Ugh! Fundraisers!!!

[ilovejack02]

I don't do most of the fundraisers.

All my friends and family have kids about the same age as does my husband's co workers.

I know it makes DS a little sad, but he has known how I will handle this since kindergarten.

I buy all of the 10 tickets at the end of school fair, for BBQ lunch, I don't even try to sell to family, just pick up and bring to neighbors and friends. This runs me usually $60.00. With the sale of all ten tickets he gets to go to a big fun day party at school, so he doesn't miss out on all parties : ).

I spend at least another $20 on ride tickets and 10.00 on game tickets and snacks. I also contribute to the class basket for the auction, I usually spend 20.00 on that .
And of course what ever I decide to buy in silent auction or bid on in the big auction. That weekend usually runs me about 200.00 with the purchase of BBQ tickets.


Next week I will spend most likely 15.00 or 20.00 on candy for the school halloween AR party and give my time. ( whew , glad I remembered that !! lol)

Last month I gave the teacher 25.00 for limeaide for learning, she is trying to raise money for some new multiplication learning program , CDS, DVD, computer programs. I also spent about 20.00 at book fair , which I also HATE, because books are over priced, but at least we can always use books .


I contribute quite a bit, but I am just not going to buy over priced wrapping paper and cookie dough I don't want or need.
Now if they did Krispy Creme donuts , I would be the first to sign up LOL

 

[Marionnette]

My kids are used to me just ripping it up and tossing it out! I did send check last year for the walk-a-thon, but they had it towards the end of the year. Now I am thinking they are gonna have severl this year. It is annoying. I pay about 10k in property taxes, enough is enough. I would rather pay out of pocket for any extra curriculars which they want to do at school.

Sorry. But just how far do you think your ten thousand dollars go to educate two (or more?) children? You couldnt send your kids to a good private school for that amount. And guess what? Even the private schools hold fundraisers! Schools are cash strapped and they need to make up the deficit somehow. They can either raise taxes on everyone or else ask the community to contribute. Id rather send a check into the school cheerfully and know that it is going directly to my kids than have the district take it out of my pocket against my will while cutting the programs that my kids enjoy or need.

 

[JamesMom]

Add me to the list.

A couple of weeks ago my 2 boys (kindy & 2nd grade) came home with a magazine fundraiser. I told the boys (like I did the 2 previous years) that our family does not do these type of fundraisers. Then I had to listen to their whining for the rest of the week as those who sold/did such and such got free prizes and whatnot. Ugh - I was glad when that week was over. I hate how the school gets these little kids all riled up for outrageous little trinkets. I even looked up with my kids the Oriental Trading company site and told them I would buy them the $.25 toy if they stop talking about it.

Now I do support the school and I do emphasize this with the kids - we buy the overpriced school supply pack and attend book fairs where we drop some coin because 1)these are a convenience to me and 2) are things I would buy anyway.

Lastly, because we are very involved in cub scouts we do sell the popcorn. Last year as a Tiger, we asked only family and he got a patch for the 2 orders. This year we are going door to door in the neighborhood and he has sold enough to attend the party. But this is the ONLY fundraiser we will be actively involved in.

As far as buying from fundraiser, I try to avoid them. About 50% of the time I will buy from the door to door kids (immediate items - no ordering), give a tip at Sonic and definitely buy lots of boxes of Girl Scout cookies - but that's it. I drive by car washes and other table set ups. Sorry, only so much money and time to give away.

 

[punkin]

I think I started a thread like this last year. My DD came home yesterday with postcards to fill out with people's names so they can be hounded for magazine subscriptions. I refused to let her do it last year and I refuse again this year. I will send a check to the school instead. I know DD's orchestra needs money, but I would rather give money than names.

Ugh is right!

 

[Nayan]

I homeschool so we don't have to deal with it from that end but all the neighborhood kids go door-to-door. I do have a No Soliciting sign but I guess they either don't teach what that means or they think it doesn't mean them . I've had to tell many kids what it means when they ask .

 

[JamesMom]

Sorry. But just how far do you think your ten thousand dollars go to educate two (or more?) children? You couldnt send your kids to a good private school for that amount. And guess what? Even the private schools hold fundraisers! Schools are cash strapped and they need to make up the deficit somehow. They can either raise taxes on everyone or else ask the community to contribute. Id rather send a check into the school cheerfully and know that it is going directly to my kids than have the district take it out of my pocket against my will while cutting the programs that my kids enjoy or need.

