Raising Funds or buying stuff for 3x its fair value

[Moliere]

This time of year we get a steady stream of kids knocking on our door to solicit our participation in their fundraising efforts. Most of the time we turn them away because it's either something we really don't want and/or we have no idea who they are or where they live. If we know the person, we'll usually help them out, but for the most part the stuff they are peddling is pure crap (e.g. cookie dough, coupon books, pies, etc.). My kids' school sells cookie dough every year, which is an incredibly lame fundraiser.

So the other day some teenage girl knocks on the door. I open the door and I have no idea who she is but I do know she goes to the local high school and she is on the girls dance squad (which includes a couple girls from the ward) which I know because of the unique name of the squad. It turns out she is selling rolls of outdoor garbage bags for $10 and she's got a wagon behind her that is full of these things. I couldn't pass it up so I bought a roll, but then I got to thinking how cool it is that I got something useful out of this fundraiser.

Our scouts sell mulch. Yes, it's overpriced, but when you combine a decent product with a cause people will support (high school extracur activities, scouts, etc.) you can really pull in the cash. Plus, they deliver the mulch to your yard, which is a big deal to some people. We've even had people pay the scouts to come back and spread the mulch for them, which is an added bonus. Unfortunately the mulch sales and the garbage bag sales are really the only fundraisers where I've gotten a useful item (excluding Girl Scout cookies because, well, those cookies aren't really useful )

In any case, I was wondering if anyone has some good/bad stories about fundraisers.

[San Juan Sun]

It seems that many offices have bars of overpriced fundraiser chocolate that parents are pawning off on their coworkers.

[kccougar]

I hate kid's fundraisers. I'm probably a terrible parent, but I don't let my kids participate in them. I would much rather write a check to cover all of my kid's cost for an activity or team then send them out to pawn useless crap off on the neighbors.

That being said, I always help the other kids I know who come to my house. However, on several occasions I have asked if I can just give them a donation rather than buying their product. I figure I get to still help without getting a freezer full of really horrible cookie dough, and they don't have to split the funds with whoever is providing the product.

[Moliere]

It seems that many offices have bars of overpriced fundraiser chocolate that parents are pawning off on their coworkers.

There's probably 30 candy bars in the kitchenette on my floor. They are listed at $1 or $2 depending on type. I'm thinking of using my drawer full of nickels to buy one.

Around GS cookie time, we have no less than 6 sign up sheets hanging in the kitchenette. Then you get the GS hanging out in front of every Walmart and grocery store and they hound you like crazy to buy cookies. I dread GS cookie time.

[Donuthole]

This time of year we get a steady stream of kids knocking on our door to solicit our participation in their fundraising efforts. Most of the time we turn them away because it's either something we really don't want and/or we have no idea who they are or where they live. If we know the person, we'll usually help them out, but for the most part the stuff they are peddling is pure crap (e.g. cookie dough, coupon books, pies, etc.). My kids' school sells cookie dough every year, which is an incredibly lame fundraiser.

So the other day some teenage girl knocks on the door. I open the door and I have no idea who she is but I do know she goes to the local high school and she is on the girls dance squad (which includes a couple girls from the ward) which I know because of the unique name of the squad. It turns out she is selling rolls of outdoor garbage bags for $10 and she's got a wagon behind her that is full of these things. I couldn't pass it up so I bought a roll, but then I got to thinking how cool it is that I got something useful out of this fundraiser.

Our scouts sell mulch. Yes, it's overpriced, but when you combine a decent product with a cause people will support (high school extracur activities, scouts, etc.) you can really pull in the cash. Plus, they deliver the mulch to your yard, which is a big deal to some people. We've even had people pay the scouts to come back and spread the mulch for them, which is an added bonus. Unfortunately the mulch sales and the garbage bag sales are really the only fundraisers where I've gotten a useful item (excluding Girl Scout cookies because, well, those cookies aren't really useful )

In any case, I was wondering if anyone has some good/bad stories about fundraisers.

Last year our daughter came home from kindergarten as excited as can be about their cookie dough fundraiser. Mrs. D and I looked at each other and groaned. It took weeks of conditioning to help her understand that she would be much better off doing extra chores around the house and then buying prizes with the money she earned. We were finally able to get through to her when we went online with her and looked up the prizes she wanted most. She was shocked to learn that with the $15 she could earn doing chores (30 minutes of extra chores each Saturday for a month, plus a few extra chores after school each day) she was able to get three of the prizes (one of which would have required selling $200 worth of cookie dough).

