Author Topic: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns  (Read 80346 times)

BFGirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #100 on: March 28, 2017, 01:20:08 PM »
The worst one I saw was one in my neighborhood where they were seeking money to buy iPads to keep the 5th graders in our neighborhood learning during the summer.  Interesting that the fundraisers would get to keep the iPads.  Last I looked, no one had donated.  Seemed like a scam to me.

I'm confused how this was even supposed to work?  Was the person raising the funds going to host a summer school of some sort?


Theoretically they were going to use the iPads for lesson plans and education apps for the summer for a group of students.  it was all very vague.

Cwadda

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #101 on: March 28, 2017, 02:17:52 PM »
If anyone here is going to donate to a GoFundMe, please consider donating directly to the cause instead. GoFundMe makes takes 8%. If it's a family member, even better reason to send $ directly with a card.

pachnik

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #102 on: March 28, 2017, 02:20:37 PM »
If anyone here is going to donate to a GoFundMe, please consider donating directly to the cause instead. GoFundMe makes takes 8%. If it's a family member, even better reason to send $ directly with a card.

Thanks for posting this.  I did wonder what GFM made. 

marty998

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #103 on: March 28, 2017, 02:35:42 PM »
I've made one donation to a coworker whom I have great respect for.  He and his wife are struggling to have their first child, and IVF treatments have sucked their savings.  They needed a loan for the subsequent round.  They have no children yet and badly want a family.  Outside of a long work commute, both are frugal people and terrific human beings. 

Other than that one, all gofundme's have made me want to gag:)

I don't get this.  If they can't afford the IVF, how can they afford a child?

I guess I just see 99% of the requests as personal choices.  And if you can't afford your choices, putting a sad veneer on your story in order to guilt your friends (and strangers) into donating money is ridiculous.

IVF is an incredibly expensive endeavour, especially when the health insurance coverage runs out and if you need to go through multiple cycles to achieve a successful pregnancy.

Raising the kid is comparatively cheap exercise afterwards.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #104 on: April 05, 2017, 11:25:42 PM »
I shouldn't be surprised, but this is revolting.


Boyfriend tries to crowd fund $20,000 for engagement ring

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/boyfriend-tries-to-crowd-fund-20000-for-engagement-ring/news-story/0089a3301681a7706b4a42b70f313fc9

KodeBlue

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #105 on: April 06, 2017, 05:59:03 AM »
I shouldn't be surprised, but this is revolting.


Boyfriend tries to crowd fund $20,000 for engagement ring

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/boyfriend-tries-to-crowd-fund-20000-for-engagement-ring/news-story/0089a3301681a7706b4a42b70f313fc9
never mind the outrageous cost of the ring, or asking strangers to pay for it; how romantic is it for her to know in advance how much it cost or let on that you've bought the ring? Oh, wait:
"She had a really innovative way to show her appreciation by purchasing 30 gifts for my 30th birthday..."
I forgot, THINGS=LOVE.

Just Joe

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #106 on: April 06, 2017, 11:27:22 AM »
Something is wrong with people's sense of shame. That's worthy of crawling under a rock and hiding for a very long time.

Sydneystache

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #107 on: April 07, 2017, 12:20:14 AM »
What an idiot. The more you defend your stupid page, the deeper hole you dig. Is he going to gofundme his wedding, marriage and divorce too?

Wilson Hall

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #108 on: April 07, 2017, 10:34:19 AM »
This thread needs its own theme song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-BYzaDwNoE

Mezzie

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #109 on: April 12, 2017, 06:19:38 AM »
I gave $ to a student's GFM so she can experience a truly once-in-a-lifetime summer program that she was accepted into but her family can't afford. I didn't think about fees, though; I should have just given her the money. If she doesn't raise enough to go, then my money is to be put aside to help pay for her first semester of college.

That's one of two GFMs I have donated to. Both were for educational experiences that were/will potentially be life-changing. Both were for people I knew well and trusted and whose financial situation was dire for reasons beyond their control (first: healthcare costs for family; second: teenage child of hard-working, but underpaid, immigrants).

I honestly can't imagine giving to a stranger when there is zero vetting for the site. I do microloans on Kiva when I feel like helping struggling people get ahead instead.

carolinap

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #110 on: December 06, 2017, 04:40:37 AM »
A bar / coffee house that I like a lot (I used to work on their tables with my notebook when I was a freelancer) is having a GoFundMe to pay for rent, claiming they will be out of the building in the end of the year if they don't pay. I like the place and the owner, but I feel weird giving money to a for-profit organization, that faces a problem that obviously won't be solve with this short-term solution? What would you do?

("funny" story, on another night I found the owner of the bar at night on the neighborhood, he was looking for a place open for dinner, somewhere cheap but obviously not cheaper than cooking home, than he tell me that he haven't own a refrigerator for a year! so he eats everything out in cheap places, claiming he don't have money to purchase one. Then he admits he would have save money on food if he had bought the refrigerator a year ago. He is not someone so poor that don't have access to credit to buy something, and we live in an area packed with college students in tiny apartments constantly buying or selling house stuff when they finish college... sigh)

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #111 on: December 06, 2017, 05:54:11 PM »
A bar / coffee house that I like a lot (I used to work on their tables with my notebook when I was a freelancer) is having a GoFundMe to pay for rent, claiming they will be out of the building in the end of the year if they don't pay. I like the place and the owner, but I feel weird giving money to a for-profit organization, that faces a problem that obviously won't be solve with this short-term solution? What would you do?

