Gransnet forums

Chat

Salvation Army - why don’t they do this?

(62 Posts)
Witzend Tue 12-Nov-24 09:17:19

Once again the nice old SA chap was outside M&S with his collecting tin, but no card reader. I do very much support the SA, especially for their work with homeless people, but I rarely carry cash any more, same as many people I expect - they must surely be missing out?

Last December, on a very cold and dismal day, their band was playing carols outside M&S, I went in, just to use the cash machine, in order to have something to give them.

Athrawes Wed 13-Nov-24 10:40:44

I've been knitting hats for the homeless. They're pull ons with different patterns, sizes and colours. I contacted our local Salvation Army and she texted me to bring them round to a hall in another town. I'd hoped she'd come and collect them as I'm not happy driving somewhere I don't know - and apparently the hall might not be open! So sadly I've given up and am trying to find somewhere else to take them. I can't walk up a long driver carrying a large bag so I'll have to find someone who can take them off me. I support the SA too but this officer is obviously too busy.

JackyB Wed 13-Nov-24 09:09:53

Well, as I have said many a time, I live in Germany which is notorious for its suspicion of technology and where cash is still very much in use. I always have a couple of hundred €€ in my purse.

Most - not all - places will accept cards these days however, although some don't accept credit cards, just debit cards.

Charities don't do street collections.

Ever since I've lived here, (since 1975), the usual way to pay things has always been by bank transfer.

Charities advertise giving their account number. They provide preprinted transfer forms, leaving them on the counters in the bank, or send unsolicited mail giving their details,often including a free pen or calendar or some other knick knack.

In church, everyone has cash on them anyway so there is no problem with the Collect.

Sawitch Wed 13-Nov-24 08:55:21

OP, I volunteer for the Salvation Army and we are able to get card readers, although we have to use the ones provided by the SA. When we’re carol playing we use the card reader but the reader often gets too cold to operate once we’ve been out for a while!

Witzend Wed 13-Nov-24 08:53:06

silverlining48

I do use a card for supermarket and other shopping but also always have cash. The times we have been out with friends who somehow forgot their cards but have no cash, and we were able to pay are too numerous to mention.
I also pay cash to window and house cleaner and give some to grandchildren or people on the street.
We use cheques too for charities and again, Christmas or birthday gifts to gc.

When a friend of ours had yet again ‘forgotten his wallet’ and had no cash, it was accidentally on purpose.

And no, he didn’t have dementia - he was just as shamelessly tight as they come.

nexus63 Wed 13-Nov-24 00:26:37

i always carry some change, usually pound coins and 50p pieces and keep a £20 note in my phone case, i had an accident out shopping, just minor but needed to get a taxi home, if anyone knows glasgow we have loads of black cabs, it was about a dozen i had to ask because they did not have a card reader, it cost to much to run. anybody can keep a bit of change, most handbags have a little zip pocket inside.

Marydoll Tue 12-Nov-24 23:46:10

Allira

escaped

Can you imagine the collections in church, especially on the Sunday just gone, being by card reader?
It's quite common in the churches/cathedrals I attend. There's a fixed amount on the screen, you just tap the card on it if you're happy with that amount.

Good heavens!

I shall go and ask the vicar 😀
Certainly the baskets were going round on Sunday.
But the collection was not going to the Church, it was going to the Poppy Appeal.

In our church we have collection bags, standing orders and also a QR code, so no excuse for not contributing. wink
Our income from the collections alone, is about £5000 a week.

Shinamae Tue 12-Nov-24 21:04:12

I use a card for a lot of my purchases, but always use cash for Tesco…..

flappergirl Tue 12-Nov-24 21:01:08

For those posters saying it's difficult for charities to get card readers, I can attest to the fact that it is.

bikergran Tue 12-Nov-24 19:58:02

I hid a £10 note behind my sun visor mirror, mine has a mirror with a little sliding door, when I was sliding the little door back last week the £10 note went with it! when I slid it back it had well and truly disappeared inside the sun visor mirror!! Means me now having to cut into the sun visor ( if I get so desperate) which I could well do hmm

silverlining48 Tue 12-Nov-24 16:57:21

I do use a card for supermarket and other shopping but also always have cash. The times we have been out with friends who somehow forgot their cards but have no cash, and we were able to pay are too numerous to mention.
I also pay cash to window and house cleaner and give some to grandchildren or people on the street.
We use cheques too for charities and again, Christmas or birthday gifts to gc.

