GoFundMe: Ever okay?

novella1186 · April 2015

thisismynickname said:
I'm a bitch and do not give to any of those funds. None.

I have my own shit to pay for

Same here. I have a bleeding heart for my friend right now who is about to be a single mom with no help from the father. She has no family here, and her job doesn't pay her enough to live and afford childcare (at least through traditional methods- I don't know if she's going to pursue government assistance). I would rather run some errands for her, babysit her child for free in the evenings, or buy some more supplies for her baby than donate to a GFM (she hasn't set one up; I'm just making a point). Plus since I'm preparing to plan for my own child, I feel like I need to save all the money I can for my own situation!

Another poster has an interesting point that Churches have collections or you can throw small change into a jar at some point. I do donate to charity, honestly. I also volunteer my time. It just goes back to asking for money than doing something tangible to help someone out of the situation they're in, or at least make the situation more bearable.

Totally agree with the bolded. I "adopt" families for Christmas and donate things like boots, winter coats, pajamas, books, etc that the kids need (and a few toys, cuz Christmas). I donate dog food, towels, cleaning supplies, and stuff like that to the animal shelter. I volunteer to organize rummage sales and charity events, and I've hosted events. I've done free babysitting for a friend. I've done gardening and yard clean-up for elderly neighbors. I'm always more than happy to do any of that stuff.

I do not appreciate being asked for my cash.

classicalandedgy · April 2015

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

I kind of agree with you. I've been taking care of myself my whole adult life and then some. I've held a job since I was 14. I've had multiple spinal surgeries was in three car accidents and was out of work for a year with the two surgeries. Not at one point did I ask or expect anyone to give me money. We all have our shit and I don't really feel that anyone is "more deserving" than another.

southernbelle0915 · April 2015

99% of the GFMs that I see are for shit people should be paying for themselves - weddings, sick animals, moving "out west", starting their dream job, being unemployed for a couple weeks...

I've sacrificed things I want to shore up my emergency funds for exactly this shit....for myself and my own family. So no, I'm not going to donate to your (general you) "cause". If you had done the same, maybe this wouldn't be a problem.

SHOCKING NEWS OMG - accidents and other shit can happen!!!! And not just to other people, believe it or not! So start saving and stop panhandling.

The only one where I was like "aw, that's pretty legit" was this elderly guy who got sick and had a prognosis of 6 weeks. He took up a job to pay off the remaining balance on his mortgage so that his daughter and grand kids could live in his house. He knew they couldn't afford it if he passed without paying it off. I liked that one. But only that one.

missdelilah · April 2015

Slight tangent, but is why are so many of you assuming that you're bitches for not wanting to buy in to the idea of GFM or similar? It sounds overly self judgmental to me, or this is just a usage of that term I haven't come across since I was fifteen?

southernbelle0915 said:

The only one where I was like "aw, that's pretty legit" was this elderly guy who got sick and had a prognosis of 6 weeks. He took up a job to pay off the remaining balance on his mortgage so that his daughter and grand kids could live in his house. He knew they couldn't afford it if he passed without paying it off. I liked that one. But only that one.

And this: If it's within the family, surely that's something different from a public fundraising campaign. Sweet story though.

MollyandD · April 2015

My friend had a baby born with a heart defect. I fully support the Go Fund Me that was set up to pay for the catheters, stints, and various other surgeries that this teeny baby is going through. My friend is responsible, but could never have expected her child to need this kind of care.

Another friend set up a wedding Go Fund Me. You can guess which one I will be donating to.

luckya23 · April 2015

A girl I know has been posting the link to her own IVF GFM for over a month. I think the goal is like $30k, and they've raised $30 in that time, so I do check on it every now and then to see that I'm not the only one that thinks it's ridiculous!

twoleighs · April 2015

missdelilah said:
Slight tangent, but is why are so many of you assuming that you're bitches for not wanting to buy in to the idea of GFM or similar? It sounds overly self judgmental to me, or this is just a usage of that term I haven't come across since I was fifteen?

The only one where I was like "aw, that's pretty legit" was this elderly guy who got sick and had a prognosis of 6 weeks. He took up a job to pay off the remaining balance on his mortgage so that his daughter and grand kids could live in his house. He knew they couldn't afford it if he passed without paying it off. I liked that one. But only that one.

And this: If it's within the family, surely that's something different from a public fundraising campaign. Sweet story though.