This year she came straight home from the fundraiser assembly, put the prize packet on the table, pointed out the prize she wanted, and asked what chores she could do to earn the money to buy it. Perfect.

[Portland Ute]

I hate these school "fundraisers". I'm with kc on this.

I can't believe they are allowed to continue. It's really just child labor.

Great...get a kid to pedal your crap. Sell a $0.50 candy bar for $3.

The school gets $1. .50 to overhead. The company makes a $1.50.

If the kid sells 100 of these, they get a poster.

I'm in the camp of just donating part of that money directly to the school. I'd rather donate 50% of that money ALL to the school than pay the full price and have the school get next to nothing.

I don't buy the stuff and I don't encourage my kids to sell it.

We got the entertainment book at home last week. Groan.

Last year, my kid lost his sample copy of the entertainment book. We found it in a seldom used toy chest when we were doing spring cleaning in April.

Oops.

You send crap home with 6 year olds without notifying and asking the parents if it's okay, then deal with the outcome.

[Katy Lied]

Last year our daughter came home from kindergarten as excited as can be about their cookie dough fundraiser. Mrs. D and I looked at each other and groaned. It took weeks of conditioning to help her understand that she would be much better off doing extra chores around the house and then buying prizes with the money she earned. We were finally able to get through to her when we went online with her and looked up the prizes she wanted most. She was shocked to learn that with the $15 she could earn doing chores (30 minutes of extra chores each Saturday for a month, plus a few extra chores after school each day) she was able to get three of the prizes (one of which would have required selling $200 worth of cookie dough).

This year she came straight home from the fundraiser assembly, put the prize packet on the table, pointed out the prize she wanted, and asked what chores she could do to earn the money to buy it. Perfect.

My son came home struck with the magical idea of selling those coupon books to get prizes. Completely lame, but I wanted him to learn how to sell and to improve his english. But the book is $30, way too much money. No one can afford $30 for a coupon book, I dont care how much money they say it saves you. Lots of neighbors, when hearing the cost, just gave him a $5 donation to the PTA. It is easier to beg for money than to sell those books. Anyway, my husband (who is a very good salesman) sold a bunch at work. My son's prize? A coupon book.

[Donuthole]

My son came home struck with the magical idea of selling those coupon books to get prizes. Completely lame, but I wanted him to learn how to sell and to improve his english. But the book is $30, way too much money. No one can afford $30 for a coupon book, I dont care how much money they say it saves you. Lots of neighbors, when hearing the cost, just gave him a $5 donation to the PTA. It is easier to beg for money than to sell those books. Anyway, my husband (who is a very good salesman) sold a bunch at work. My son's prize? A coupon book.

Ugh, $30 for those books? We buy one every year, but we usually wait until January, when they are $15.

[Bo Diddley]

Our scouts do a fundraiser in the spring. They aerate and power-rake. That has done pretty well in our area.

The YW/YM also do a huge combined yard sale with items donated by the ward.

Man I hated selling Scout-o-Rama tickets when I was younger.

[Lost Student]

My kid's elementary school fundraiser was sponsored by a restaurant. Apparently, for all money raised tonight between 5-8pm, they donate 10% to the school. Seems better than trying to sell crap door to door.

[FMCoug]

My kid's elementary school fundraiser was sponsored by a restaurant. Apparently, for all money raised tonight between 5-8pm, they donate 10% to the school. Seems better than trying to sell crap door to door.

Definitely the way to go. Or even better, one year in Texas, the PTA sent out a letter asking for donations saying if they hit a certain mark there would be no fundraisers. We couldn't donate fast enough. That was a great year.

[Indy Coug]

If you're looking for fair value, I'd recommend FAS 157.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I am pretty sure we buy crap from anyone that knocks on our door, sometimes even if they aren't selling anything.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I am pretty sure we buy crap from anyone that knocks on our door, sometimes even if they aren't selling anything.

I don't think my wife has ever turned down a kid knocking on our door for fundraising. We are an easy mark.

[Walter Sobchak]

This year she came straight home from the fundraiser assembly, put the prize packet on the table, pointed out the prize she wanted, and asked what chores she could do to earn the money to buy it. Perfect.

bump. New school year... new crappy fundraisers at elementary school. If I knew about these fund raising assemblies pep rallies in advance I'd just as soon keep my kids home for the day (or week). My second grader bit the sales pitch hard. Jeebus help me.

It seems DH has this shit figured out.