Kids + Fundraisers: Do You Mind Buying?

I only buy if the kid is actually giving me the sales pitch. If I got an email, I would just ignore it. I don't have a problem saying no if I really don't want/need the item.

I never ever ever buy things from fundraisers. Not even my own kids do fundraisers. I hate them. I hate having my door knocked on by some kid I don't know asking me to spend money on something that "probably" wont work very well. I hate that people spend on fundraisers and their group only receives like 20% of the sales.
I just hate fundraisers in general.

it doesn't faze me one bit to ignore or decline 'em. if it's something i can actually use (i just ordered designer-shaped pasta from one friend's kid) i do it, but not excessively as i'm just too cheap to pay those ridiculous prices.
i just delete and move on, and if it's face to face, smile brightly and say 'no thanks, sweetheart'.
for me there's plenty of comfortable middle ground between declining and feeling harassed.
khairete
S.

I don't mind kids fundrasiers. I just had a nice neighbor boy and his dad come by with a wagon full of boy scout popcorn today, and I gladly bought some. I like helping out. These same families always were generous enough to buy from my kids' fundraisers too. I remember how this felt as a kid, and how happy I was when I made a sale and came in touch with adults who were kind and supportive. I would not be annoyed to get an email, it just may get put on the back burner or forgotten, to be honest.

When I worked in an office, so many people were selling - candy, frozen pizza, frozen cookie dough, cookies, fruit, candles, gift wrap, magazine subscriptions - you name it - the place was beginning to look like a swap meet.
Since it was getting in the way of business the business banned it.
It's one thing for people to let you know it's available in case you want to buy any - it's another if they keep pestering you about it.
Door to door is just plain dangerous - and I'd be pissed at being pressured to do that.
I do not ever want my email added to any list.
These lists are sold and they end up generating a whole lot of spam - and I'm never happy when my mailbox is filled up with spam.
If I can write a check directly for the cause, they get %100 of the money donated.
If I have to buy what ever is being pushed this time around, the cause gets maybe 20 cents out of every dollar I spend (if that much) and I'm not so into funding the fund raiser companies.
I'm also not into pimping my kid as a cute sales pitch to hawk their wares.
You and your child provide free labor and resources for the fund raiser companies - in effect you become unofficial employees.
It's a pet peeve of mine.
I know many people enjoy these things.
Fine if it works for you.

My old company participated in Heifer International years ago and provided info for all employees to them.
It's a great cause - no doubt - but I've been on their mailing/emailing list for more than 10 YEARS now and I can't seem to get them to stop or get me off their distribution list.

I always buy from kids who are fundraising. I like to promote them doing positive things.

I will gladly give to a child I have some connection to (ie. Not a complete random "selling magazines" door-to-door) IF they're raising money for a volunteer group or public school.

I have a hard time feeling charitable towards expensive sports teams, private schools, etc., especially if it's someone not in my IMMEDIATE family. I got hit up recently to buy wrapping paper from my SIL's niece's expensive, private preschool-via form letter email forwarded from SIL. Um...pass. Especially since I see the child maybe once a year and her parents have said MAYBE 12 words to me in the 10 years I've been in the family.

I don't mind the stock email donation requests, again, from non-profit groups, but some do get annoying and the parents need to stay on top of those. I just bought chocolates from my niece's Brownie fundraiser. Ordered them in person, paid her that night. About a week later, I got an email asking me to buy. Another a week after that. Another a week after THAT. That's annoying. I finally just removed myself from all Girl Scouts emails, but I shouldn't have had to, IMO.

Finally, I beg of all parents to PLEASE teach your kids from the beginnings the polite way of asking for fundraiser purchases! My Brownie niece is 7.5 and waved her catalog in my face while i was eating dinner saying "Here, buy something." RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER MOTHER, who said nothing until she demanded for third time, in 15 minutes, even though I told her I would after I finished eating.

I've taught my daughter, from her first school fundraiser at age 4, to tell people what she's selling, what she's trying to raise money for, and ASK if they would like to look at her catalog. She hasn't heard a no yet. :-)

Good luck fundraising!!

