The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: solon on June 03, 2024, 06:03:02 AM
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You know those fundraising letters you get in the mail? We get them from political parties, charitable organizations, ministries, etc. They all follow a similar format: multiple pages, impassioned plea for funds, you're a noble crusader if you contribute, you feel low if you don't contribute.
[Political party] is destroying this country... we have to fight back!
Children are starving. For only $2/day you can help!
[Orphans/veterans/disabled charity] is making big inroads. We're almost there!
What are your strategies for combatting these? I can request to be removed from mailing lists, but I can't request other people be removed from them. How do you talk to someone who is susceptible to these requests?
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My strategy for fundraising letters sent to me is to collect them along with other junk mail and occasionally use them to start a campfire.
For others, well, unless people actually want your help it's usually best to just let them be.
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I have a bin right next to my letterbox filled with papers that get recycled.
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Just sign them up here https://www.dmachoice.org/register.php
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Are you trying to talk people you know out of giving to these campaigns?
One good thing to do is to point out that junk-mail solicitations and spam calls usually aren't coming from the charity itself, but from a telemarketing firm. Those firms give some of the proceeds to charity, but they keep a large portion for themselves. Often as much as half - sometimes more:
https://www.npr.org/2012/09/12/160997044/when-telemarketers-pocket-money-meant-for-charity
It's especially bad for charities that target feel-good, heartstring-tugging causes like children's cancer or veterans. Those scammy telemarketers keep almost 90% of the money they raise:
https://www.marketplace.org/2023/10/16/when-telemarketers-keep-90-of-donations/
When you give to these campaigns, you're not really doing a good deed. Your dollars are just lining a telemarketer's pocket.
That's why I never respond to unsolicited letters. I decide in advance which causes I want to support and give to those charities through my donor-advised fund.
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I dont even open them, although I do enjoy the annual appeal from National Review, it is witty.
My charitable giving is pretty much set at the beginning of the year to organizations I know well. . The only political party I gave to this year was a Democratic candidate for President (not Biden.)