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Charity at the Supermarket


Mistydawn

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Ok, Charity organisations are necessary. They do a lot of good and benefit the needy.

That being said.... on the lead up to Christmas, my local Supermarket have people from different charity organisations standing at the checkout tills, with a bucket for your money gifts, who pack your grocieries.

Grand if you want someone else to pack your bag of potatoes on top of your eggs.

That's neither here nor there really, you can always look like a dork and say "no thanks, I'll pack my own" and be noticed by everyone else in the queue as being a ****.

Thing is, today before I could say jack rabbit the girl started packing my grocereies. When I went to throw some change into "the bucket" I noticed (the label was obscured before) that the "Charity" was for a Bible College (whatever that is).

I gave them 10pence instead of the usual one pound coin. Outside there was a Romanian woman sitting on a stool saying "hello" to all who passed her. I offered her a pound coin for her Homeless magazine one day and she refused to give me it, of course, I couldn't understand what she was saying. a few days later I saw her walking along the road cigaretee in hand with another woman and some children who had very expensive looking Scooters, the ones that are currently fashionable.

Am I getting to the point where I no longer care!? I hope to God not!! But after the Supermarket Bible thumpers, I'm afraid the Romanian lady got zilch.

Am I alone with this feeling of BOMBARDMENT from people asking me for money??

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The Bible college? is this something to do with the Vatican? I know Italy are having a few financial problems but this is getting silly. As for the Romanian, well thats old news, they have been doing this for years, how do you think they are so rich?!

Edited by freetoroam
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We have this where I live, not actually in the grocery stores, as they aren't allowed by management, but outside. A lot of times it is the Salvation Army, which I always give to. We also seem to constantly have groups of people with buckets at intersections knocking on car windows asking for donations. It seems like a never ending bombardment. I don't want to be uncharitable, but if I have never heard of your charity, sorry, I'm not giving. My budget is extremely tight right now and I like to know exactly where my money is going.

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We have this where I live, not actually in the grocery stores, as they aren't allowed by management, but outside. A lot of times it is the Salvation Army, which I always give to. We also seem to constantly have groups of people with buckets at intersections knocking on car windows asking for donations. It seems like a never ending bombardment. I don't want to be uncharitable, but if I have never heard of your charity, sorry, I'm not giving. My budget is extremely tight right now and I like to know exactly where my money is going.

My thoughts exactly Isra, but in the jussle and bussle of the day you don;t always get a chance to enquire after the Charity that is being collected for, let's face it even if you do the chances are you will be left feeling like you are arguementive or just plain "outcast" cause everyone gives, so giving a few pence just shuts everyone up and you are seen to be normal and with the crowd.

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I'll admit, I'm quite jaded from charities, I don't donate, I don't put money in their buckets, I don't hand out cash to people who look like they need it. I do donate my time to these charity organizations, but never my money.

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I'll admit, I'm quite jaded from charities, I don't donate, I don't put money in their buckets, I don't hand out cash to people who look like they need it. I do donate my time to these charity organizations, but never my money.

Hi Hasina, I get you girl. We have a system at my work, where you can have a percentage of your wage tranferred to a charity of your choice, surely that is the way to go, those who don't earn a wage shouldn't be begged from.

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I was once chased by a lady from one of the "give a turkey for thanksgiving" charities outside a walmart. This was at a point in my life when money was incredibly tight, and I couldn't afford a chicken for dinner let alone a turkey for someone else. She kept badgering me... think of the children who won't have a thanksgiving dinner this year.. spread some joy. I finally rounded on her angrily and explained to her than I just bought my kids socks on clearance at walmart because it was all the money I had and they had no socks. She just kinda faltered to a stop then walked back to her spot in front of the store.

I don't feel pressured to give to all these collectors. Just tell them that I already give to charities of my choice and move on.

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Carry a roll of pennys around with you. Give the bare minimum, if you really want to annoy them. :innocent:

I have no problem saying no to any charity if I don't agree or understand what they are doing with the money collected. Lucky for me - there are other stores in town where I can buy food.

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15p in the pound on average actually goes to the charity....you`d thing if people want us to give money , then they could give their time for free!