Now that I have actually had a child go through school, no, I do not mind. I know that the money raised is needed and at the schools our daughter attended really helped with the programs, or project the money was earmarked for.

I don't mind if a kid asks me. If I want it I say yes. I rarely say yes to super over priced things that I don't need.

I am adamantly opposed to having my email put on any kind of list.

I buy from kids I know or when I know the parents. I don'T buy from a kid with whom I have no connection because I'm unable, money wise, to buy from everyone.

When what they'really selling something i'm not interested in buying I donate money. I helped tally sales and learned that all of the donated money goes to the program while only a percentage of sales go to the group?

No, as long as it's done respectfully.

I think one mention of it is fine (no repeated daily so and so is still selling!) and I do like online ordering. If you have a link to the child's page, that can prevent the whole "I just signed you up" business.

Parents are discouraged from bringing the forms to many workplaces around here. I hated fundraising for the older kids. I wasn't sending an 8 yr old solo around the neighborhood so our options were limited if one of us didn't go with her. And it seemed all the schools sold the same stuff at the same time, so my SIL was out, as she was buying from her own kids. I preferred stuff I could use (wrapping paper) vs stuff with a shelf life (food). And some of the mark up is huge - I am not buying 6 oz of popcorn for $20, even if most of it goes to the Scouts. I'd rather just give them $20. That is what DD's school has gone to - direct donations. They get just as much money, it's a tax write off for families, and people seem to be happier to send in their money for the school dance vs schlep that form around town. I have bought from coworker's kids, but unless it's something like candy where the product is in hand, I would be less likely to buy from a random kid in my neighborhood.

M.,

If it's something I WANT? I don't mind. I have a girlfriend whose daughter dances...they have fund raisers - I ASK her to post the fund raisers as her dance troupe uses GREAT companies to do their fund raising!!

Do I help kids that come to the door? Yes. ONLY if it's something I want.

My son is a freshman in high school - the orchestra is having a fund raiser - and guess what they are selling??? FRUIT!!! WHAT??! I'm sorry - there's no way I can really "help" this fundraiser other than donating money because while we like fruit in our home? There's no way - we could use a case of grapefruit, oranges or apples before they go bad...I guess I could buy them and drop them off at the homeless shelter???

Overall? I don't have my kids walk around for these things. I ask neighbors FIRST...before I send kids out. It's rare that I send it to work with my husband. And when I worked in an office? I only brought it in if I asked if anyone would be interested....

We HAVE to sell. My daughter dances competitively and selling from fundraisers honestly helps make it possible for her to continue. The funds go directly to her account which can pay for costumes, competitions, finals, etc...all of which are very expensive. I TRY to never make people feel like they HAVE to buy something, but if they WANT something from a specific company, then it's great to buy it while my daughter can get some benefit from it. Several mom's from here have bought from some of the fundraisers she has had and we are VERY appreciative of their help...they probably don't know how much.

The only fundraiser my daughter takes door to door (I sit on the porch and keep an eye on her...she's 11) is Joe Corbi's. I don't know many people who don't love it, and they ask us for it.

I never feel pressured to buy from anyone, but I do my best to buy if it's something we need/want at the time. And I never feel bad if people tell me no and to not ask again.

I prefer if the student asks me. I work in a middle school and get hit up frequently.

I did just buy an item from one student..... an hour later, another student asked me for the same fundraiser. However, I'm going to follow a policy of buying from the first student that asks me. I can't buy from everyone!

On that same aspect, I rarely buy from the fundraisers that are sitting in the workroom/lounge that are brought by the parents.

M.,

It doesn't bother me if an acquaintance asks, but if it is something I have no interest in (magazines, wrapping paper, catalogue food, etc.), I politely decline.

If it is my own child's fundraiser or my nieces or nephews, or a good friend, we participate. Sometimes, rather than just buying more magazines, wrapping paper, or cookie dough, we just write a check directly to the school or PTA or whatever. That way, the organization that helps the children gets 100% of the donation (rather than a middle-man fundraiser company taking their cut), and I don't have to throw out yet another box of cookie dough.

