Would you give to charity instead of receiving greeting cards?

A question about : Would you give to charity instead of receiving greeting cards?

Hi money saving mums!

85% of women buy greeting cards. And we're spending 1.5 Billion a year on them.

Would you want to see some of this money go to better use, such as giving to charity, instead of people sending you all of those cards?

Imagine Ј50 going to a cause you care about, instead of cards on your special occasion? What charity would you give to?

Many thanks!

Best answers:

• They can send you a personal message on Facebook.
• Not a mum, but will always send cards to my nearest and dearest. If I didn't, I definitely would not be sending them the money instead.
  Anyway, I make cards to send to friends. I always buy my mum a nice one. I also keep cards from my mum and sister and her family. People don't keep things any more.
  Photos are all added to FB and rarely kept/printed.
  There is still a certain sentiment in sending an actual card you've picked out rather than just sending say a text/email IMO.
  Jx
• Sorry, I think its a horrible idea!
  I get my greetings cards cheaply e.g. 8 for Ј1 from Card Factory, so its hardly worth my while to send 12p.
  I'd be more than happy to buy somebody a drink in lieu of a card, but if I received an email asking for money instead of a card, they may get a big fat nothing for being so grabby.
• God someone asked about this before...someone obviously thinks they have the next million dollar idea but won't listen to reason.
  You CAN NOT send a message to someone saying 'I don't want a card please give me Ј2 instead!'
  It's RUDE.
• I love sending and receiving cards ! As I type this I'm admiring my daughters birthday cards lined up on the mantlepiece. No doubt she will have messages on her facebook page as well,but I don't get to see those, as I personally don't do facebook.
  As for donating to charity ,I already do that as about 80% of the cards I buy come from the Oxfam /Cancer charity shop .
  I always think its nice to have cards arriving in the post, much nicer than the usual bills and junk mail.
• I will always give cards to my close family. I would feel awkward turning up for somebody's birthday and saying "sorry, I didn't get you a card, but I sent the Ј1.50 to the RSPCA".
  However, in a previous job I had, everybody agreed not to give out cards to their colleagues and someone came around with a collecting tin and we all gave some money to charity instead. So, in that sense, yes, definitely a great idea.
• It's a silly idea for the reasons others have said. I enjoy receiving cards as it's good to know that someone thinks enough of you to take the time to send one. You can't display good wishes.
• A lot of people last Christmas put on facebook
  `I`m not sending card this year but have donated Јx to xxxx Merry Christmas all`.
  Its nice in a way, I like to send a card though!
• I have to say I do sometimes send some family members an e-card which has a donation attached to a charity. Last Christmas as part of my parents Christmas gifts they got an e-card which was a Ј25 donation to a charity and they appreciated that more than say another yankee candle.
  I wouldn't do it with everyone but yes, I will do it when it's somebody I know will appreciate it
• It's good to help a charity but it's good to remember the warmth of a small action in our life too!
  I guess there are cases where we can keep buying a card, especially when we know it's really appreciated.
  We can also buy cards from charities, so we can keep sending our love while we're supporting those in need.
• Our office has a "card wall" on which we post which charity we gave the card money to. And any external cards that come in. There are well over 60 of us on the floor, so we save and donate reasonable amounts.
  My family have Absolutely No Truck with this & I'll just irritate sundry sisters & cousins & aunts by even suggesting it, so I get my cards from Charity shops! Just being organised enough to get them out in time by 2nd class is a challenge for me.
• I'll help charities when the directors stop getting huge wages, until then i'll send greetings cards!!
• I do send cards for birthdays to nearest and dearest, but never ever send Xmas cards. I chuck some money at a charity instead then (have done for around 15 years).
• I wouldn't send money to charity instead of buying cards, mainly because I know what goes on at some of the larger, well-known charities. Oxfam, for instance, has over Ј80million in the bank in cash, as well as investments, stocks etc, and they really don't need the money. Same, believe it or not, with Shelter (nowhere near as much money, but more than enough to keep the charity and its projects running for a fair amount of time). With a lot of the national major charities, it is a very similar situation - as part of my uni degree I had to examine national charities against local charities, and I was so shocked what the larger ones do, I don't think I could ever bring myself to donate to them now I actually know what goes on there.
  I like sending and receiving cards, and I also buy them in bulk as others have said - not sure 10p to a charity would go down well with anyone I usually buy a card for.
  I think so much is focused on charity at the moment that it can blur judgement - I give to local charities who help my local area, and do this of my own free will without huge budget adverts meant to guilt people into helping. I donate because they do a great job, are accountable, and don't beg for money.
• British Heart Foundation - every time!
• I buy my greeting cards from charity shops...most have a stand with them on now!
  two birds..one stone ;P
• I buy cheap cards (or get the kids to make one) for birthdays. I dont send xmas cards, I donate to British Epilepsy Assoc or Salvation Army.