-----Edit: BOXES. I swear they're there in the comment edit screen

To the bold: I wonder if it's because when we were younger and someone in the community had a tragedy, you helped. Now, with social media and the internet, "community" can feel like the whole world and when people help other people, you can SEE what an individual did or didn't do.

That, and I was always taught if you put your needs before someone else's you're a horrible person. Thank goodness I've grown out of that one.

Maybe??

hellosweetie1015 · April 2015

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."

ashley8918 · April 2015

Add me to the huge bitch list. I don't donate to ANY GFMs ever. Even the more legitimate ones. I do donate money to what I deem to be worthy causes, but not through a GFM. The reason being, that the GFM can be set up by anyone and can be super easily faked. And honestly, even if they are real, I judge people who set them up for themselves pretty harshly. I can't ever imagine having that little shame.

Things I have donated/do donate to:

-Planned Parenthood and many other pro-choice organizations

-Several LGBTQ organizations

-The relief fund of the town very near to me that was entirely wiped out by a tornado recently (directly to the PD)

-The Death with Dignity National Center

-Various Gun Control initiatives

-Several mental health organizations

-Home of the Sparrow, Pads, and Turning Point (a few area homeless and/or domestic violence shelters)

etc.

All reputable causes, no shady GFMs.

Jells2dot0 · April 2015

As most of you know, I was REALLY sick last year. Thankfully that all panned out well. Anyway, there was never one moment where I, or anyone close to me, ever thought about starting a GFM. My diagnosis came out of fucking nowhere, but I certainly was prepared to take care of myself. So, maybe because I didn't ask for help or complain it never came up?? Not once did anyone even mention my medical bills to me. No one, other than myself, was concerned with paying them. So, I'm wondering where the immediate thought to start a GFM comes from? Or maybe I'm just a bitch that no one likes. LOL

southernbelle0915 · April 2015

hellosweetie1015 said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."

I didn't see it as "only $2,000". I read that more as "if you're going to have pets, you should have a pet emergency fund with adequate money in it in case shit happens." Because shit happens. Especially with pets.

One of my friends got a $2,500 pure bred something or other dog. Within the first month, the dog swallowed a fish hook and needed to have surgery. He set up a GFM. Really? But even with non-designer pets, shit happens.

Casadena · April 2015

missdelilah said:
Slight tangent, but is why are so many of you assuming that you're bitches for not wanting to buy in to the idea of GFM or similar? It sounds overly self judgmental to me, or this is just a usage of that term I haven't come across since I was fifteen?
southernbelle0915 said:

The only one where I was like "aw, that's pretty legit" was this elderly guy who got sick and had a prognosis of 6 weeks. He took up a job to pay off the remaining balance on his mortgage so that his daughter and grand kids could live in his house. He knew they couldn't afford it if he passed without paying it off. I liked that one. But only that one.
And this: If it's within the family, surely that's something different from a public fundraising campaign. Sweet story though.

Mostly because people have called me a bitch for voicing these kinds of opinions about GFM's, etc. I'm not being "self-judgemental"....I know I can be a bitch. And although I totally don't buy into the paying for strangers, a small part of me does feel bad because I totally feel for (some of) their situations. Does that make sense?

hellosweetie1015 · April 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

hellosweetie1015 said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."
I didn't see it as "only $2,000". I read that more as "if you're going to have pets, you should have a pet emergency fund with adequate money in it in case shit happens." Because shit happens. Especially with pets.

One of my friends got a $2,500 pure bred something or other dog. Within the first month, the dog swallowed a fish hook and needed to have surgery. He set up a GFM. Really? But even with non-designer pets, shit happens.

Yes, but that still comes across that since I can't put any money in a designated pet emergency fund, I shouldn't have a pet. Does shit happen? Yeah, sure. But that's why I have a good relationship with my vet (and why I chose the vet I did, in part), because he knows that if I have a large bill, it'll get paid. It might get paid in $30 increments until taxes come in, but it gets paid.

Your friend is ridiculous and is exactly why I will probably never own a purebred dog, despite how much I love corgis. I'm not paying $2500 for a dog when I can go to the shelter and pay $85 for a dog. I just don't feel like the value of a dog is based on its breed.

flutteringinfl · April 2015

Casadena said:
Slight tangent, but is why are so many of you assuming that you're bitches for not wanting to buy in to the idea of GFM or similar? It sounds overly self judgmental to me, or this is just a usage of that term I haven't come across since I was fifteen?
southernbelle0915 said:

The only one where I was like "aw, that's pretty legit" was this elderly guy who got sick and had a prognosis of 6 weeks. He took up a job to pay off the remaining balance on his mortgage so that his daughter and grand kids could live in his house. He knew they couldn't afford it if he passed without paying it off. I liked that one. But only that one.
And this: If it's within the family, surely that's something different from a public fundraising campaign. Sweet story though.