("funny" story, on another night I found the owner of the bar at night on the neighborhood, he was looking for a place open for dinner, somewhere cheap but obviously not cheaper than cooking home, than he tell me that he haven't own a refrigerator for a year! so he eats everything out in cheap places, claiming he don't have money to purchase one. Then he admits he would have save money on food if he had bought the refrigerator a year ago. He is not someone so poor that don't have access to credit to buy something, and we live in an area packed with college students in tiny apartments constantly buying or selling house stuff when they finish college... sigh)

If the owner of a place that serves food doesn't have a refrigerator at home I would not eat or drink there. Even a mini fridge would be better than nothing.

katethekitcat

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #112 on: December 11, 2017, 11:18:58 AM »
Woman I know started a GoFundMe account to raise money to take the GRE to apply for her PhD in English.

Why did she have to start this GoFundMe? Because she's currently $200,000 in debt from her bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and can't afford the exam without donations.

I am ALL ABOUT the humanities. I think they're incredibly important to society and that we need people to study them. But dear lord, not. like. this. Plus, when she does get into a program, she'll defer her loans and at 6.5% standard federal interest rate, rack up another $13,500 in interest each year.

Makes me sick, but we don't have the type of relationship (just an acquaintance) where I can say anything.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #113 on: December 11, 2017, 11:55:29 AM »
Woman I know started a GoFundMe account to raise money to take the GRE to apply for her PhD in English.

Why did she have to start this GoFundMe? Because she's currently $200,000 in debt from her bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and can't afford the exam without donations.

I am ALL ABOUT the humanities. I think they're incredibly important to society and that we need people to study them. But dear lord, not. like. this. Plus, when she does get into a program, she'll defer her loans and at 6.5% standard federal interest rate, rack up another $13,500 in interest each year.

Makes me sick, but we don't have the type of relationship (just an acquaintance) where I can say anything.

It sounds like she needs to get to work writing freelance. A BA and MA should not cost that much even if she took six years to get through school and borrowed to cover living expenses instead of raising a finger to do work during the summers, evenings, and weekends.

JoJo

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #114 on: December 11, 2017, 12:47:15 PM »
A bar / coffee house that I like a lot (I used to work on their tables with my notebook when I was a freelancer) is having a GoFundMe to pay for rent, claiming they will be out of the building in the end of the year if they don't pay. I like the place and the owner, but I feel weird giving money to a for-profit organization, that faces a problem that obviously won't be solve with this short-term solution? What would you do?

("funny" story, on another night I found the owner of the bar at night on the neighborhood, he was looking for a place open for dinner, somewhere cheap but obviously not cheaper than cooking home, than he tell me that he haven't own a refrigerator for a year! so he eats everything out in cheap places, claiming he don't have money to purchase one. Then he admits he would have save money on food if he had bought the refrigerator a year ago. He is not someone so poor that don't have access to credit to buy something, and we live in an area packed with college students in tiny apartments constantly buying or selling house stuff when they finish college... sigh)

I've seen similar for cafes and bookstores in my city.  Prolonging the inevitable. 

Chesleygirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #115 on: December 11, 2017, 01:01:37 PM »
Woman I know started a GoFundMe account to raise money to take the GRE to apply for her PhD in English.

Why did she have to start this GoFundMe? Because she's currently $200,000 in debt from her bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and can't afford the exam without donations.

I am ALL ABOUT the humanities. I think they're incredibly important to society and that we need people to study them. But dear lord, not. like. this. Plus, when she does get into a program, she'll defer her loans and at 6.5% standard federal interest rate, rack up another $13,500 in interest each year.

There are plenty of people who get STEM degrees and then find it difficult to get a job, too. There is a lot of outsourcing now as well as STEM workers coming in on H1-B visas. So there's no guarantee of stable employment, regardless of what one majors in these days.

I wonder if the 200K debt was due to the fact she attended a private university and decided not to do any community college.

I had a friend who sent an email around, asking everyone she knows to fund her getting a book published, through one of those vanity publishers. She needed $2,800. Although she didn't do a Go Fund Me, it was the same thing pretty much. I thought it was tacky. She eventually got it published, not sure how because she was dead broke. Her book was a book about beauty tips, like "drink lots of water" and "use sunscreen" I read like the first 3 pages and said, this is b.s.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 01:03:53 PM by Chesleygirl »

katethekitcat

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #116 on: December 11, 2017, 01:34:41 PM »
Woman I know started a GoFundMe account to raise money to take the GRE to apply for her PhD in English.

Why did she have to start this GoFundMe? Because she's currently $200,000 in debt from her bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and can't afford the exam without donations.

