Comments on: I don’t have any problem hanging up on charities

By: paul

paul — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:17:33 +0000

This has been very bothersome for me. Why can’t our representatives who are supposed to reflect our interests change the DNC law instead of hiding behind “the law doesn’t allow us to do anything?” I have been getting calls and solicitations daily for my mother, who died over a year ago and even my father who died 35 years ago. These organizations have no sense of responsibility and feel they can invaded the privacy of people’s homes because their lobbyists make sure we can’t get to them. There is no reason to exempt charities and the “free speech” argument is spurious. Should someone be able to knock on your door to harangue you because of “free speech”? All they care about is money. I try to ask them how they got my number and why they think a complete stranger would give money to them and they finally hang up.

By: Coffee Mom

Coffee Mom — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:09:21 +0000

I have seen all kinds of fundraising – from magazines to other things that I buy to make the neighbor kids feel happy. How about coffee – something I can really use;)

By: repossessiongirl

repossessiongirl — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:50:09 +0000

Hey guys – let’s not be rude here – it never hurt anyone to just smile ( yes, you can hear a smile on the phone) and say “good luck with your endeavours, but I am really not interested as I already donate to several charities” – then you can hang up…………….what goes around my friend……….

By: That One Caveman

That One Caveman — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:10:20 +0000

I usually tell them that I’m on the national Do Not Call list and wait for them to “remind” me that they’re exempt. That’s when I tell them that in my eyes, they just another unwanted telemarketer and insist on being put on their do not call list and “remind” them that since they didn’t respect my wish to not be called, they will never see a dime from me so calling again would be pointless.

I give everything I’m able to give at church, where I know exactly how and where my dollars are spent.

By: Anitra

Anitra — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:33:25 +0000

I don’t have too many charities call me, because I only have a cell phone; however, the ones that do (usually because I gave them a donation in the past) are quite persistent, as you say. As soon as I can get a word in edgewise, I politely tell them I’m not interested at this time. (If it’s my alma mater, I tell them I’m not giving money until I’m done paying off my student loans.)

I do actually know of one organization that ends their fundraising drive(s) as soon as they meet their goal: one of the Boston NPR stations, WGBH, started doing that about a year ago. They now advertise ahead of time that they will begin the fund drive on a certain date and end it as soon as they meet their goal – it seems to get people to give more and earlier, since they know their contribution will cut time off the fundraising.

By: guinness416

guinness416 — Sun, 11 May 2008 20:11:20 +0000

For me, a quick “not interested, thanks” as soon as they start talking works and is passably polite. The people who let the poor sods continue their spiel aren’t being pleasant, they’re wasting two people’s time.

By: Four Pillars

Four Pillars — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:17:00 +0000

I couldn’t agree more.

I’ll add one thing – when you hang up on a telemarketer (charity or not) you are actually doing them a favor by not wasting their time – they can move on to the next call right away.

Mike