Mostly because people have called me a bitch for voicing these kinds of opinions about GFM's, etc. I'm not being "self-judgemental"....I know I can be a bitch. And although I totally don't buy into the paying for strangers, a small part of me does feel bad because I totally feel for (some of) their situations. Does that make sense?

The bolded is how I feel as well. I also think it's weird sometimes that I find it okay to contribute to a Kickstarter project as long as I'm getting something out of it, but not okay to just give money to someone who might be having a hard time. I know I have good reasons for doing/not doing both, and yet there's a part of me that still finds it odd.

southernbelle0915 · April 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

hellosweetie1015 said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."
I didn't see it as "only $2,000". I read that more as "if you're going to have pets, you should have a pet emergency fund with adequate money in it in case shit happens." Because shit happens. Especially with pets.

One of my friends got a $2,500 pure bred something or other dog. Within the first month, the dog swallowed a fish hook and needed to have surgery. He set up a GFM. Really? But even with non-designer pets, shit happens.
Yes, but that still comes across that since I can't put any money in a designated pet emergency fund, I shouldn't have a pet. Does shit happen? Yeah, sure. But that's why I have a good relationship with my vet (and why I chose the vet I did, in part), because he knows that if I have a large bill, it'll get paid. It might get paid in $30 increments until taxes come in, but it gets paid.

Your friend is ridiculous and is exactly why I will probably never own a purebred dog, despite how much I love corgis. I'm not paying $2500 for a dog when I can go to the shelter and pay $85 for a dog. I just don't feel like the value of a dog is based on its breed.

Yea I hear that. But you are still being responsible by making sure you're set up with a vet who can accommodate you. I would say that's the exception, not the norm.

The difference is that there are people who just get a kitten or a puppy because "omg cute" without the money to take care of it (or like in your case, a known plan).

flutteringinfl · April 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

hellosweetie1015 said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."
I didn't see it as "only $2,000". I read that more as "if you're going to have pets, you should have a pet emergency fund with adequate money in it in case shit happens." Because shit happens. Especially with pets.

One of my friends got a $2,500 pure bred something or other dog. Within the first month, the dog swallowed a fish hook and needed to have surgery. He set up a GFM. Really? But even with non-designer pets, shit happens.
Yes, but that still comes across that since I can't put any money in a designated pet emergency fund, I shouldn't have a pet. Does shit happen? Yeah, sure. But that's why I have a good relationship with my vet (and why I chose the vet I did, in part), because he knows that if I have a large bill, it'll get paid. It might get paid in $30 increments until taxes come in, but it gets paid.

Your friend is ridiculous and is exactly why I will probably never own a purebred dog, despite how much I love corgis. I'm not paying $2500 for a dog when I can go to the shelter and pay $85 for a dog. I just don't feel like the value of a dog is based on its breed.

Yea I hear that. But you are still being responsible by making sure you're set up with a vet who can accommodate you. I would say that's the exception, not the norm.

The difference is that there are people who just get a kitten or a puppy because "omg cute" without the money to take care of it (or like in your case, a known plan).

So someone I know set up a GoFundMe because their dog got bit by a snake. I'm sure the vet bills were very high. I guess I wonder how much exactly one should be expected to put aside for their pet, because I've no doubt the bills were more than what they ever expected to pay for an emergency.

southernbelle0915 · April 2015

@flutteringinfl - I'm not quoting for the love of people on mobile.

But I think it depends. It depends on the type of animal. It depends on 'how far you're willing to go' to keep the animal alive or maintain a good quality of life. It depends where you live (i.e. are there poisonous snakes around). It depends if it's indoor/outdoor or strictly indoor (i.e. less vulnerable).