I am ALL ABOUT the humanities. I think they're incredibly important to society and that we need people to study them. But dear lord, not. like. this. Plus, when she does get into a program, she'll defer her loans and at 6.5% standard federal interest rate, rack up another $13,500 in interest each year.

There are plenty of people who get STEM degrees and then find it difficult to get a job, too. There is a lot of outsourcing now as well as STEM workers coming in on H1-B visas. So there's no guarantee of stable employment, regardless of what one majors in these days.

I wonder if the 200K debt was due to the fact she attended a private university and decided not to do any community college.


To be clear: I wouldn't support doing this for ANY educational degree unless it was practically guaranteed to come with a high-salary job afterward (i.e. medical school).

There is definitely risk in job hunting no matter your degree. But you can offset that risk by only going to programs that give you scholarships, by working on the side, by going to public universities (she chose private, as you noted), etc.

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #117 on: December 11, 2017, 01:56:20 PM »
Woman I know started a GoFundMe account to raise money to take the GRE to apply for her PhD in English.

Why did she have to start this GoFundMe? Because she's currently $200,000 in debt from her bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and can't afford the exam without donations.

I am ALL ABOUT the humanities. I think they're incredibly important to society and that we need people to study them. But dear lord, not. like. this. Plus, when she does get into a program, she'll defer her loans and at 6.5% standard federal interest rate, rack up another $13,500 in interest each year.

There are plenty of people who get STEM degrees and then find it difficult to get a job, too. There is a lot of outsourcing now as well as STEM workers coming in on H1-B visas. So there's no guarantee of stable employment, regardless of what one majors in these days.

I wonder if the 200K debt was due to the fact she attended a private university and decided not to do any community college.


To be clear: I wouldn't support doing this for ANY educational degree unless it was practically guaranteed to come with a high-salary job afterward (i.e. medical school).

There is definitely risk in job hunting no matter your degree. But you can offset that risk by only going to programs that give you scholarships, by working on the side, by going to public universities (she chose private, as you noted), etc.

I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

nobody123

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #118 on: December 11, 2017, 02:12:51 PM »
I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

Forgive my ignorance, but how is that even possible?  $30K in debt per year at a state university after a scholarship and summer work is scary.  I can't imagine what my two young kids are going to have to pay a decade from now.

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #119 on: December 11, 2017, 02:17:30 PM »
I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

Forgive my ignorance, but how is that even possible?  $30K in debt per year at a state university after a scholarship and summer work is scary.  I can't imagine what my two young kids are going to have to pay a decade from now.

Big thing here is that it depends on the state. I'm also including rent for living in the dorms. Since it all rolled into my student loan I no longer remember how much was tuition vs how much was room and board. Also included were summer school classes which cost extra and lab fees for my specific degree. For example, since my classes often needed extra equipment to teach about computers and hardware I had to pay extra for the class. This varies depending on the program. I'm guessing an English degree would have less or none of that.

You're gonna blow your top at this though. I spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. I got degree-required credit for every class I took while there and including room and board, tuition, fees, and plane tickets it was cheaper than going to my regular university by $4000.

Recommendation: Local junior college first (MAKE SURE CREDITS TRANSFER!!!!) that will save money on housing and on tuition. Kids won't like it though. It's a little harder to integrate at that point and it can cause scheduling problems for degrees that have very structured programs. (Must take Class B after Class A but A is only offered in the Spring, etc). If you don't plan for a junior college properly you end up with 5 years of schooling.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 02:21:26 PM by RidetheRain »

Chesleygirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #120 on: December 11, 2017, 10:05:29 PM »

To be clear: I wouldn't support doing this for ANY educational degree unless it was practically guaranteed to come with a high-salary job afterward (i.e. medical school).

There is no guarantee. Not only that, but someone can graduate from college, get into a car accident, and be so severely injured that they can never work again. And their degree is rendered useless.

So no guarantees.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #121 on: December 11, 2017, 10:06:57 PM »

I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree.

You worked for free for two years? Just curious.

Where I live, it's pointless to get an IT degree unless you are coming in on an H1-B visa. Lots of unemployed IT folks around here. The people we know who were hit with long term unemployment, were all in IT.

« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 10:10:07 PM by Chesleygirl »

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #122 on: December 11, 2017, 10:34:52 PM »

I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree.

You worked for free for two years? Just curious.

Where I live, it's pointless to get an IT degree unless you are coming in on an H1-B visa. Lots of unemployed IT folks around here. The people we know who were hit with long term unemployment, were all in IT.
More or less. I worked part time for my last two years of school as an intern doing practical IT work for local charities. Since I only worked for money during summers perviously it didn't seem like a hardship to work for charities for free during the school year. The experience was pretty much the only thing that got me a job so it was well worth it in my book. But I also realize that this just isn't an option for most people so I was really blessed to have both the opportunity and the ability to take it.

Cpa Cat

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #123 on: December 11, 2017, 10:38:14 PM »
I've been tempted here and there by sad stories. Generally when the inclination to donate comes up, I just find a suitable charity to donate to instead - the local woman's shelter, animal shelter, etc.

