Have you/would you do a Go Fund Me

[tvguy]

Never considered it.
Never donated to one.
Known around the newsroom as "Go Fraud Me".

 

[kimblebee]

My daughter has suggested setting one up so we could hire packers and movers to get us to our new place (which I haven’t found yet). The idea of packing up and three bedroom duplex with a full basement all by myself doesn’t excite me. Especially since I don’t have my daughter to help and my husband won’t be able to do much.

We’ll get it done somehow..but I won’t lie. Being able to throw money at it would make things so much easier.

 

[barkley]

have not, don't think i ever would.

i'm REALLY uncomfortable with them esp. as they pertain to some emergent circumstances/medical issues b/c back in the pre go fund me days when people would garner donations through (usually) evening news/local newspaper stories part of my job was to take applications for emergency programs that could have tremendously benefited the truly in need/impacted person/family-but a well meaning fund raising campaign could fail to meet their needs but blow them entirely out of eligibility. this is especially true when it comes to some disabled kids-well meaning donations through a go-fund me can create a situation where the kid's years long hard fought for medical and other services get discontinued-and not just until the money is spent down, but for months or years following b/c the programs have their own spend-down formulas (or horrific wait lists once re-eligible) so that chunk of change helps out for a month or two but then the family has lost much more in coverage and services.

it was terrible to have someone devastated by a fire go to the red cross who sent them to me who had to turn around and say 'the news reports an account has been set up in your behalf at x bank-i need a print out for today that shows the balance' then when they bring it have to deny their application, the basis of which red cross used to deny also until all funds/incoming donations exhausted/ceased.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Like PP Go Fund Me 's make me deeply uncomfortable. I think there is something very wrong setting up a fund for personal reasons, such as vet bills, medical, death, or even as someone suggested upthread, home movers!

I have never donated to any fund and I don't think I ever will.

Having a pet is your responsibility, it's sad your cat is ill but that's the risk you took when you become a pet owner.

Having cancer is devestating, it's a horrible disease, but that's what health insurance is for .It's not my problem you spent your disposable income over the last number of years and lived outside your means and now can't pay medical bills.

The same with death and funeral costs. It's going to happen to us all, so again it's not my problem you didn't put a plan in place. For example, here in Ireland, the credit unions, a type of bank used by very low income people gives a death grant to help with funeral costs, so even very poor people can have a proper funeral. As a result almost every one has a credit union account, so that if anything happens to them, their family will get the death grant.

The ONLY reason I would set up a fund, would be for business financing. I would do a Kick Starter fund, to get money for some business idea and those who donate money would get some benefits or rewards. Those types of funds are a great way to get money for business research and development.

 

[amcnj]

I have not set one up and currently have no plans to set one up. If I needed to, I guess I would ask others directly for loans.

Maybe people should not be able to set up such things without the permission of the intended recipient(s).

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think they have their place.

If it was my own pet, I would pay for it myself or borrow the money. But if there was a stray hit by a car or something, I'd be fine with someone setting up a GoFundMe so we could all help a little bit instead of one person taking on the whole expense.

I've never actually set one up, but I have donated to a couple of them in the past - when a family had a tragedy or when a little kid wanted to raise money for a charitable project.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think they have their place.

If it was my own pet, I would pay for it myself or borrow the money. But if there was a stray hit by a car or something, I'd be fine with someone setting up a GoFundMe so we could all help a little bit instead of one person taking on the whole expense.

I've never actually set one up, but I have donated to a couple of them in the past - when a family had a tragedy or when a little kid wanted to raise money for a charitable project.

I agree. They do have a place and can be instrumental in making a difference for someone who has been met with a tragedy, or an animal who has no one else.

My nephew is a veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq. He came home and was not able to work in closed quarters so he spent five years on a crab fishing boat on the Atlantic, and then took a job as a framer. Never missed work. He attended a wedding in Boston and was shot through the major arteries in his knee when he refused to give up his money to two thugs. He almost bled out when he chased the until he collapsed in the street. His life changed through no fault of his own, and to help him manage his expenses during some pretty tough therapy a friend set up a GFM account. I thank those who felt he could use a hand.