So I'll share my example. We have a domestic short hair cat. She's a totally indoor cat. As long as she can have a good quality of life, we'd do anything for her. We have about $5K with her name on it if needed. And other money (not necessarily with her name on it, but easily available) if we needed it. We plan to get a dog in the next couple years. Our dog will probably spend time outside off the leash. Again, we'd do anything for it if it can have a good quality of life. We will have closer to $10K available for the dog. Again, there's other money easily available if that doesn't cover whatever issues. We realize we might be over-estimating. But we'd rather over-estimate than under-estimate.

ashley8918 · April 2015

I guess I don't understand why, especially for some of these smaller expenses, credit cards or loans are not pursued. Oh, right, because people are shameless as fuck and want free money.

littlepep · April 2015

ashley8918 said:
I guess I don't understand why, especially for some of these smaller expenses, credit cards or loans are not pursued. Oh, right, because people are shameless as fuck and want free money.

Right? I had to use a credit card for part of the time I was laid off. It sucked, but it was necessary until I went back to work. Shit happens and you don't always have enough in savings to cover. That's kind of the point of a credit card*: emergency expenses that you don't have cash for.

*Not advocating anyone go in to debt for dumb shit of course.

lyndausvi · April 2015

I feel like GFM is the new "emergency fund"

Shit happens, that is why you have an emergency fund. Sure if you are young and just starting out you are less likely to have enough funds right away, but you need to start saving. With time you will get to that point though.

Personally, I don't think people should have a pet if a couple of grand requires them to have to create a GFM account. I do some serious eye-rolling when I see people ask for a few grand.

I basically I think if a few grand pet bill is going to put you over the edge, what happens if you lose a job?

annathy03 · April 2015

I'm OK with GFMs for cancer, house fires, other huge unexpected life changing things. I side eye the hell out of ones for weddings.

The only GFM I can think of that I've contributed to was organized by a girl I graduated HS with. She started it for her brother and his wife about 3 months into his (ultimately unsuccessful) battle with cancer, at which point their emergency fund had been drained between the medical bills and him not being able to work while fighting it.

I'll do kickstarters occasionally but don't see those as charity since you're essentially buying a product, just in advance of the product actually being produced so they have the capital to make it.

climbingsingle · April 2015

hellosweetie1015 said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."

I'm not trying to offend. But yes, only. If you're in your 30s and you can't afford $2000 to pay for your sick pet, that is crazy to me. You should be able to put it on a credit card or pull it out of savings.

YogaSandy · April 2015

littlepep said:

novella1186 said:
For me, I think GFM is perfect for needing money for medical, unexpected huge expenditures (house fire, severe car accident etc) or other large life changing events.

I don't think "I want to move and get out of here" qualifies. I had a friend pass along a similar GFM. She was passing along a GFM that was set up by a single mom (I know her from HS) who wants to take off a year to be with her children. She is a single mom, so she constantly has to work and she's asking for 50k to stay at home for a year to really help her kids adjust to having a single mom.

Yeah. Sure. Let me write you that blank check straight away.
Seems like that would hurt more than help. What's she gonna do when she's ready to find a job after a year off and employers are asking about that gap in her resume?

I mean I would love a year off too. I could get back to writing full time. I deserve that, right? Since I'm a wrtier? Other people should pay for that. Because being an adult means getting to do whatever you want and having strangers fund it for you if it's not financially feasible on your end. Or not.

Agreed. I want a year off. Hell, I'd like to retire and be a stay at home cat mom. That is not realistic.

I'm from Canada, so I'm not sure if it's the same on the States, but it was on the news here at tax time, and lm assuming it would be the same ... Any crowd funding money is considered taxable income, so she'd have to pay tax on it.

One could argue that people just wouldn't report that income, but if you're audited or caught, then there are much bigger problems.

luckya23 · April 2015

YogaSandy said:

For me, I think GFM is perfect for needing money for medical, unexpected huge expenditures (house fire, severe car accident etc) or other large life changing events.

I don't think "I want to move and get out of here" qualifies. I had a friend pass along a similar GFM. She was passing along a GFM that was set up by a single mom (I know her from HS) who wants to take off a year to be with her children. She is a single mom, so she constantly has to work and she's asking for 50k to stay at home for a year to really help her kids adjust to having a single mom.

Yeah. Sure. Let me write you that blank check straight away.
Seems like that would hurt more than help. What's she gonna do when she's ready to find a job after a year off and employers are asking about that gap in her resume?