Even with the sob stories that really pull at the heart strings, there always seems to be something iffy and exploitative about GoFundMe. And I can never be totally sure there's not some kind of scam.

The only GoFundMe we've donated to was a fundraiser for the debate team of a local school to go to a big competition, where the debate coach was running the GFM. GFM might get a cut, but there's a lot to be said for a fundraiser that can be easily shared and conveniently donated to. If I'd had to write a check and mail it, I doubt I would have contributed.

jinga nation

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #124 on: December 12, 2017, 06:43:06 AM »

I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree.

You worked for free for two years? Just curious.

Where I live, it's pointless to get an IT degree unless you are coming in on an H1-B visa. Lots of unemployed IT folks around here. The people we know who were hit with long term unemployment, were all in IT.
I'm guessing you live in a HCOL area. There are many parts of US where qualified competent IT personnel can't be found. IT people don't want to move to these LCOL areas, meanwhile they'll moan, collect unemployment, and do some Uber/Lyft/small-gigs.
And then you have those who do move to LCOL areas, short commutes, and they are much happier.
I've met both sides, I live in a Medium COL area that's slowly becoming HCOL.
There's plenty of companies locally who hire US Citizens as they know they H1-B slots are filled. And there's many companies who use the other H and L visas. You see the remnants of the work they do, which means the local IT folks have to clean up the mess, fix it up, and then move on. Slowly employers are realizing you get what you pay for, and that outsourcing/offshoring doesn't really have benefits when management takes the hits. This is SwordGuy's Pain Theory of Management. https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/epic-fu-money-stories/msg1110522/#msg1110522

Chesleygirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #125 on: December 12, 2017, 07:49:09 AM »
I've been tempted here and there by sad stories. Generally when the inclination to donate comes up, I just find a suitable charity to donate to instead - the local woman's shelter, animal shelter, etc.

Even with the sob stories that really pull at the heart strings, there always seems to be something iffy and exploitative about GoFundMe. And I can never be totally sure there's not some kind of scam.

The only GoFundMe we've donated to was a fundraiser for the debate team of a local school to go to a big competition, where the debate coach was running the GFM. GFM might get a cut, but there's a lot to be said for a fundraiser that can be easily shared and conveniently donated to. If I'd had to write a check and mail it, I doubt I would have contributed.

I'll donate to a GoFundMe if I know the person, and know their situation. That way I know it's not a scam.

katethekitcat

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #126 on: December 12, 2017, 09:04:51 AM »

To be clear: I wouldn't support doing this for ANY educational degree unless it was practically guaranteed to come with a high-salary job afterward (i.e. medical school).

There is no guarantee. Not only that, but someone can graduate from college, get into a car accident, and be so severely injured that they can never work again. And their degree is rendered useless.

So no guarantees.

Sure, no guarantees. But I should clarify: it's not about how much you will or won't earn with what degree. It's that, with this GoFundMe, you have a situation where someone is $200K in debt, and, instead of doing anything about that - trying to find a job, trying to reduce the debt - they're now soliciting money from other people in order to rack up more debt. They are asking for other people's money to enable them deferring paying their debt for 4-5 more years, during which it will rack up another $50K or so in interest.

ixtap

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #127 on: December 12, 2017, 09:26:16 AM »
I've been tempted here and there by sad stories. Generally when the inclination to donate comes up, I just find a suitable charity to donate to instead - the local woman's shelter, animal shelter, etc.

Even with the sob stories that really pull at the heart strings, there always seems to be something iffy and exploitative about GoFundMe. And I can never be totally sure there's not some kind of scam.

The only GoFundMe we've donated to was a fundraiser for the debate team of a local school to go to a big competition, where the debate coach was running the GFM. GFM might get a cut, but there's a lot to be said for a fundraiser that can be easily shared and conveniently donated to. If I'd had to write a check and mail it, I doubt I would have contributed.

I'll donate to a GoFundMe if I know the person, and know their situation. That way I know it's not a scam.

Best to send the money directly to them: GFM gets ~5%.

rawr237

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #128 on: December 12, 2017, 09:54:02 AM »
I get emails from NextDoor (neighborhood postings, mostly lost/found pets or people offering/seeking services) and somebody posted their GFM for surgery for their dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/cocos-cancer-removal-surgery

It's pretty sad...dog needs surgery to remove tumors, or will need to be put down. On one hand it seems irresponsible to own a pet if you can't handle (and/or haven't planned for) all the possible attendant costs. But the GFM does mention job loss. I'm not planning to donate, but feel sorry for the dog - the pup has no control over their family's financial situation.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #129 on: December 12, 2017, 12:59:22 PM »
I get emails from NextDoor (neighborhood postings, mostly lost/found pets or people offering/seeking services) and somebody posted their GFM for surgery for their dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/cocos-cancer-removal-surgery

It's pretty sad...dog needs surgery to remove tumors, or will need to be put down. On one hand it seems irresponsible to own a pet if you can't handle (and/or haven't planned for) all the possible attendant costs. But the GFM does mention job loss. I'm not planning to donate, but feel sorry for the dog - the pup has no control over their family's financial situation.