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a little off subject, but what really annoys me is when a someone, generally a teenager, comes up to me and says "have you got a spare cigarette?"

SPARE?

The other day I said to one of them "do you have a spare iphone I can have?" he looked at me confused, huffed and walked off.

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I was once chased by a lady from one of the "give a turkey for thanksgiving" charities outside a walmart. This was at a point in my life when money was incredibly tight, and I couldn't afford a chicken for dinner let alone a turkey for someone else. She kept badgering me... think of the children who won't have a thanksgiving dinner this year.. spread some joy. I finally rounded on her angrily and explained to her than I just bought my kids socks on clearance at walmart because it was all the money I had and they had no socks. She just kinda faltered to a stop then walked back to her spot in front of the store.

I don't feel pressured to give to all these collectors. Just tell them that I already give to charities of my choice and move on.

That must have been really embarrassing having someone come after you. People begging in the street, is one thing but someone standing there packing your bags in the Supermarket is something else. I think I am going to make a real show of myself one of these days and lose it! Hopefully I will get a round of applause from the other shoppers and not a resounding boooooo!

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Carry a roll of pennys around with you. Give the bare minimum, if you really want to annoy them. :innocent:

I have no problem saying no to any charity if I don't agree or understand what they are doing with the money collected. Lucky for me - there are other stores in town where I can buy food.

Thanks little_dreamer, that's actually a REALLY good idea!

a little off subject, but what really annoys me is when a someone, generally a teenager, comes up to me and says "have you got a spare cigarette?"

SPARE?

The other day I said to one of them "do you have a spare iphone I can have?" he looked at me confused, huffed and walked off.

You're lucky you weren't mugged!

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I find it's not only charities that 'mug' you in Sainsburys in Ashford. Members of staff ambush you from behind the cheese counter, waving very technical-looking ipads/tablets/whatever-you-call-em-thingies in your face, and try to sell you their own brand of gas and electricity which, they assure you, if it was any cheaper they'd be paying you to use it!

I find the best way of dealing with such an approach is to dribble a bit, and do a little, skippy dance whilst singing an off-key version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. (Alternatively - reach for their throats, muttering "The voices - for God's sake stop the voices!!!")

s11928.gif

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I never give to people touting for money in the street. Most will be wearing a badge for their said charity, how many of you actually look at it, read it and then check its ligit?

And why do they not give you a receipt for the money donated?

How can you possibly keep a tag on how much they actually give to the charity....if any at all!!!

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Just lately there's been one charity after another inside Tesco supermarket every week it feels like.. I don't mind when I can see who the charity is and do usually drop something in their bucket. What annoys me a little is that sometimes there'll be more than one person collecting and they'll stand either side of you blocking the doorway so you can't avoid them if you want to get out of the store. It's all done to make you feel guilty enough so you'll give them something.

Another thing I'm not too keen on, like Misty already said, is when they stand at the check-out waiting to pack your groceries for you with a big bucket sitting there for you to drop something in it as a 'thank you' for their help. I don't want their help, thank you! but I can't get through check-out any other way. It's usually the boy scouts or cubs who do that here to raise money for themselves.

On a side note, and I might be wrong here, I don't think anyone collecting money is allowed to thrust the collection box under your nose so to speak. I'm sure I heard somewhere that it's against the law now in Britain. All they're allowed to do is stand and hold the box and be seen. Maybe someone can confirm this? Like I said, I might be wrong.

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Just lately there's been one charity after another inside Tesco supermarket every week it feels like.. I don't mind when I can see who the charity is and do usually drop something in their bucket. What annoys me a little is that sometimes there'll be more than one person collecting and they'll stand either side of you blocking the doorway so you can't avoid them if you want to get out of the store. It's all done to make you feel guilty enough so you'll give them something.

Another thing I'm not too keen on, like Misty already said, is when they stand at the check-out waiting to pack your groceries for you with a big bucket sitting there for you to drop something in it as a 'thank you' for their help. I don't want their help, thank you! but I can't get through check-out any other way. It's usually the boy scouts or cubs who do that here to raise money for themselves.

