Author Topic: got a dime to spare. (Read 644 times)

buffermop · « **on:** May 20, 2013, 10:41:49 AM »

Isn't it fustrating the amount of people and organizations that continually "houndog" you what seems like forever looking for a handout.If it ain't on the phone, its snail mail or email.There should be some government regulation on this act. It is downright sickening. I am talking charities and political concerns.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2013, 11:01:04 AM »

It doesn't bother me a bit, except that they're using the mail to broadcast spam. Mail was intended for personal communication, not broadcast. Then there's the burden of wasting my time by calling my phone. Phone was intended as personal communication, not broadcast. I get more spam via mail and phone than via e-mail because I have spam filters on my email that remove junk before it can get to me.

Most of the organizations calling for money don't use much of the money they raise for the purposes you would expect, so buyer beware when it comes to charities and the like.

I went shopping for a shredder not long ago. (Wish I had done it long ago.) One of the selling features you see is that they will shred "unopened junk mail". I bought the shredder for info security, but have found that it's also dandy for getting rid of junk mail that may contain personal info. Credit card offers come to mind.

As far as handouts go, there could be a line of beggars around the block and they still wouldn't have the potential of getting nearly what the government gets automatically as fruits of my labor. That's sickening. And government doesn't have to beg for anything. They just command you to give it or you go to prison.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2013, 12:19:46 PM »

the only ones that really bother
me bad are the pieces of mail with
[size=78%] the pre-printed checks inside.[/size]
those go in the shredder with the
rest, but it makes me mad to think of
the wrong person getting those.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2013, 12:23:09 PM »

used to be, when i had the time, i'd
talk to one of those telemarketers
and hem and haw around and make
them think i might be interested in
whatever crap they might be be hawking,
long enough to make them realize they
weren't getting anywhere and they'd get
mad and hang up.

oldandslow · « **Reply #4 on:** May 20, 2013, 01:55:22 PM »

I've owned a shredder for a long time. I open junk mail and pull out anything with my name on it and run it thru the shredder. If there is a no postage envelope included I stuff everything else in that envelope and mail it back to the sender. Just doing my part to help out the USPS.

Just sent off a fat one today and laughed as I dropped it in the slot at the post office.

I try to drag out conversations with the telemarketers and waste as much of their time as possible. Do that a couple of times and you usually never hear from that bunch again. Trouble is there is always more to take that one's place.

ChungDoQuan · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2013, 01:25:16 AM »

I always tell telemarketers and "charity" callers that I need their personal address and phone numbers before I can give them anything. When they ask why I want their personal information, I respond with, "Because you have mine." That is usually the end of the call.

gypsyman · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2013, 01:45:26 AM »

The only one that comes to mind, that bugs me is the Red Cross. I really don't mind giving blood, and do it 6-7 times a year. But, a little over a year ago, they discovered I have a high number of platlets in my blood. Good for cancer patients. Well, they have one place that seperates the platlets from a normal blood donation. And, it clear across town. It takes 2-3 hours to do it. They are constently hounding me on the phone to set up visits. You can donate much more often when you are donating platlets. It costs me somewhere between $10-$15 in gas, and usually a half a day off work. Last time, I just donated at my church, and will likely just go to local churchs and schools to donate. gypsyman

magooch · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2013, 03:40:27 AM »

Yeah, and now they're asking for donations at grocery store cashier stations. Then you leave the store and there's the gauntlet of sad souls with their hands out. So far I haven't seen this kind of thing at the bank, but it's probably coming soon.

bobg · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2013, 04:36:07 AM »

I like the ones you get with the no postage needed return envelopes enclosed. I stuff them with old news papers and send them back. Maybe next time i will put some used toilet paper in one.

Old Fart · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2013, 04:48:25 AM »

I was on one of my rare WalMart trips about a week ago and they tried to put the pinch on me at the checkout.

guzzijohn · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2013, 04:56:30 AM »

Think how this would all expand if all social services were left up to churches and charities with no government supports.
GuzziJohn

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2013, 07:19:48 AM »

If you're giving money to these organizations without knowing what they are doing with the money, it's probably a waste of money. The way to do philanthropy is to research your pet organizations and then give to them and no others. That's strategic, and you will know how the money is used. If you give to a random solication, you're probably not giving money to what you want it given to, or even expect it will be given to.

Guzzi:
Here in Minnesota, about 8% of the money collected by government for social services actually goes to the ostensible expected recipients. The rest is overhead. The most effective united way presentation I ever heard was delivered to regulatory accountants. We watched the video, then the boss said that the people like the poor ones in the video will get help one way or another: thru charity or thru the government. People were whipping out their checkbooks to give to the united way.

gypsyman · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2013, 09:57:29 AM »

I for one, will not donate a dime to major charities.Their as bad as the govt. in the percentage of what actually goes to the people that need it.Most, like Conan stated, less than 10%. My local church/food bank, Goodwill and Salvation are then only one's that get either my money or time. When the chairman/woman, of a major organization, like United Way, makes over $500,000, plus operating money, bull crap. They arn't getting any from me. gypsyman

DDZ · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2013, 10:55:41 AM »

Something I always look at before giving is the presidents, or CEO's salary. I want to donate to a organization that I know my donation is going to get to. Instead of the pocket of a CEO making a million dollar salary. I used to give through my company to United Way, till I found out the president gets around 1 million in salary, bonuses, and benefits a year. Now mostly I give to my church where I know the money is being put to good use, and the Salvation Army, where the commissioner only makes less than 20K a year. Thats for managing a couple billion dollar organization.
I do give to a local food bank, but I wonder about the receivers of it, because I see who comes to get food. People pulling in in more expensive cars than what I drive, and people 100 or more pounds over weight. I'm more than happy to buy food for needy people but, I do question if its truly needy people that are getting the food.

magooch · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2013, 05:58:56 AM »

Over the years I've learned a technique that works every time. I just say no!