Chardy Tue 12-Nov-24 16:54:23

At a recent craft fair I wanted buy something g but didn't have enough cask. They'd no card reader. I asked why. The answer was something along the lines of needing a business card reader and it was too expensive.
Can there not be a charity card reader for registered charities eg Salvation Army?

Norah Tue 12-Nov-24 16:48:00

We pay in cash, donate cash. Preferring cash to continue existing.

Jaxjacky Tue 12-Nov-24 16:41:34

We use cash as often as we can, definitely for all purchases in the village, garage, butcher, hair, pub, and co-op. For window cleaner, gardener and Christmas boxes - haven’t seen the postie or bin men with a card reader yet.
If you only use online payments how do you tip people?

Primrose53 Tue 12-Nov-24 16:32:10

I still use cash as much as I can. I have been scammed on parking machine so no more of that!

I was in a shop recently where everything went down to do with cards so you could only pay cash. I was fine.

Buying everything by card, Big Brother can see where you shop, what you buy but if you have a problem and need to speak to your bank it takes forever to get sorted.

Cash is still king for me. 👍

dogsmother Tue 12-Nov-24 11:54:28

I have a secret cash stash in my car too, coins included.

Ziplok Tue 12-Nov-24 11:49:36

I always carry some cash with me. I think it’s important to do so, not only for situations where cash only is accepted (my hairdresser is a case in point) but also because if we stop withdrawing cash, we ultimately risk its disappearance - and not everyone has access to electronic means for transferring money, and neither should they be forced into doing so.

midgey Tue 12-Nov-24 11:42:32

I keep some cash in my car just for emergencies. Easy enough to pop a note into a spectacle case.

madalene Tue 12-Nov-24 11:21:42

Plus I put cash into the collection plate when I go to church.

madalene Tue 12-Nov-24 11:21:06

I pay for pretty much everything by card, probably like the rest of us on here, but I always carry some cash with me. My hairdresser only takes cash anyway, and as she’s a very small independent business (with lots of high end, posh hairdressers nearby) I don’t mind at all paying in cash, to save her the cost of using a card reader. I can also give her a tip and a ‘Christmas box’ in money which goes straight to her, by using cash.

Allira Tue 12-Nov-24 11:20:22

escaped

^Can you imagine the collections in church, especially on the Sunday just gone, being by card reader?^
It's quite common in the churches/cathedrals I attend. There's a fixed amount on the screen, you just tap the card on it if you're happy with that amount.

Good heavens!

I shall go and ask the vicar 😀
Certainly the baskets were going round on Sunday.
But the collection was not going to the Church, it was going to the Poppy Appeal.

Allira Tue 12-Nov-24 11:18:51

Very modern, Aldom!

I haven't noticed one (but I'm not there every week).

Aldom Tue 12-Nov-24 11:15:40

Allira

Can you imagine the collections in church, especially on the Sunday just gone, being by card reader?

They'd have to sing about six hymns to get round.

People were putting notes of various denominations into the baskets.

Our parish church uses a card reader.
The card reader is on the hymn book desk, near the entrance. Everyone uses the reader (if they don't Direct Debit) either before or after the service. Just a different system to the collection plate going round the church during a hymn.

escaped Tue 12-Nov-24 11:08:57

Can you imagine the collections in church, especially on the Sunday just gone, being by card reader?
It's quite common in the churches/cathedrals I attend. There's a fixed amount on the screen, you just tap the card on it if you're happy with that amount.

HelterSkelter1 Tue 12-Nov-24 11:03:51

Good idea to have a 20.00 note ... or a couple... and some £ coins in a zipped pocket or bag.

When lots of machines were out of action a few months back I could pay for my shopping in Waitrose.

That reminds me I must top up my stash now I am wearing the same warm coat most days and it has zipped pockets and a secret pocket....so secret I only found it when the coat was 2 years old!

Allira Tue 12-Nov-24 10:59:20

Can you imagine the collections in church, especially on the Sunday just gone, being by card reader?

They'd have to sing about six hymns to get round.

People were putting notes of various denominations into the baskets.