I think it's more an issue with vet costs getting out of control. Even people who are gainfully employed may not be able to afford this for their pets.

On a personal note, I'd never put my dog or cat through chemotherapy or painful, difficult treatments unless there was a very good chance of survival. That's not because of money. I just wouldn't want to put my pet through all that.

havregryn

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #130 on: December 15, 2017, 01:40:34 PM »
This just appeared posted in some of the groups I'm a member of on Facebook.

https://www.gofundme.com/save-my-dream-in-mexico

I don't know if this is the saddest or the most hilarious thing I read today.

ixtap

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #131 on: December 15, 2017, 03:09:01 PM »
This just appeared posted in some of the groups I'm a member of on Facebook.

https://www.gofundme.com/save-my-dream-in-mexico

I don't know if this is the saddest or the most hilarious thing I read today.

Wow. So many bad choices.

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #132 on: December 15, 2017, 03:34:50 PM »
This just appeared posted in some of the groups I'm a member of on Facebook.

https://www.gofundme.com/save-my-dream-in-mexico

I don't know if this is the saddest or the most hilarious thing I read today.

Wow. So many bad choices.

Maybe she made bad choices. Maybe it's a scam to get your money. This one feels a bit scammy to me.

ixtap

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #133 on: December 15, 2017, 03:36:52 PM »
This just appeared posted in some of the groups I'm a member of on Facebook.

https://www.gofundme.com/save-my-dream-in-mexico

I don't know if this is the saddest or the most hilarious thing I read today.

Wow. So many bad choices.

Maybe she made bad choices. Maybe it's a scam to get your money. This one feels a bit scammy to me.

Since there aren't any donations in the first two days, she even sucks at that.

iris lily

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #134 on: December 16, 2017, 02:09:42 PM »
I get emails from NextDoor (neighborhood postings, mostly lost/found pets or people offering/seeking services) and somebody posted their GFM for surgery for their dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/cocos-cancer-removal-surgery

It's pretty sad...dog needs surgery to remove tumors, or will need to be put down. On one hand it seems irresponsible to own a pet if you can't handle (and/or haven't planned for) all the possible attendant costs. But the GFM does mention job loss. I'm not planning to donate, but feel sorry for the dog - the pup has no control over their family's financial situation.
Currently there is a woman asking for help with surgery for her dog through our  national breed rescue.

The dog has a bloackage in stomach or intestines. Someone sugessted she set up a GoFundMe account for the dog and also solicit funds from organizations that contribute to pet surgery.

 The woman works for a veterinarian. Someone pointed out that the woman asked foe money last year for her geandaughter’s surgery.

Since I see problems with some of this, I withheld donation.

havregryn

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #135 on: December 16, 2017, 02:39:56 PM »
This just appeared posted in some of the groups I'm a member of on Facebook.

https://www.gofundme.com/save-my-dream-in-mexico

I don't know if this is the saddest or the most hilarious thing I read today.

Wow. So many bad choices.

Maybe she made bad choices. Maybe it's a scam to get your money. This one feels a bit scammy to me.

I felt bad sharing her Facebook account (that this was posted from) but from the look of it, it seems legit. She appears to be suffering from some kind of a personality disorder. She did in fact launch some kind of a business and has pictures of her "team" of 8 people. All of her posts look like a lot of that MLM shit , bossbabe, living my dream, etc.  but it's obvious there is no real substance to that "business" whatsoever, it's her putting videos online.

prudent_one

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #136 on: December 18, 2017, 08:53:41 AM »
We've supported a number of GFM situations but only when the recipients were known by people we know personally. (IOW, no total strangers and the crisis was verified to be true).  We have been very fortunate financially and sometimes $100 is a lot more important to the recipient than it is to us.  Things like home burned to the ground, medical bills, legal costs when the person in the right is up against a bully.

But I am surprised by how many people ask for money simply because they want money to do something they can't afford. Nope on that.

slow hand slow plan

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #137 on: December 18, 2017, 02:39:14 PM »
A facebook "friend " has a gofundme for a jam band concert in another state...It is his favorite band apparently ... At least people are calling him out in the comments section of the post i guess. 

mm1970

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #138 on: December 18, 2017, 03:48:05 PM »
I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

Forgive my ignorance, but how is that even possible?  $30K in debt per year at a state university after a scholarship and summer work is scary.  I can't imagine what my two young kids are going to have to pay a decade from now.

Big thing here is that it depends on the state. I'm also including rent for living in the dorms. Since it all rolled into my student loan I no longer remember how much was tuition vs how much was room and board. Also included were summer school classes which cost extra and lab fees for my specific degree. For example, since my classes often needed extra equipment to teach about computers and hardware I had to pay extra for the class. This varies depending on the program. I'm guessing an English degree would have less or none of that.

You're gonna blow your top at this though. I spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. I got degree-required credit for every class I took while there and including room and board, tuition, fees, and plane tickets it was cheaper than going to my regular university by $4000.

