tester here.
Saving for DCs scout jamboree (about £500 between them by next spring), collecting money for various sponsored things.
I would like the facility to add messages, and to have different "pots", in my case one per DC so I can play them off against each other.

[missytilley]

ive lost the email now lol but it asked me what my thoughts was about 'Flendr' Ive not recieved the link yet though it says i will get it next week but once i do i will reply Thanks =)

[StickChildNumberTwo]

I've been selected to test this, and can imagine using it for collections for presents for people (teachers, colleagues leaving gifts etc), or for collecting money in advance for a group meal out (or indeed after the event potentially). Not sure what features I'd like until I've seen what it's got!

[Kelloges0811]

Idea for name - Fundsave. I have signed up and hope to use it for fundraising and group savings too. I have used Jystgiving in the past and had a great experience using it

[ataraxia]

Plan to use it for get-togethers e.g. theatre trips and vacations.

Suggested name: All Present and Collect
;)

[GrumpyMcGrumpFace]

I'll be using it for a a whip round for a friend in need of cheering up.

FriendSpend? All4aGoodCause? (to differentiate from those sites which take a cut before giving the money to charity)

Names are not my forte

Complete transparency is good, as I'm always a little worried when collecting that I'm being entrusted with other people's money, so want to show it's all there and being used for what they wanted it to be used for.

OTOH, a facility so that people can give smaller (or larger!) amounts anonymously is good, so no one need feel embarrassed by a donation that isn't the same as everyone else's.

And thank you for picking me as a tester!

[DesertOrDessert]

Hang on, do I actually need to arrange a collection? I missed that bit in the details? It just asked, in my memories, if you ever collected money for things?

If its just asking for thoughts from people, here are my comments:
Collections I've done are for leaving dos, upcoming maternity, birthdays (not as common), and when people have been off on long term sick.

What would I like? Transparency about who has donated, but only the total amount collected. The ability for people to be able to sign a pre-chosen Moonpig / funky pigeon card post donation, which could then be sent back to me.

Agree the name sounds like a payday loan scheme.

flection - friends collection is similar in sound, without the loan connotations.