Over the last couple of years I have donated to 2 crowd-funding appeals. Both were folks that I (somewhat) knew and both were for dire, life-altering reasons.
Lately, these types of "give me $$" appeals seem to be multiplying like crazy. Folks are asking for money for any and everything. I saw one on Facebook recently that was asking strangers to pay her entire way through nursing school
I don't know why this bothers me. Maybe it's the unspoken assumption that if I've worked my way into a position in life where I might have a few bucks to spare, I'd be happy to part with that money to help someone else not have to work as hard as I did. Obviously, I don't have to pay any attention to the appeals if I don't want to. It just seems so......nervy, I guess. As in, it takes a lot of.
I contributed twice: once was for a dog (or a cat, I forget) which had been tortured then rescued, but needed extensive veterinary care. The other time was for that school bus monitor who was tormented by the kids on the bus. The funds were supposed to go to help her be able to retire. She got far more than was expected, and I remember seeing her on an interview say that she would be using a good chunk of the money for charitable causes. I believed her.
Now that people are crowd funding for stuff like weddings, honeymoons, houses, cars, etc., I am really leery of donating, even for what look like "good causes." People have abused the good-will of others, ruining what was initially a good idea.
Oh, BTW, I'm setting up a GoFundMe account for myself. I have always wanted a pair of 1ct white gold diamond studs.
I will only contribute to your diamond stud account if you post a pic of said studs. I like to see where my money is going! Thank you in advance.
Asking for help is not the issue. Sometimes we all need help. However, the method that some of you feel is acceptable is what has people offended in this thread. Why should strangers be appealed to for non-essentials? We all pay taxes and work hard. In this day and age with high cost of living, most people do not have "extra" funds to give away.
Now fire, floods or other disasters are a different story. But when people feel it's acceptable to ask to fund school, trips, or other non-essentials......you want it? Work for it yourself.
I haven't read every post but this is a topic I have discussed with several friends recently. I find it mostly to be a generational thing. I moved out of my house at the age of 18. I was very poor for many years. I couldn't afford hardly anything. No cable, no furniture, I ate Ramen noodles with a cheap spaghetti sauce. To me as long as my car, rent, and electricity were paid for I was good. I had accumulated some debt and was having a hard time paying my bills. I struggled big time and never asked anyone for money. I never even went to my parents and they had no idea how bad off I was. I would have been mortified to even accept $10 from someone. I was just too proud. Now, I'm 38 and pretty well off. My house is paid for and so is my car. I have no debt to speak of. I'm having some huge issues with my house right now. What I thought was going to cost me $1k to fix is costing me over $12k. Needless to say I'm not happy about it, but am glad I have the money tucked away to cover it. And even if I didn't I'd find a way without asking random people on the internet to fund my basement remodel. It's my problem and not anyone elses. And if I had to, I would just live in my cramped quarters until I did have the money. My parents have continually asked me if I need any help because I'm single now and they don't understand that I do have the money. It's sweet of them but I would never take it. What happened to pulling yourself up by your bootstraps? Those years that I was so poor, I learned a lot about myself. I learned to never take money for granted and Ramen noodles are really not all that bad with the right sauce. I learned every word to the movie A Few Good Men because all I had was my tv and vcr from when I lived at home and I bought cheap movies and watched them over and over. I lived in tiny apts but had cool things to do. I had no furniture for the longest time, then my friend gave me her old ugly furniture and I was grateful. I had a crooked fake Christmas tree that the same friend who gave me the furniture gave me decorations for. She said I had a Charlie Brown tree. I'm proud of that time and wouldn't trade it for anything.
To the poster who doesn't want government assistance...When I was a nursing student, I went on government assistance for a few months. I swallowed my pride, but figured as a tax payer who has fallen on hard times I should get the help. And I did. I never abused the system and continued on my career path to becoming a nurse.
Lots of hypocrisy here on this thread. Help is available to all that need it, thank god, Zeus or any imaginary entity for that! People can be so selfish. Remember, it may be you one day requiring help.
This is not about requiring help for essentials. This is about requiring help for things that are not necessary in order to survive, i.e: nursing school, a new handbag, a new car, a house, etc.