Recommendation: Local junior college first (MAKE SURE CREDITS TRANSFER!!!!) that will save money on housing and on tuition. Kids won't like it though. It's a little harder to integrate at that point and it can cause scheduling problems for degrees that have very structured programs. (Must take Class B after Class A but A is only offered in the Spring, etc). If you don't plan for a junior college properly you end up with 5 years of schooling.

I think room and board is the big one that people often overlook. It's expensive.

Just to pick a few:
UCSB with 14 meals/ week: $16,837
Cornell: $14,330
CMU: $13,784
Clarion University: $12,020
Cal Poly: $12,507
Penn State: $12,860
SUNY Binghamton: $14,577

Seriously living at home is the way to go if you can swing it.

mm1970

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #139 on: December 18, 2017, 03:54:23 PM »
I get emails from NextDoor (neighborhood postings, mostly lost/found pets or people offering/seeking services) and somebody posted their GFM for surgery for their dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/cocos-cancer-removal-surgery

It's pretty sad...dog needs surgery to remove tumors, or will need to be put down. On one hand it seems irresponsible to own a pet if you can't handle (and/or haven't planned for) all the possible attendant costs. But the GFM does mention job loss. I'm not planning to donate, but feel sorry for the dog - the pup has no control over their family's financial situation.

I think it's more an issue with vet costs getting out of control. Even people who are gainfully employed may not be able to afford this for their pets.

On a personal note, I'd never put my dog or cat through chemotherapy or painful, difficult treatments unless there was a very good chance of survival. That's not because of money. I just wouldn't want to put my pet through all that.

Is it that vet costs are out of control or that people expect a lot now?

Surgery to remove tumors, X-rays, invasive surgery...I don't think these were "things" a couple of decades ago?  I don't own pets but my friends do.  From what I know, a lot of vets go into deep debt for school and most of them don't make much money. 

I can easily see that treating a sick dog and performing surgery can cost $10k.  I mean, look what it costs to treat people.  And a lot of people consider their dogs to be family.

RidetheRain

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #140 on: December 18, 2017, 03:56:43 PM »
I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

Forgive my ignorance, but how is that even possible?  $30K in debt per year at a state university after a scholarship and summer work is scary.  I can't imagine what my two young kids are going to have to pay a decade from now.

Big thing here is that it depends on the state. I'm also including rent for living in the dorms. Since it all rolled into my student loan I no longer remember how much was tuition vs how much was room and board. Also included were summer school classes which cost extra and lab fees for my specific degree. For example, since my classes often needed extra equipment to teach about computers and hardware I had to pay extra for the class. This varies depending on the program. I'm guessing an English degree would have less or none of that.

You're gonna blow your top at this though. I spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. I got degree-required credit for every class I took while there and including room and board, tuition, fees, and plane tickets it was cheaper than going to my regular university by $4000.

Recommendation: Local junior college first (MAKE SURE CREDITS TRANSFER!!!!) that will save money on housing and on tuition. Kids won't like it though. It's a little harder to integrate at that point and it can cause scheduling problems for degrees that have very structured programs. (Must take Class B after Class A but A is only offered in the Spring, etc). If you don't plan for a junior college properly you end up with 5 years of schooling.

I think room and board is the big one that people often overlook. It's expensive.

Just to pick a few:
UCSB with 14 meals/ week: $16,837
Cornell: $14,330
CMU: $13,784
Clarion University: $12,020
Cal Poly: $12,507
Penn State: $12,860
SUNY Binghamton: $14,577

Seriously living at home is the way to go if you can swing it.
Agreed. Just be careful with that. I know too many people who ended up as fifth year seniors because they couldn't get credits to transfer or scheduling worked out.

Engineering and lab sciences are the worst offenders there. Schools tend not to let those transfer very well and they tend to have very structured course progression.

Even worse is when you get all your general education at a junior college and kill yourself trying to take too many degree heavy-hitters later. It can be done, but not everyone can and not every major. Make good choices!

slugline

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #141 on: December 19, 2017, 10:15:46 AM »
I've been tempted here and there by sad stories. Generally when the inclination to donate comes up, I just find a suitable charity to donate to instead - the local woman's shelter, animal shelter, etc.

Even with the sob stories that really pull at the heart strings, there always seems to be something iffy and exploitative about GoFundMe. And I can never be totally sure there's not some kind of scam.

The only GoFundMe we've donated to was a fundraiser for the debate team of a local school to go to a big competition, where the debate coach was running the GFM. GFM might get a cut, but there's a lot to be said for a fundraiser that can be easily shared and conveniently donated to. If I'd had to write a check and mail it, I doubt I would have contributed.

I'll donate to a GoFundMe if I know the person, and know their situation. That way I know it's not a scam.

Best to send the money directly to them: GFM gets ~5%.

And WePay takes an additional 2.9% + $.30.   Seriously, if you already have a personal connection with the recipient and think they deserve it, give funds directly and your contribution will stretch eight percent farther. I will admit that the one big advantage that a GFM gives the recipient is an increased opportunity for the campaign to go viral on the Internet.

mm1970

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #142 on: December 19, 2017, 11:07:25 AM »
I'm just going to make a counterpoint here. I graduated as a woman with a BS STEM degree (computer science). I had the best merit-based scholarship the state university offered, worked full time during the summers, and still ended up with $120k worth of debt. I was very lucky to get a job right out of college and I attribute that to the fact that I was fortunate enough to take an unpaid internship for the last two years of my degree. I can easily see how someone could end up with all that debt particularly since at my university going to grad school was advertised by the university as a way to delay debt payments if you couldn't find a job... Not a good plan, but advocated by a trusted source means plenty of people took the bait.