I also am part of a cat rescue group. A GFM was set up for a poor baby that needed a leg amputated due to sime pretty nasty treatment before she was rescued.

I did nto donate to either fund becuase I just send money to be used in whatever manner was necessary, but I knwo that there or peole who want their donations to be used for a specific cause and feel that the accounts are the best way to do this.

 

[ronandannette]

My daughter has suggested setting one up so we could hire packers and movers to get us to our new place (which I haven’t found yet). The idea of packing up and three bedroom duplex with a full basement all by myself doesn’t excite me. Especially since I don’t have my daughter to help and my husband won’t be able to do much.

We’ll get it done somehow..but I won’t lie. Being able to throw money at it would make things so much easier.

Hopefully those closest to you know your need and will come alongside - if they ask how they can help TELL THEM!! I wish you well.

 

[wenrob]

I would not. I would also be embarrassed/upset if someone set one up for me.

I find GoFundMe shady, I don’t like that there is a middleman collecting a fee for a cause. As mentioned above people have good intentions but it can create problems that otherwise weren’t there. I also agree that if one is set up for someone you should have to gain their permission to avoid those types of issues. If I have a friend in need I donate to them directly with cash or PayPal friends and family.

I also have a problem with funds for expenses that should be personal responsibility: band trips, prom dresses, power/phone/cable bill, down payment on a car, tickets for Wicked, your dog’s cremation and urn. It just feels so lazy and entitled to me.

 

[ronandannette]

I would not. I would also be embarrassed/upset if someone set one up for me.

I find GoFundMe shady, I don’t like that there is a middleman collecting a fee for a cause. As mentioned above people have good intentions but it can create problems that otherwise weren’t there. I also agree that if one is set up for someone you should have to gain their permission to avoid those types of issues. If I have a friend in need I donate to them directly with cash or PayPal friends and family.

I also have a problem with funds for expenses that should be personal responsibility: band trips, prom dresses, power/phone/cable bill, down payment on a car, tickets for Wicked, your dog’s cremation and urn. It just feels so lazy and entitled to me.

If it's someone we know well enough to want to support, we definitely just give them cash directly, even in the few cases there has been an on-line fund set up. We give to a lot of people for a lot of things but not just random GFM's. If there's a large-scale tragedy (local, national or even globally) a legit charity (Red Cross, United Way, Salvation Army etc.) usually sets up a fund to collect donations for relief and we do give to those when we feel it's appropriate.

 

[paisleys]

I would never have one. Every single vacation, purchase, anything would be under scrutiny for the rest of your life. I have given twice to one lately for my kids' classmates who recently lost their dad. Ones like that and for medical bills tug at me but I have to know who the people are so I know it's legit. There's a woman I knew whose daughter was ill. I knew she asked for and took a lot of money from another friend to pay a bill and used it to purchase WDW passes instead. I didn't donate a dime to this one, though I hated seeing the pics of her daughter getting chemo etc. (On that subject, I really hate when people post pictures like that of their kids online, pics of little kids in hospital beds etc are an invasion of privacy IMHO.)

 

[wenrob]

I would never have one. Every single vacation, purchase, anything would be under scrutiny for the rest of your life. I have given twice to one lately for the children of my kids' classmate who recently lost their dad. Ones like that and for medical bills tug at me but I have to know who the people are so I know it's legit. There a woman I knew whose daughter was ill. I knew she asked for and took a lot of money from another friend to pay a bill and used it to purchase WDW passes instead. I didn't donate a dime to this one, though I hated seeing the pics of her daughter getting chemo etc. (On that subject, I really hate when people post pictures like that of their kids online, pics of little kids in hospital beds etc are an invasion of privacy IMHO.)