This is not about requiring help for essentials. This is about requiring help for things that are not necessary in order to survive, i.e: nursing school, a new handbag, a new car, a house, etc.
OK, had to post again here. Just saw on Facebook, my very lazy first husband who is retired but broke, and peddles his craft item on Etsy, etc. He is states that he is now starting a new phase in his life and accepting monthly pledges so he can concentrate on his writing. If he gets enough pledges he promises to travel all over the world to where his fans live and give lessons and workshops in this craft item he makes.
New phase of his life? Uh, his mother died years ago so he can't sponge off of her, and he ran through his inheritance in one year. Did I mention that his writing is boring and he is too undisciplined to finish anything?
OK, had to post again here. Just saw on Facebook, my very lazy first husband who is retired but broke, and peddles his craft item on Etsy, etc. He is states that he is now starting a new phase in his life and accepting monthly pledges so he can concentrate on his writing. If he gets enough pledges he promises to travel all over the world to where his fans live and give lessons and workshops in this craft item he makes.
New phase of his life? Uh, his mother died years ago so he can't sponge off of her, and he ran through his inheritance in one year. Did I mention that his writing is boring and he is too undisciplined to finish anything?
OMG, this is just too perfect and timely! I love it!
OK, had to post again here. Just saw on Facebook, my very lazy first husband who is retired but broke, and peddles his craft item on Etsy, etc. He is states that he is now starting a new phase in his life and accepting monthly pledges so he can concentrate on his writing. If he gets enough pledges he promises to travel all over the world to where his fans live and give lessons and workshops in this craft item he makes.
New phase of his life? Uh, his mother died years ago so he can't sponge off of her, and he ran through his inheritance in one year. Did I mention that his writing is boring and he is too undisciplined to finish anything?
I have absolutely NO doubt, after reading through this thread, that there will most certainly be people who will give him money to fund this folly. They won't ask how he came to be at this stage of his life without any resources......he isn't asking for help to pay the electric bill.....he's asking for money so he can not only STAY retired, he can TRAVEL on their dime! Ah, yes.....chutzpah practically by definition.
I have absolutely NO doubt, after reading through this thread, that there will most certainly be people who will give him money to fund this folly. They won't ask how he came to be at this stage of his life without any resources......he isn't asking for help to pay the electric bill.....he's asking for money so he can not only STAY retired, he can TRAVEL on their dime! Ah, yes.....chutzpah practically by definition.
My oldest son tells me he already got $30. LOL.
You can only take advantage of people if they let you.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
All of these responses reaffirmed my "nay" response. I am NOT funding your:
vacation
your hobbies
your retirement
schooling/degree pursuit
your ridiculously-expensive wedding.
your follies
GET a JOB and work like the rest of us. I was out of the house at 18, joined the military and lived along the poverty line for a long time. I had no furniture in my first house, and a hand-me-down TV that was only 13" screen and very poor quality. I took handed down things and made use of them. Asked my parents for NOTHING once I was on my own, as I believed, once on my own, it was up to ME to provide for myself.
I worked my way up the ranks and when out of the military, went to school on a GI Bill, asking my parents FOR NOTHING even then. I left school debt-free and ready to work as a nurse.
It simply would never have occured to me that others owed me a better way of life via public solicitation. It's really disgusting and embarassing, some of the things people ask the rest of us to fund for them. Don't think so!
Besides, via my taxes, I am ALREADY funding people for their retirements (social security), their poor choices or misfortunes. I have never asked for what I am unwilling to earn for myself, and hope to keep on going that way. Besides..............
it's hard to tell who is sincere, even in those that ask for money for people with diseases or problems that seem insurmountable.
What in hell has happened in this country, whereby we don't ask our closest LOVED ONES for help?
We seem so self-involved that doing that is no longer an option.
Too hard to tell who is for real versus who is scamming, so "nay".
Did I mention that his writing is boring and he is too undisciplined to finish anything?
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
I will only contribute to your diamond stud account if you post a pic of said studs. I like to see where my money is going! Thank you in advance.