Forgive my ignorance, but how is that even possible?  $30K in debt per year at a state university after a scholarship and summer work is scary.  I can't imagine what my two young kids are going to have to pay a decade from now.

Big thing here is that it depends on the state. I'm also including rent for living in the dorms. Since it all rolled into my student loan I no longer remember how much was tuition vs how much was room and board. Also included were summer school classes which cost extra and lab fees for my specific degree. For example, since my classes often needed extra equipment to teach about computers and hardware I had to pay extra for the class. This varies depending on the program. I'm guessing an English degree would have less or none of that.

You're gonna blow your top at this though. I spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. I got degree-required credit for every class I took while there and including room and board, tuition, fees, and plane tickets it was cheaper than going to my regular university by $4000.

Recommendation: Local junior college first (MAKE SURE CREDITS TRANSFER!!!!) that will save money on housing and on tuition. Kids won't like it though. It's a little harder to integrate at that point and it can cause scheduling problems for degrees that have very structured programs. (Must take Class B after Class A but A is only offered in the Spring, etc). If you don't plan for a junior college properly you end up with 5 years of schooling.

I think room and board is the big one that people often overlook. It's expensive.

Just to pick a few:
UCSB with 14 meals/ week: $16,837
Cornell: $14,330
CMU: $13,784
Clarion University: $12,020
Cal Poly: $12,507
Penn State: $12,860
SUNY Binghamton: $14,577

Seriously living at home is the way to go if you can swing it.
Agreed. Just be careful with that. I know too many people who ended up as fifth year seniors because they couldn't get credits to transfer or scheduling worked out.

Engineering and lab sciences are the worst offenders there. Schools tend not to let those transfer very well and they tend to have very structured course progression.

Even worse is when you get all your general education at a junior college and kill yourself trying to take too many degree heavy-hitters later. It can be done, but not everyone can and not every major. Make good choices!
These days there are a lot of options for transferring from a junior college to a state school.  There were back in my day too (late 80s/ early 90s). 

My home town college had a "3-2" engineering program with CMU.  That could have saved money in the long run, but means 5 years to get a degree instead of 4.  (I could have lived at home for 3 years.)

Where I live now, it is very common to both graduate with college credit taken at the community college AND then continue at the CC before transferring to a UC school.  The classes needed are very well mapped out for engineering.  The 2 years at CC are free now if you are local.  However, I believe that most CC to UC programs are still 5 years.  (Though from what I hear, it is very common for students at UC to take 5 years, because classes fill up fast and they aren't available each semester or trimester.  That seems so weird to me.  My undergrad was well mapped out.  You took this class during this year, and it was only offered either fall or spring.)

nobody123

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #143 on: April 09, 2018, 07:39:59 AM »
So, a neighbor posted on our neighborhood facebook group that she, her husband, and kindergartener had "heard the calling from God" to do a mission trip to Mexico in December.  She wants $5500 for travel expenses and started a campaign on a crowdfunding site.  She explains that it will be husband's 13th mission trip to Mexico, but her and son's first.  Allegedly it is with a group from their church, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume there will be some legitimate volunteering going on.

I'm all for doing good deeds and whatnot, but if you need to beg for money for travel expenses to go on a mission trip, perhaps you shouldn't be going.  If you are able to raise $5500 for the poor villagers, wouldn't they rather just have the cash for actual needs as opposed to having the three people in question visit for a week?  How much legitimate help does that kindergartener provide?  If anything, the presence of a small child will make the parents less effective in their efforts.


Sibley

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #144 on: April 09, 2018, 08:24:26 AM »
I get emails from NextDoor (neighborhood postings, mostly lost/found pets or people offering/seeking services) and somebody posted their GFM for surgery for their dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/cocos-cancer-removal-surgery

It's pretty sad...dog needs surgery to remove tumors, or will need to be put down. On one hand it seems irresponsible to own a pet if you can't handle (and/or haven't planned for) all the possible attendant costs. But the GFM does mention job loss. I'm not planning to donate, but feel sorry for the dog - the pup has no control over their family's financial situation.

I think it's more an issue with vet costs getting out of control. Even people who are gainfully employed may not be able to afford this for their pets.

On a personal note, I'd never put my dog or cat through chemotherapy or painful, difficult treatments unless there was a very good chance of survival. That's not because of money. I just wouldn't want to put my pet through all that.

Is it that vet costs are out of control or that people expect a lot now?

Surgery to remove tumors, X-rays, invasive surgery...I don't think these were "things" a couple of decades ago?  I don't own pets but my friends do.  From what I know, a lot of vets go into deep debt for school and most of them don't make much money. 