I don’t know about for life but I do admit to giving side eye to someone who is depending on the kindness of strangers to pay their bills and put a roof over their head and then takes their unpaid vacation.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I only donate if it is going to help with a catastrophic event (death, expenses for getting Medicaid treatment not covered by insurance). I’m not paying for your poor life choices like wanting to take a trip you can’t afford on your own, or not being able to pay your electric bill after posting in social media about the new phone you just bought.

Anyone who sets one up is opening themself up to extreme scrutiny. You will find out really quickly if people think you are a moron or greedy based on how much money you raise.

 

[mnrose]

I just think it's sad in this country that we have taken to funding medical care through go fund mes....by far the largest use of it.

I rarely donate to any of them....a lot of them are scams. There was one set up in our town recently to help a mother and her two children after her husband set fire to their home in an attempt to kill all the kids and himself. Sadly, he succeeded with the two youngest. I did not contribute to the go fund me because there was no way to determine whether it was legitimately connected to the family or not. For all I know, it was someone who said "hey look, I can capitalize on people's desire to help."

 

[slpeters]

I've never done one and I don't think I would, but a lot of that is because I'm simply very fortunate--I have insurance and a fair amount of money, but not everyone does. I can certainly see myself contributing to one under the right circumstances, and they wouldn't have to be all that dire frankly. For instance, under the right circumstances, I would kick in for someone to take a great vacation. I'm actually quite surprised at how many people seem truly incensed at the idea that someone would ask for help...

 

[BadPinkTink]

I'm actually quite surprised at how many people seem truly incensed at the idea that someone would ask for help...

for me, its because I dont take anything internet related at face value. I am from low income high crime area and I know a great many people around here struggle to pay for day to day life. However I know also that there there many legitimate ways they can get help, from genuine charities, church organisations and various Government schemes for low income households.

 

[Pooh2]

We are close to someone who was the recipient of a large go-fund for his little boy's funeral expenses.
In addition to being a huge relief financially, they were so touched that their community came together to help them during their tragedy.

I would not contribute to someone's vet bills or vacation go-fund but I do donate under certain circumstances.

 

[wenrob]

I've never done one and I don't think I would, but a lot of that is because I'm simply very fortunate--I have insurance and a fair amount of money, but not everyone does. I can certainly see myself contributing to one under the right circumstances, and they wouldn't have to be all that dire frankly. For instance, under the right circumstances, I would kick in for someone to take a great vacation. I'm actually quite surprised at how many people seem truly incensed at the idea that someone would ask for help...

With a vacation? Or their phone bill when they’re on FB (so have the cash for Internet) crying poverty while simultaneously talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones (so have cash for cable)? I will help someone in dire need but I will not enable poor life choices or someone who refuses to take responsibility for those choices. “Helping” with those kind of things only makes the situation worse and continues a cycle they can’t get out of. If someone is always bailing them out why should they bother to try and figure it?

 

[Nancyg56]

With a vacation? Or their phone bill when they’re on FB (so have the cash for Internet) crying poverty while simultaneously talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones (so have cash for cable)? I will help someone in dire need but I will not enable poor life choices or someone who refuses to take responsibility for those choices. “Helping” with those kind of things only makes the situation worse and continues a cycle they can’t get out of. If someone is always bailing them out why should they bother to try and figure it?

A distant relative set one up to ...wait for it... pay for a bankruptcy attorney. He did not get one cent donated, and you know I kept checking.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I do not have a problem with them if they are for valid reasons. A friend died unexpectedly in another state and one of my friends set one up to help his mother with the funeral costs and costs to get his body home. I don't have an issue with that.

If you don't want to help someone out that way then don't. It's that simple. I'm not going to judge anyone setting it up to help cover medical costs. Many people in this country are one illness away from bankruptcy.

There's one set up to help rebuild the churches that were burned in Louisiana. I think it's awesome how much they raised considering the insane amounts of money people are throwing at rebuilding Notre Dame.

Like I said, if you don't support Go Fund Me then fine. No reason to judge people for needing help.