To be irritated by charities sending free stuff?

We never get any of those charity bags possibly because we live 5 miles out of town. There are plenty of houses round here and they would get quite a lot if they made the effort to come. With a fairly large family including growing grandchildren I could easily fill a bag when necessary.

I think we all have certain charities we support and as has been said we can't support them all. I usually throw the contents away but perhaps I will just start returning them (although doesn't that cost the charity money as well?). I live in a small village but often get the "Sally Army" bags, but no-one ever comes to collect them!

All my unwanted items now go to a charity shop for the local hospice.

We're in a small market town. This means weekly, sometimes daily, charity bags stuffed through the door plus calls from smiley young men with clip boards eager to point out that if you can afford to give to one charity then it won't be an hardship to sign up for theirs. And they always come just as we've sat down for a meal.

I agree with everything that is said, to give out cards etc., to folk who really do not need, and will not use, them is a total waste of the money, which presumably has been worked for and donated by other people. I wish it would stop, the same with the bags for clothes/unwanted items, although I would think these are quite useful for those folk who have things they would like to give to charity, but have no means of getting them there.

I notice also that some are getting fussier re what they will pick up. Soon it will be new items only! I only take items to charity shops because I do not always trust that the bags are going to a charity, one or two are a bit vague

I also receive "gifts" from the BRC and other charities and I do get fed up with it too. I am happy to donate sometimes but this continual bombardment is terrible and makes me grumpy. I also take issue with the charity bags that we get through our door. I would be stark naked (not a pretty sight) if I donated to all of them plus I never truly know if they are genuine or not and have seen all sorts of unmarked vans pulling up to collect the bags. Not from my doorstep you don't! I take things to charity shops myself.

I find the bags they put through the door pretty handy to put in the rubbish, saves on a black plastic !!

Some years ago my Mother, who lives in Australia, had a stroke, so I contacted the Stroke Association for some information. In return I sent them a donation. I then received their magazine for about 2 years after and yesterday they seem to have started sending them to me again - this must have used up the donation I gave them.

I would add to my previous post that I was grateful for the information the Stroke Association sent me, which is why I sent them a donation, but with the best will in the world I can't afford to support every charity.

I also receive appeals by email and have unsubscribed myself from several charity sites. I will make up my own mind about donating.

I find it very annoying. I use the cards and pens and I don't feel guilty.

I do give to charity, but obviously the one's I wish to donate to.

I will repeat another point I keep mentioning. Charity shops who are told to keep their front doors open with heaters blasting away over the door. AAAAAARGH.

On a slightly different note - after my ma in law died I found she was getting catalogues from about 10 different charities. I emailed them and got delightful replies back from all. And the catalogues stopped coming. I thought that was efficient.

I was approached in the town yesterday by a charity worker for disabled children. It made me feel guilty to walk past but I've chosen my charities and don't like being made to feel mean.
I like the token system they have in Waitrose and perhaps in other supermarkets where there are 3 different charities chosen each month and you can pop a token in after shopping into one of your choice - or not participate if you don't wish to. There's no pressure at all.

Yes, they have that system in our local Asda stores, too. It's a good idea.

I had major surgery nearly 18 months ago and every few months I now get a begging letter to donate towards the new hospital build. I thought that was paid for by the Government not pensioners like myself. The next one will be returned with a covering letter, having firmly fitted my poor pensioner's hat on.

I think many of the charities out-source their marketing and some of it can be quite aggressive. I used to send it back, but as I donate regularly to some of the local charity shops I just keep it now. Does it make more in donations from the marketing than it costs, I wonder?

A friend makes a substantial monthly donation to an international charity and has been upset recently because they have been contacting her suggesting that she increases her donation - quite forcefully, she said. She was so indignant that she is thinking of cancelling her monthly donation altogether.

A waste of money and very unfair to elderly people who get confused and worried about whether they should pay for them or make a donation. Since they are unsolicited and unwanted, I have no qualms about throwing them away.

I've noticed that since there has been a lot of bad publicity about the "chuggers" on high streets, they are now calling at people's homes. If people sign up for monthly standing orders to these charities, I understand that about the first two years' worth of payments don't go to the charity but to the out-sourced marketing company. And it's the same with the TV charity advertisements. Many people are not aware of that and would be better going direct to the charities to give donations.

Like Nonu I use the bags for waste and although not good quality, do save on black plastic bags. I have no qualms about using them. I turn them inside out to try to disguise the charity.

Yes we have people coming to the door too. The last one was quite aggressive and I was thinking of calling the police but luckily he loped off. I thought of ringing the charity but the effort of finding the number and not knowing any details put me off. Should have though on reflection.

Yes, goldengirl I signed up for the charity only to get rid of the man at the door. I then cancelled on line when it was set up.