No I will not donate to your college fund

[Buckeye Princess]

So I just had two girls stop by my house. They introduced themselves and said they were selling magazines subscriptions as part of a scholarship program for college. At this point I didn't make any judgement. At least they were selling something to make money. I politely told them no, that we did not require any magazines at this time, and in fact had just chosen not to renew several of our old subscriptions because we didn't find the time to read them.

They then said, "That is ok, you can also just make a direct donation of money to our scholarship fund." I think I stared at them blankly for a moment in disbelief. Two total strangers, asking me for money to pay for their college? I just politely told them that at this time that was not in our budget but good luck in school. The one looked my jewelry and said, "If you can afford such nice jewelry I'm sure you can afford to give someone like me some money for my education." I told her that we were able to afford that jewelery through hard work, saving, and careful budgeting, but not by asking others to buy it for me.

Really? Asking strangers to give you money for school? Search for legit scholarships, get a job, and if you have to, apply for loans.

 

[catycatcat4]

Wow seriously?

You know how im gonna pay for my education geting a job and saving for it.

They should be embarrassed to walk around begging for money must be the same kind of idiot that walks up to a random stranger at school and ask for money.

 

[cheermom1]

OH my goes along with the entitlement attitude! WOW just WOW.

 

[browneyes106]

Wow seriously?

You know how im gonna pay for my education geting a job and saving for it.

They should be embarrassed to walk around begging for money must be the same kind of idiot that walks up to a random stranger at school and ask for money.

I totally agree with you. Earning money is one thing but to beg and ask for direct donations from a total stranger for college is embarrassing.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I would have had to dig deep within myself not to smack the girl who commented on your jewelry!

 

[maslex]

Not sure if this is the same but a few years ago we had 2 boys come to our door selling magazines also (to help with education). After listening to them go on and on for a bit, I decided to bite the bullet and order the Rachel Ray magazine (just when hers first came out). With a 2-yr subscription it came to $40. I wrote the check out, told them to have a nice day and that's the last I heard of them again. Come to find out....it's all a scam. I never did receive my magazine and when trying to contact the bogus # on the back of the receipt, "this number is not in service"

So I chalked it up to a lesson learned and will NOT purchase anything from anyone EVER, who comes to my door (unless I know you and you have girl scout cookies)

 

[Buckeye Princess]

My "nice" jewelry by the way.....fake pearls. haha Less than $10 for the set at Walmart.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I just had two girls stop by my house. They introduced themselves and said they were selling magazines subscriptions as part of a scholarship program for college. At this point I didn't make any judgement. At least they were selling something to make money. I politely told them no, that we did not require any magazines at this time, and in fact had just chosen not to renew several of our old subscriptions because we didn't find the time to read them.

They then said, "That is ok, you can also just make a direct donation of money to our scholarship fund." I think I stared at them blankly for a moment in disbelief. Two total strangers, asking me for money to pay for their college? I just politely told them that at this time that was not in our budget but good luck in school. The one looked my jewelry and said, "If you can afford such nice jewelry I'm sure you can afford to give someone like me some money for my education." I told her that we were able to afford that jewelery through hard work, saving, and careful budgeting, but not by asking others to buy it for me.

Really? Asking strangers to give you money for school? Search for legit scholarships, get a job, and if you have to, apply for loans.

 

[pigletgirl]

Wow!! College students?? That is so selfish!

 

[bicker]

I've sworn-off all purchasing of anything that anyone comes to me offering to sell. I prefer the approach where I go to the store and purchase things, either online or brick-and-mortar. I feel the same way about everything... I will always defer unsolicited offers, as a rule.

 

[Jeafl]

Awhile back two African American boys rang my doorbell selling magazines for college as well. This is pretty much an all-white neighborhood, and when I answered the door the first thing they said to me is "Don't be scared, we aren't here to harm you". That infuriated me! I couldn't believe that they assumed I would be scared because they are black! Despite their ignorance, I listened to their pitch, and then told them that I wasn't interested. The one kid then said to me "Oh, come on, you can afford it. Your garage is as big as my whole house". That REALLY ticked me off. I finally told them I wasn't interested and wished them good luck before I shut the door.

The whole incident really bothered me. I would have turned them down no matter what color they were. I have one kid in college and another one heading there next year. I am more concerned with paying for my own kids to go to college. It's as simple as that.

 

[LexiC123]

That's why I never answer my door, LOL. Nothing good ever comes of anyone going door-to-door.

I would've been speechless, too, at the 'make a direct donation' comment. Wow.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think I would have said, "OK, now what's your name and SSN, and which school is it? I'll send the donation directly there."

I'm guessing that I wouldn't have had any takers.

BTW, after that jewelry remark I'd be careful about my house security. Casing happens.

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

I'd be worried the girls were casing the house. What an entitled snot nosed brat, and she'd have heard all about it from me too!

 

[Kronk's girl]

Where I lived in college we had these people coming around all the time and they were NOT students. Sometimes they would also lie with big fabricated stories about how they were living on the streets and were trying to get their lives back on track etc. And their magazines were very expensive. They were very pushy and rude and would try not to let you to close the door hoping you would buy something to get them to go away.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

Now I'm worried about them casing the house. We are about to be away for 3 months while DH does some med school rotations. We have someone stopping by twice a week so I'll be eagerly awaiting their updates as to whether things are still here.

 

[Thumper_Man]

I think I would have said, "OK, now what's your name and SSN, and which school is it? I'll send the donation directly there."

I'm guessing that I wouldn't have had any takers.

BTW, after that jewelry remark I'd be careful about my house security. Casing happens.

I'd be worried the girls were casing the house. What an entitled snot nosed brat, and she'd have heard all about it from me too!

You might be so correct. This is a scam going across the nation. Some have even known to threaten violence.

Check out this article from one of our local news channels. http://www.koat.com/news/23497305/detail.html

I would report it to your local police department.

 

[KristaTX]

This happened to me a few months ago. I have since made a somewhat cute "No Solicitors" sign and posted it. It is illegal in our city for anyone to do door-to-door solicitation unless they have a permit and ID badge from the city. And even with the permit/badge, they are not allowed to solicit or leave handbills if you have one of those signs up.

If I had known the city regulations at the time that this young man came by trying to scam me, I would have called the police. From what I have found online, there are groups who take these young adults around by the van-load to neighborhoods and shopping areas just to try to get money from people in the name of "charity" or "education". They always have a story ready for any of your questions, just like those people who come up to you in parking lots because they ran out of gas and their mother is in the hospital and their credit cards are messed up and they are from out of town and their kids are home crying and blah blah blah blah blah .

 

[KristaTX]

Oh, and our "No Soliciting Please" sign is apparently working. At least when I have been home, we have had no salespeople ring the doorbell and no handbills left on the door. I have seen them start to walk up to the door but then walk away when they see the sign.

 

[samshane]

I had one show up and tell me he was one of my "neighbors" raising money for school through magazine subscriptions... I like to help neighborhood kids and told him, sorry, DH had the checkbook - come back tomorrow. He told me he couldn't as he wouldn't be in the neighborhood them. I said - You just told me you were a neighbor? He really had no answer for that and just left.

Then I put my my no solicitor sign next to my doorbell and it has pretty much stopped.

I only buy boy scout popcorn from my neighbor across the street now - LOL. Oh - and the GS cookies from my own DDs.