On a side note, and I might be wrong here, I don't think anyone collecting money is allowed to thrust the collection box under your nose so to speak. I'm sure I heard somewhere that it's against the law now in Britain. All they're allowed to do is stand and hold the box and be seen. Maybe someone can confirm this? Like I said, I might be wrong.

I think all charities of such are scams...and I don't give money to scammers....I do however often give money to people on the street that I know need it...and who aren't even asking for anything.

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joc, any chance of helping out a man who is homeless, cheeseless and has just had his van repossessed?

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joc, any chance of helping out a man who is homeless, cheeseless and has just had his van repossessed?

:yes: Absolutely...

...the need is great on the street...people can say whatever they want to about the Homeless...I just help them when I can. I keep in mind the old saying, I complained because I didn't have any shoes until I met the man who had no feet. There are always people who have more than we do and there are always people who have less...and then there are those among us who have nothing. Help feed the homeless...one person helping one person...it changes nothing...except the hunger in one of their stomaches.

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We call people like that "Chuggers" here, Charity Muggers.

I've no time at all for them or their even more vile cousins the prats in costumes who nine-times-out-of-ten get verbal with you when you say "sorry, no cash" or just follow you.

People selling the Big Issue? Give me an issue, here's you $5. Homeless asking for handouts? Here's some change. Buskers? here's what's left in my wallet. Chuggers? "Sorry mate, no change left".

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I dont give to any charities at the grocery store or on the streets. When approached I just say thank you, not today.

If your local market has these charity pushers inside the store, at the check out counter and you're suppose to pay them to bag your groceries... I'd make an ass of myself and say thanks I'll bag my own and then make sure I do it VERY slowly. The market management needs to understand that virtually no one likes to be extorted for money.

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It's usually the boy scouts or cubs who do that here to raise money for themselves.

This kind of thing annoys me to no end. When kid's groups, school or church groups stand around BEGGING to raise money for themselves. What happened to bake or craft sales, car washes, flea markets or putting on some kind of show, concert or exhibit. DO something to earn money for your group, don't just stand there begging.

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I hate being approached and emotionally blackmailed by these charity folk. I've heard collectors say as I walked past them 'would you like to help a child with cancer?' - well of course I would!!! but wording it like that makes you feel guilty if you don't contribute. I do my bit for charity, in my own time, in my own way, and I think it's unnecessary to bombard me, and vain to talk about it. I do not contribute to anyone rattling a bucket at me, I am glad they get the satisfaction from doing this with their spare time, but I won't feel cornered by these collectors.

Edited by Bling
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Some really good points here like Bling saying the collectors get satisfation from their "good deed for the day" and Purplos saying if the collection is for an organisatin why can't they hold a craft sale or do something like a car wash to raise money.

Joc too, I am with you in giving directly to those on the street who obviously need help.

I am feeling much better that I'm not turning into some hideous outcast from society, i't really nice to know others feel as I do about the way we are faced with the buckets at the supermarket stores.

Still Waters pointed out something which is true at my local stor too, once you've got past the check-out counter there are often two more people with buckets standing by the exit door, they pile on the guilt with a trowel.

Edited by Mistydawn
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Some really good points here like Bling saying the collectors get satisfation from their "good deed for the day" and Purplos saying if the collection is for an organisatin why can't they hold a craft sale or do something like a car wash to raise money.

Joc too, I am with you in giving directly to those on the street who obviously need help.

I am feeling much better that I'm not turning into some hideous outcast from society, i't really nice to know others feel as I do about the way we are faced with the buckets at the supermarket stores.

Still Waters pointed out something which is true at my local stor too, once you've got past the check-out counter there are often two more people with buckets standing by the exit door, they pile on the guilt with a trowel.

I have the solution!

Next time you go to the grocery store...carry a bucket of your own. Just think, if everyone in the supermarket had a bucket...it would confuse the Donation Scammers them to no end!

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Anyone who rattles a bucket at me, I look the other way.. I donate to my own charities.. I cannot stand anyone shoving their hand into my face begging, so I feel the same with a bucket.. it is annoying ..

On the other hand, if there are scouts or other kids bagging groceries, I love the help...So I will pop some loose change into their collection buckets, only because they are doing something useful...

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