Just wanted to comment on the private school thing. My kids go to public school but I would Love for them to attend our Catholic church's school, but don't because my youngest needs the special ed services at public (read - free) and tuition would require too many sacrafices in our budget ($10,000 for 2 kids tuition plus uniforms). Anyways, the weekly newsletter is on the web and I am shocked at it - out of about 8-10 pages about 5-7 of them are adverts for fundraisers. They have a winter gala event, pictures, spirit items, spaghetti dinner, camping trip, bookfair, Fall fest and SCRIP - all of these were in this weeks issue. So I figure an extra $1K per kid just for fund raisers at the school. Oh and the school requires a $150 fee for fundraising and then they bombard you with all this 'gimme, gimme'. Why don't they just raise tuition and call it a day? Just wondering

 

[mychicks]

I'm on our school's PTO board and we currently have a fundraiser going on. We use these funds to pay for the buses for students' field trips, shirts for field day, events in school, etc. We do not have a party for the kids who participate, no pressure to participate here. Honestly, if every kid sold 1 item, that would help. We don't expect people to bring the fundraiser to work or harass people to buy things. Costs of field trips would double here if we didn't pay for the transportation.

We try to do fundraisers that have consumable items, such as pies, coffee cakes, lollipops. Selling chocolate lollipops is one of our most profitable fundraisers. It's only $1.00 and the kids get their lollipop within a day.

Another thing, if you choose not to participate, please don't throw the packet away. Send it back to school. The fundraising companies only send a certain amount of packets to school and if someone needs an extra, then your copy would go to someone who needs/wants it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think I started a thread like this last year. My DD came home yesterday with postcards to fill out with people's names so they can be hounded for magazine subscriptions. I refused to let her do it last year and I refuse again this year. I will send a check to the school instead. I know DD's orchestra needs money, but I would rather give money than names.

Ugh is right!

Our elementary school does this, plus brownies and girlscouts. The first year I refused, but then caught on - everyone puts the names and addresses of their friends, the organizations get money for every address, and the company does not pass the information along to other companies.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

They are in full force here. Alison has already come home from school with $25 Entertainment Books and from Girl Scouts with chocolate and magazines. I didn't sell the Entertainment Books to anyone - $25 is just too much to ask from other people. Since Alison's 1st cousin is also selling the Girl Scouts stuff, even selling to family is out on that one, because I'm not going to the same people. I'll just ask how much the troop hopes to make in profit off the fundraiser from each child and write a check.

Alison's old school held a check writing campaign each year. They promised that if they hit a certain goal they wouldn't send home stuff for the kids to sell. They even let us know what the average per child needed to be to hit the goal. That approach is much more preferable to me that trying to get me to sell magazines or candy.

 

[mjkacmom]

Sorry. But just how far do you think your ten thousand dollars go to educate two (or more?) children? You couldnt send your kids to a good private school for that amount. And guess what? Even the private schools hold fundraisers! Schools are cash strapped and they need to make up the deficit somehow. They can either raise taxes on everyone or else ask the community to contribute. Id rather send a check into the school cheerfully and know that it is going directly to my kids than have the district take it out of my pocket against my will while cutting the programs that my kids enjoy or need.

I pay over $12,000 in property taxes, and probably spend close to $1000 a year on all of the fundraisers. I'd rather keep the extras in place. Last year, the elementary and middle schools (and probably the high schools) had to cut so many clubs.

 

[angwill]

I just buy two items from DS to prevent punishment for him. In soccer they have to run for 1 1/2 hours if they do not sell. Then anyone selling 25 items or more gets pizza so that night I just let DS pick where he wants to go eat and take him out. It just stinks that he has to watch the kids eat it but he will get over it.

This prevents me from being obligated to buy from others. I too would rather just send in a donation and I would if there wasn't punishment involved for not selling I would because I really don't need 42 pieces of cookie dough for $15.

As for the person who asked what should the schools do when 10k in home taxes per family is not enough to pay all the bills for the schools. In our district our football coach/PE teacher makes over $150,000 and the administrators and such make almost as much. I suggest they donate what is needed from their salary or take a pay cut to help fund things. We live in an area where the median income is $42,909 and our teachers and admin are some of the best paid in the area. Sorry if you disagree but that is my suggestion.