I can easily see that treating a sick dog and performing surgery can cost $10k.  I mean, look what it costs to treat people.  And a lot of people consider their dogs to be family.

I think there is an element of people expecting more. As people have shifted to considering pets to be part of the family and a "fur baby", that changes the emotional landscape significantly. Personally, I don't agree with how it's playing out in the vet's office. Animals are not human, they don't think the same way, they don't have the same sense of time and the future/past. Yeah, maybe you can treat injuries and illnesses better, but is it worth the quality of life problems? In many cases, I don't think so.

We're seeing this with humans as well. Keeping people alive with machines - ok, for what? Are they going to recover and have a good quality of life? If the answer is no, is this ethically right? Are we torturing someone to assuage our guilt or fear of death?

As a society, we do not have these answers yet, and I think we're barely beginning to ask the questions. Practically speaking, we haven't had the medical technology for very long, and a societal shift of that magnitude is going to take a long time. I think first we'll have to have a generation or 4 see, close up and personal, how horribly some of these people are suffering before we finally allow them to die. Then the conversation is going to start.

Apples

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #145 on: April 09, 2018, 08:37:47 AM »
So, a neighbor posted on our neighborhood facebook group that she, her husband, and kindergartener had "heard the calling from God" to do a mission trip to Mexico in December.  She wants $5500 for travel expenses and started a campaign on a crowdfunding site.  She explains that it will be husband's 13th mission trip to Mexico, but her and son's first.  Allegedly it is with a group from their church, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume there will be some legitimate volunteering going on.

I'm all for doing good deeds and whatnot, but if you need to beg for money for travel expenses to go on a mission trip, perhaps you shouldn't be going.  If you are able to raise $5500 for the poor villagers, wouldn't they rather just have the cash for actual needs as opposed to having the three people in question visit for a week?  How much legitimate help does that kindergartener provide?  If anything, the presence of a small child will make the parents less effective in their efforts.

This kind of thing is such a pet peeve of mine.  The emphasis often seems to be put more on the experience of the people going rather than focusing on the true needs of the population they're going to help.  Husband probably has useful skills now that he's on his 13th trip; that's great.  But a 6 year old?  Kids shouldn't go until they're old enough to truly help, probably not until they are teenagers.  When I was in high school my parents got tons of requests from people to help send their kid on a mission trip to "help the poor" and "bring God's good works to others".  Which is great, and there are many low income families in our area that my parents would have been happy to help fund sending their kid on one mission trip, for the experience that can bring.  But it seems that overall the people asking for funding are at least middle class and doing little on their own to prioritize paying for this trip.  And the mission trips usually involved painting an orphanage and offering a check for around $1,000.  Again, those are both good things.  But the flights alone for each person on the trip were at least $700; couldn't a greater portion of funds have gone to the community affected?  And painting is great, but not a critical infrastructure project.

Nederstash

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #146 on: April 09, 2018, 08:43:40 AM »
So, a neighbor posted on our neighborhood facebook group that she, her husband, and kindergartener had "heard the calling from God" to do a mission trip to Mexico in December.  She wants $5500 for travel expenses and started a campaign on a crowdfunding site.  She explains that it will be husband's 13th mission trip to Mexico, but her and son's first.  Allegedly it is with a group from their church, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume there will be some legitimate volunteering going on.

I'm all for doing good deeds and whatnot, but if you need to beg for money for travel expenses to go on a mission trip, perhaps you shouldn't be going.  If you are able to raise $5500 for the poor villagers, wouldn't they rather just have the cash for actual needs as opposed to having the three people in question visit for a week?  How much legitimate help does that kindergartener provide?  If anything, the presence of a small child will make the parents less effective in their efforts.

Correction, she heard god calling for a glorified holiday. Between 2 adults and 1 kindergartener, you have exactly 1 available working adult who can actually do some work.

M5

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #147 on: April 10, 2018, 06:34:29 AM »
A Facebook friend acquaintance who lives in NYC recently accepted a job in SoCal and has set up a GFM to pay for his move. It actually says under the cause description "maxing my credit cards and working overtime won't be enough to cover my moving expenses". How ridiculous to accept a job on the other side of the country when you don't have the money to get there. Although i question how much money it really takes a single early 20s guy to move anywhere...

He originally asked for 6k and has since dropped it to 3.5k. Still, nobody has donated.

Just Joe

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #148 on: April 10, 2018, 08:52:53 AM »
Heck, I'd be up for helping the guy buy a Greyhound bus ticket to get to SoCal. Here's the ticket and a basket of sandwiches and fruit... Man people are too soft these days!

That mission trip might be more useful if the travelers just sent money to the priest or other trustworthy person to hire locals to paint/repair/upgrade whatever building. Employ local people! Let them earn some money to help their own families. Nudge the local economy along a bit. 

nobody123

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Re: Give me Money: GoFundMe Campaigns
« Reply #149 on: April 10, 2018, 12:16:56 PM »
Husband probably has useful skills now that he's on his 13th trip; that's great. 

You'd think that, but wife had to post for help to put together a plastic Step 2 playhouse a couple of years ago because she and her husband are "not handy at all."

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!