Our HOA prohibits door to door selling in our neighborhood, but I would not do that even if allowed. Just about everyone has a child already doing a similar fundraiser, and I would not bother neighbors with something like this. My former place of business also prohibited sales of such things in our workplace.

I've worked with many, many fundraising companies with our children's various schools, sports, and activities, and I can tell you it is one of their tactics to tell parents, "people are happy to help out" to guilt you into hitting up everyone you know to participate. While some people may be happy to help out, they hate being pressured, especially to buy more "junk," and most everyone I know would rather give a straight donation directly to the child's activity.

To answer your final question, YES! I would be very displeased if someone gave my email address to a random company without my permission. I try to keep my information off of mass email lists, and I'd not be happy to have my email shared with affiliate companies and have my inbox filled with hundreds of advertisements and spam.

Hope that helps.

J. F.

I have purchased from the boys from around the corner. I never knew them or their parents, but they showed up one day and I asked if they lived in the neighborhood. I thought they were great. He was flipping through pages of his brochure showing me the "really cool" stuff.

I take my daughter's stuff to work and put it on the table. For those who want to purchase, they add their name to the list. Those that don't ignore it.

Yes, very annoyed. I do NOT expect my friends who have my email to use it for solicitation - for ANY organization. I would let the parent know immediately that my email is not for sharing with corporations. And no, I don't by any of the garbage that is sold for fundraisers. If I want to donate to a school or school program, I will write a check. Period.

ETA: A case of grapefruit is probably the only fundraising item I might buy.

I will pretty much always buy from a kid who makes a sales pitch to me. I have had to turn down the Girl SCouts outside the grocery store a couple of times, just because we were already loaded up on cookies and I go to the store every few days so it was getting expensive! I was really involved in music as a kid, so we had lots of fundraisers. I would not like my name being added to a list, though.

I am currently working on the best fundraiser ever... Wine Wall! I actually have people asking me when we are doing this, multiple times, looking to give me money and reserve their bottles ASAP!
The basic concept- you collect donated bottles of wine valued $10 and up. You have it set up as part of an event, silent auction, etc (liquor licenses are involved, just as a disclaimer). People pay something like $15 for one "pull" or $20 for two. All of the bottles are wrapped identically. People either pull numbers or literally pull bottles off a wall. You have no idea what you will get, but worst case it will be a $10 bottle of wine, best case something much better! Last year a friend of ours got a bottle worth $140!! Soooo much better than wrapping paper....

An order form on the table in the faculty lunchroom at work, no pressure, I don't mind. The $1 candy bars, I don't mind. Girl Scout Cookies, everyone is happy about. The $8 gift wrap and the $15 holiday wreaths, I am not interested in. Honestly, when all the kids are going to the same schools, I would think it's ridiculous to sell stuff to other kids' parents. There has to be a limit somewhere. You aren't obligated to buy. If you feel badly about it, tell the kid that you just bought the same fundraiser stuff from a neighbor, or from your nieces and nephews and are at your limit.

When my kids were young, they were always unhappy with me, because I didn't let them sell door to door on our street - I told them, there were 11 elementary kids, the other parents were buying from their own kids and the neighbors without the elementary kids couldn't buy from 11 kids. They wanted to sell to family, but I only let them ask the grandparents. I wouldn't let them ask my sisters because when their kids were young, I was a teenager and not in a position to buy from them, so it didn't seem right to obligate them. Needless to say, neither of my kids ever got ay of the good prizes for high sales!

I would stick to close family and friends.

I hate being put on the spot when other people's kids are selling stuff... But I don't mind in the least if the parent mentions, "Hey, Little Suzy is selling cookies for school.... There is a booklet in the break room if you're interested." Or something along those lines. Keeping it no-pressure and indirect is definitely the way to go. I don't like being solicited by kids I don't know either- I like to be able to say "no" without making them feel bad. If it's a family member or a kid I actually know, then I like to hear the sales pitch- anyone else, I just want a chance to look at the catalogue with no pressure.

