AIBU in expecting people to pay?

I'm a very optimistic person who tries to think the best of everyone. But, sadly, the older I get the more I realise that most people are kind and honest, but there are many people who seem not to care about anyone other than themselves and have no conscience. Today in the supermarket there was a lady with a trolley slowly walking the wrong way down the middle of a clearly arrow marked lane absolutely oblivious to all the people having to move out of her way. Its very sad if someone has been dishonest with your fundraising, which i think is a lovely idea. I hope they do pay up.

As CORNISHPASTY said, people aren't carrying cash now as everywhere seems to want contactless payments. Hopefully you still might get some of it.

No you're not BU, you're trying to do something positive to get people to engage with growing! If they're not prepared to pay such a low price then they shouldn't take the goods. People like this really annoy me, want something for nothing!
I tried something similar at the start of lockdown last year, I proposed to bulk buy veggies and share them amongst the neighbours on my road to save them having to carry shopping. Planned to buy spuds, carrots, onions and workthe price out per half kilo/pound in weight. I didn't want to make any profit at all.
No one was interested because they thought I was giving the veggies away for free!

Why not write honesty box across your letterbox? Folk may not pay enough but at least it won't get nicked.

A shop I worked in years ago had charity boxes at the till and one busy Saturday the two of them were stolen. What a lowlife to steal from people with cancer, disgrace.

We buy our eggs from a farm about 8 miles from here. the eggs are never more than 24 hours old. the chickens are running around the fields and the eggs are on trays in a barn with smaller egg boxes to fill yourself if you don't want to buy a tray of them. there are sometimes random vegetables to buy as well with a price ticket on the cardboard box or whatever they have put them in. There is an honesty box where you sort out your own change if necessary and usually there is a reasonable amount of money in the box. I know the owner and one day I asked her if the box was ever abused. She said almost never. She is lovely and I would be shocked if anyone was callous enough to behave dishonestly towards her.

Beechnut

I’ve seen ‘eyes’ painted on honesty boxes. Perhaps you could try that ?

Great idea !

Maybe a sign saying 'CCTV recording' would also deter any future thieves.

It might have been a good idea to have put your idea to the residents of the Village BEFORE going to all your trouble - just to give you some idea of how many people would have seriously considered taking part.

Well I m happy to report that everyone who took the flower bulbs I was selling put the money through my letter box
I do believe the vast majority of people are honest just a few that spoil it

PAMMIE1 How awful of your neighbor to threaten you over such a small thing. I just don't get it!

Pammiel It could be that people did donate but somebody stole what had been left.

What a horrible neighbour.

Perhaps it is to do with areas, it seems so many people have experienced unbelievable meanness. Which is miserable, I live in North Hampshire and frequently buy plants, eggs, veg and fruit from the honesty boxes around, how about 10 quails eggs for £1.

Going back to Pammie1 - not only was your neighbour horrible, they were also incorrect. Such small scale sharing of surplus produce & similar is allowed.

One of our local shops started a scheme where every day it put out a number of boxes containing fruit and veg that were a bit past their best for a supermarket to sell but still perfectly usable. On it was a sign that said 'Food bank customers are welcome to help themselves, all others please leave a donation.' Soon after I saw a besuited young man pull up in a very flash car, take a few things out of the boxes and leave without paying. Now I may be making assumptions but he didn't look like he might be in need of the food bank. A few weeks later the scheme stopped due to 'misuse'. Such a shame that a few spoil it for those who need it.