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #15 on:** May 22, 2013, 06:06:03 AM »

I do not need United Way any longer.

I have been enrolled in the United States Way for thirty odd years now. if you need something contact the Gubbermint and get your free chit. From Autism research to assistance to Zambia they cover it all for me.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2013, 09:11:48 AM »

EQ:

You may be ahead of the curve here. They've done it that way in Europe, particulary Germany, for decades. The assumption is that taxes are so high that the government will handle everything and that charities need not exist. Consequently, charitable giving is very low there.

DDZ · « **Reply #17 on:** May 22, 2013, 10:43:59 AM »

Thats just it. Government has taken the giving ability away from many people through taxes. Its just one of their many power transfers.

buffermop · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2013, 01:43:46 PM »

I am talking the constant howling from beggars of unrecognized agencies we never even heard of.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2013, 02:14:29 PM »

What used to drive me nuts was, If I sent the NRA $25 for some cause they would send me back $30 worth of direct mailings asking me for another $25 in each of the 20 mailers.
I called up and explained that I sold direct mailings, I know that a letter costs to produce and send, I sent you $25 to fight a cause and you are sending me more than I sent asking for more. I will no longer send anymore money as all you do with my moeny is ask me for more.
HCI - Hand gun Control Inc, the Sarah Brady Organization was spending more in exucitive salaries, lobbing and campaign contributions a year than it would have taken to buy Colt & S&W and and close them.
All of the telemarketers I has how much of what I give is used for over head and these calls and how much goes to the cause. Usually it is 30% or less that goes to the cause. I tell them I have a 65% minimum standard. Some get upset as that 70+% pays them.

powderman · « **Reply #20 on:** May 22, 2013, 04:50:48 PM »

Like several others here, I save all postpaid envelopes. I refill them with other ads and send em back. Kinda makes me feel good to know I can return the favor. POWDERMAN.

facetious · « **Reply #21 on:** May 22, 2013, 05:21:23 PM »

the thing i hate the most is that thy have to print your name and address all over every thing

. i fill a trash bag every month with the stuff i put through my cross cut shredder .

jcn59 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 22, 2013, 05:49:10 PM »

I tell the telemarketers that my home is not their place of business and if they call again I will hunt them down and beat the crap out of them. They don't seem to like that much.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #23 on:** May 22, 2013, 06:47:19 PM »

OH don't do that you need to play with them. Do not threaten them they can file a restraining order on you.
At one point I used to insist that they were one of my frineds trying to play a cruel joke on me by acting like a telemarketer and then try to talk plans with them about doing something.
I used to tell them hold on, and wait till the commercial was on and then let them talk, till the commercial was over and then tell them wait, and then ask then to start over agian and put them on hold for the TV show. I think I had one guy on the phone for the full hour long show and he finnaly hung up on me when I said wait the dog needs to go out, she takes 20 min can you hold for that long?
I very rearly get any more calls. I think they share the dificult or crazy phone numbers with each other.

Old Fart · « **Reply #24 on:** May 23, 2013, 03:37:13 AM »

I generally act like I can't hear them well and then change the subject 3 or 4 times.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #25 on:** May 23, 2013, 03:46:22 AM »

My favorite technique, and one I highly recommend, is to set the handset down and walk away. Don't hang up. Let them keep talking. Here we get a loud beep sound if the handset is active and there's no other party on the line. When I hear that, I hang up. It seems like the maximally irritating way to waste their time. We seldom get calls from telemarketers anymore.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #26 on:** May 23, 2013, 02:58:12 PM »

I was thiniking about this.
Obama said we need to raise the taxes and make fuel prices about $5 a gallon to get get America off of fosil fuels. and Today I paid $4.17 a gallon
Obama said his goal was the end private health insurance a providers with in 10 years after telling everyone they can keep their plan if they like it and that the Obama care will cut the average HC cost by $1500 a family and now it looks like it will go up $2300 a family.
Obama said he would like to shut down all private charities and that all charity will come from the government. So why are we pretty sure he will eliminate all charities through the IRS attacking the 503C charities and seems he started with the Tea party ones.
So why are we all talking about telemarketers when all of them will be gone in the next 10 years like all of the privae health care.

powderman · « **Reply #27 on:** May 23, 2013, 03:10:07 PM »

We get few telemarketers since we are on a no call list. Years ago before the no call list a woman called selling siding. I said, who are you, who put you up to this, WHO PUT YOU UP TO THIS?? Excuse me ?? I repeated it, what kind of a cruel joke is this, you think it's funny lady??? Uhhhh, what?? I said, everybody knows our house burned to the ground last week and I was lucky enough to get the tent from the garage before it burned too. Uhhh, I'm sor, YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?? I uh, I patched the phone in to the line and we're living in a tent, don't call again. CLICK, she hung up. POWDERMAN.