As for the mailing list, yes I would be annoyed. Every time I get added to some mailing list, I wind up getting trash emails for weeks no matter how often I label them spam. It's a serious problem because my emails make my phone (that I use during/for work) blow up. IF you want to offer these items, then you should print off the email and give out hard copies- anyone who wants something can order through you and you can take the responsibility of making sure it gets delivered.

I tend to always buy from my family, friends' children, and from co-workers' children. I feel that it is a good friendship builder and that I owe the fundraising karma fairy to buy as folk bought from me when I was a child and also helped my child fund raise years ago.

When I was teaching, I would only buy from students if they were the first to ask from the particular organization--then I tell the other students that I had already supported the club, team, or what have you--when I bought from _________ .

I buy door-to-door but pay only after it is delivered if I do not know the child well-enough to rely on the product actually being delivered. If it is a candy product that they are selling on the spot, I buy if I have cash on hand--which is rare for me...

My email is my email and to me that's like giving my address to a company that sells my address for a ton of junk mail so if I had no choice and it wasn't an email from me to you and you to me but through some company that spams that account, I'd be pissed.

Kids still do sales stuff all the time. They can take it to all sorts of places.

If you just don't want to do it then I suggest you simply say no and refuse to take the sheet home. Your child won't get to do the other stuff that goes with the sales, such as the activity it was meant for, but you don't have to deal with it.

We have done several intensive sort of fund raisers. My favorite was for BMX. Back then we were required to donate a specific percentage based on our membership. We'd have a big race day and that paid for a bunch of it. We also did the doors of Walmart. The kids loved wearing their BMX gear and asking everyone if they'd like to hear about the Lymphoma/Leukemia society or BMX.

They always got hundreds and hundreds of donations on that day from people who'd actually stop and listen to them. Some would even drop a $20 in the jar.

All the donations were divided between the families so they each got a recorded amount. They got jackets, tee shirts, and more based on their...take....donation totals?...tally?.

It was good for the kids and helped them learn about a disease that effected a BMX rider and that's why the ABABMX association did this fund raiser. It also made the experience personal for the kids. They knew the boys name, how he was a racer who had won many trophy's, and how he slowly declined in his abilities and was diagnosed with Leukemia (it's been a while and I could have that wrong), and the kids were able to tell the story quickly and sadly so people would stop and listen to them.

It was a learning experience they haven't forgotten.

I love supporting kids when they come around selling stuff. I prefer kids I don't know working to come to my door over parents just handing me a sales sheet. I don't mind the online ones, though none I have seen ever added me to a mass mailing list not even after I ordered.

I don't enjoy fundraisers, either from the perspective of seller or buyer, but I understand the need for them and don't begrudge anyone trying to sell, whether I feel compelled to support them or not.

I have to say it's strange that they are pressuring you to go door to door because at the last two schools my kids have attended, they specifically say DO NOT go door to door! That being said, I do not mind being asked because if I don't like the products or don't have the money, I just say so!! I know what it's like because I have kids who sell stuff, too, so I will just be sure to have my kids ask them back. I feel like it's a bit more equal that way!! My parents had a kid stop by the other day (they live out of town so this was strange) inquiring about buying something for some fundraiser. We both thought it was so strange!

Haven't read the answers.

NO, I'm not happy to help out. I don't want to buy a pie, for triple the price that I can get at the store. I HATE these fundraisers and have outright refused to participate.

Now, I don't mind the kids at the grocery store, if they are respectful, even if I don't want to buy something, I may give you a small donation. I don't mind an e-mail, I can easily delete it if I'm not interested. I don't mind a piece of mail. I do not want to be put on a mailing list. I don't mind coworkers leaving an order form in the lunchroom, but don't judge me if I don't buy anything from you. I don't mind getting my car washed. I don't mind giving you my cans and bottles. Just DO NOT ask me to buy junk I don't want or need.

We are pressured to sell as well. We only go to the neighbors we know and I will bring the info to work and hit up relatives and friends. If they don't want to buy that's perfectly fine and I tell them so up front.

I will pretty much buy anything if a kid asks me :)