I mean I would love a year off too. I could get back to writing full time. I deserve that, right? Since I'm a wrtier? Other people should pay for that. Because being an adult means getting to do whatever you want and having strangers fund it for you if it's not financially feasible on your end. Or not.
Agreed. I want a year off. Hell, I'd like to retire and be a stay at home cat mom. That is not realistic.
I'm from Canada, so I'm not sure if it's the same on the States, but it was on the news here at tax time, and lm assuming it would be the same ... Any crowd funding money is considered taxable income, so she'd have to pay tax on it. One could argue that people just wouldn't report that income, but if you're audited or caught, then there are much bigger problems.
********************************

That *shouldn't* be the case here in the US, as you are allowed to gift a certain amount to another person per year without incurring gift tax. The amount is like $13k so not likely an amount you would collect from a single person on GFM.

lovemesomemonster · April 2015

I guess I don't get it at all and I'm sure I'm about to sound like a total bitch. Before there was the internet there were still accidents, illness, pet injuries etc. We saw the jars asking for change to help with medical bills etc. and I almost always put change in them. It seems strange to me to throw out a story on the internet asking for people to fund my life. Yes, I understand things happen and sometimes people need a little extra help, but I would NEVER think to set up a GFM, I just find it weird to put out on the internet "hey, give me money". I guess I just figure if something happens to me it's my problem to deal with.

I think it's harder for me to wrap my head around it also because of the dishonest people out there. There are honest, good people that really are just looking for a little help, but there are also so many people that see something like this and think "great, another way for me to pilfer money". Also, if I am close enough to a person to give them money I would feel better about just helping them out because it's the right thing to do and I want to, then being asked for money via the internet from them.

madamerwin · April 2015

Molly&Domenic said:
My friend had a baby born with a heart defect. I fully support the Go Fund Me that was set up to pay for the catheters, stints, and various other surgeries that this teeny baby is going through. My friend is responsible, but could never have expected her child to need this kind of care.

Another friend set up a wedding Go Fund Me. You can guess which one I will be donating to.

The only GFM's I donate to are for things like that, specifically when I know the person or they are a friend of someone I know. For example, my sister's good friend had a very rocky end to her pregnancy, and ended up delivering the baby at 30 weeks. Baby had medical issues as well, and both had to be in the hospital for over two months, two hours from home. The family obviously didn't anticipate this happening, and my sister set up a GFM to help the family pay the medical bills (the mom also had to take leave from work much earlier than expected).

I imagine I would contribute if someone I knew had any sort of medical emergency, or had a terminal illness, but really, that's about it.

I have seen GFM's for people who are trying to raise money for IVF or adoption. I get that that shit is expensive (I am starting the IVF process myself in fall), but c'mon. Asking strangers to fund it? Nope.

sarahufl · April 2015

climbingwife said:

climbingwife said:
I don't know. I'm so conflicted on this. I don't really think it's ever OK. I would maybe donate if it was a sick kid or something like that. But I've had three pop up in my news feed on FB in the past two weeks for:

Medication for a cat
Funeral arrangements for someone's father that died (he drank himself to death and had been ill for a very, very long time)
A trip to Hawaii for someone with cancer

And there's no way I'm donating to any of those for various reasons. The one with the cat - it was a one time medication that cost only $2000. I'm sorry but you if you are an adult and have pets and you can't come up with $2000, you're doing something wrong.

This begging for money shit just drives me crazy. I have been living on my own since I was 20. I didn't make a lot of money, and I worked my fucking ass off to get what I have. I scrimped and saved and put away what I could. I went without. I ate fucking ramen noodles and pierogies. I didn't get to buy new stuff. My furniture was all hand me downs. And if during those times, I needed $2000 to care for my dog, I would have gotten a third job or sold something. I wouldn't have been asking my friends for money.

$2000 is "only" two months' pay for me.

Would I do a GoFundMe for my cat to get medicine? Fuck no, that's tacky as hell. And I'm legitimately not trying to start a fight. But.... your "only" is my "fuck I'm boned."

I'm not trying to offend. But yes, only. If you're in your 30s and you can't afford $2000 to pay for your sick pet, that is crazy to me. You should be able to put it on a credit card or pull it out of savings.

Exactly this. Don't get a pet if you can't afford an emergency.

If $2k is not doable for you, you may want to re-think it.

[Deleted User] · April 2015

[Deleted User] · April 2015

themuffinman16 · April 2015

My H's second cousin started a GFM to pay for her tuition at an Ivy League school, because prestigious schools are expensive. No shit? Lol. That's why they have community colleges, state colleges and state universities. No need to go Ivy League. If I couldn't afford to finish my schooling, there is no way in hell I am contributing towards someone who is too good for a local college. She didn't raise one dollar.

GoFundMe: Ever okay?

Re: GoFundMe: Ever okay?

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