 

[2disneyboys]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who hates fundraisers! BTW, my boys both go to Private School and I agree with the prior poster that just raise my tution to what you need and let me do it that way! As it is, I pay my property taxes (which I know now all of goes to education) and I pay the tution for both my boys to go to private school... I also send in $ anytime there is a need expressed (we have 2 of our seniors that have signed up for a mission trip overseas and we also sent in $ for that which is completely unrelated to my 5th grader and 2nd grader) I also don't begruge any donations I send in, I don't mind supporting my kids school. I also recoginize that both public and private school need extra funds to operate I just hate the guilt factor that they tie to it (those of you who's school/pto/organization DOES not play the guilt trip, good for you!)

Thanks for the suggestion about seeing if the school will allow kids to attend the party if the donnation is in the form of a check rather than an order.. I'm totally calling the school to ask about this.

 

[Marionnette]

As for the person who asked what should the schools do when 10k in home taxes per family is not enough to pay all the bills for the schools. In our district our football coach/PE teacher makes over $150,000 and the administrators and such make almost as much. I suggest they donate what is needed from their salary or take a pay cut to help fund things. Sorry if you disagree but that is my suggestion.

That's not a real world solution. If you dont like the salaries that the teachers and support staff make then you need to get active in the process. Suggesting that a teacher who may not even live within the district should "donate" a portion of the salary that they negotiated in good faith is just pie in the sky talk. It wont happen voluntarily. Its your school and your kids.

 

[NVDisMom]

I have spent years ignoring school fundraisers. The only ones I allow the girls to participate in are for extra activities they directly participate in. Right now that is choir for both of them and student gov't for the eldest. Choir is selling chocolate bars right now for more risers and rights to music and will do candles later in the year for their big spring trip. Student gov't will do cookie dough later in the year for their end of year team building trip. I support these and encourage the kids to sell to friends/family/neighbors/etc. I choose not to participate in the school wide fundraisers because they are too numerous and we never know where the money goes to. We pay registration fees at the beginning of the school year, academic team fees, tshirt fees, individual class fees, field trip fees, transportation fees...its never ending. I have written over $300 in checks to the school (public btw) already this year, not including the candy fundraising. I'm done.

 

[angwill]

That's not a real world solution. If you dont like the salaries that the teachers and support staff make then you need to get active in the process. Suggesting that a teacher who may not even live within the district should "donate" a portion of the salary that they negotiated in good faith is just pie in the sky talk. It wont happen voluntarily. Its your school and your kids.

Well you asked for suggestions that is mine. Can a parent really get involved in teacher and admin salaries with big unions backing them? I know they are not going to be willing to donate part of their salaries just like I know not all parents are going to participate in fundraisers. Also I said the big paid admin and overpaid coaches, not teachers. I just don't see a million fundraisers as a real world solution either. I don't mind paying extra for sports and such I just don't like all the fundraisers on top of what I pay for him to participate in the extras.

Now what do you suggest is a solution to pay for the things the schools don't have a budget for besides fundraisers?

 

[Malibustyle23]

OP I don't know where your child goes to school but at DS school if you do the straight check donation and no fundraising you are treated like royalty. The PTA will actually send you a thank you letter in appreciation for your donation.

 

[Malibustyle23]

I just buy two items from DS to prevent punishment for him. In soccer they have to run for 1 1/2 hours if they do not sell. Then anyone selling 25 items or more gets pizza so that night I just let DS pick where he wants to go eat and take him out. It just stinks that he has to watch the kids eat it but he will get over it.


That is just RIDICULOUS to punish the child for not doing a fundraiser. If the money is needed that badly then just raise the prices.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[thebeesknees]

I heard about one school a couple of years ago that sold a T-shirt at the beginning of the year that had the words "School Fundraisers" in a big red circle with a slash through it. I think it was about $40 or $50 for the shirt, but then whoever bought it was off the hook for the rest of the year! I agree - I hate them, so I just send in a check to the school to avoid harassing our friends and family.

 

[angwill]

I heard about one school a couple of years ago that sold a T-shirt at the beginning of the year that had the words "School Fundraisers" in a big red circle with a slash through it. I think it was about $40 or $50 for the shirt, but then whoever bought it was off the hook for the rest of the year! I agree - I hate them, so I just send in a check to the school to avoid harassing our friends and family.

Now I like that idea and would buy one. I would much rather donate.