Co-workers kids selling stuff at work....ughh

[misskitty100]

DH came home last night and informed he just purchased $20 bucks worth of popcorn from his bosses kids. I guess he *only* bought one thing from each kid (as they were dressed up in their cub scout uniform, standing at DH's desk with their Mom....no obligation there) but each item was $10.00 bucks.

I HATE stuff like this. Before I was a SAHM, I used to plan my vacation around girl scout cookie time (nothing against the actual cookies) but the women who sat next me would chime in everytime someone walked by her cube or called her, and the cookie talk was none stop for what seemed like a couple of months.

I would assume the companies that come up with the fundraising programs are probably making a ton of money while the actual sellers make very little....and in our area, the kids hardly need a few bucks more so they can *afford* to go on a camping trip or whatever. :rolleyes:

I must confess as a former Camp Fire Girl, I have sold my fair share of chocolate mints and almond roca going door to door - sorry to all those I bothered!!

[mrswaz]

Oh I know it! This past weekend, a cub scout came to the door with popcorn. Way overpriced, and DH came dashing in to grab his wallet. He explained to me that he was just going to give the kid five bucks and not buy anything, since they probably only make a buck or two on each one sold.

I thought it sounded okay for a split second and then had DH buy a tin of caramel corn instead. I figure the kids are in some kind of contest, and they are going for prizes that total the amount sold- no one's going to care if there's an extra five bucks tossed in or not- the money wouldn't figure in. Our town is small, so no doubt we get approached many times for the same cause. They all get the same treatment. We buy something from the first one, and then after that they get an apology and a "we already bought some, good luck to you."

I can just hope that when my kids get to a fundraising age, they either won't want to participate, or I can come up with an alternative. I have a few years to come up with it.

[Robyn1007]

Next time you might want to ask what they are doing with extra money. A couple of years ago I told a girl scout troop outside of a grocery store to keep the change. They told me they were pooling any additional money to buy extra boxes and send to the troops overseas. If I'd had more cash it would've been theirs too.

I agree though, I hate it when co-workers hound for that type of stuff. I don't mind as much if they ask me but I think its completely inappropriate for them to bring the kids in so you feel completely stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[DanaSD]

I hate it, especially when its the boss or higher ups you feel obligated to buy. The one that really gets me is that the preschools do fund raising - these are private preschools - why should I help fund their tuition? It would be different if these preschools were for underpriveledged kids or to provide scholarships for those who can't afford it but these are preschools that our executives send their kids to. I always ask what the money is going towards before purchasing - I find that often the parents don't even know.

The programs don't really get that much money either for each sale, the vendors really mark up their prices. I love that some schools are starting to get rid of the sales and instead just ask for donations - they get more money and you get less junk.

Since I bake cakes, I have started to say no to buying the stuff and tell them to let me know when they're having a bake sale and I'll donate something then.

[Arete]

I agree that it's not really appropriate when they bring in the kids... it's kind of a passive-agressive guilt trip.

When a parent asks me if I want to buy something for scouts, band, soccer clubs etc, I always tell them that I will buy the stuff from them (the parents) when they come dressed in their uniform. So far, no parent has put on a girl scout uniform...

[SDMomChef]

Sigh....with 3 kids in school and the PTA fundraising and 2 boys in boy scouts, I DETEST fundraising. For the PTA, I followed the suggestions of others last year, and this year just wrote a check for the PTA in lieu of purchasing over-priced wrapping paper.

Boy scouts are a harder call. The pack/den make a big deal about selling the popcorn, and in some ways, it is good practice for them on behaviors. I guess I never turn down the neighborhood door-to-door sales because I think it is harder for the kids to go out and ask for people to buy things, and usually, the organization is a good organization. That being said, I refuse to bring the sheets to the office because I think some of the "lessons" with doing the selling are having the kids do the actual work. I also have resented the times pre-kids to feeling like I have to buy something from co-workers.

Frankly, I so wish the organizations could figure out how to do away with fundraising by little kids.

[tbb113]

Depending on the product, they may be making as much as 50% of the proceeds.

I disagree...I think the kid should be standing there asking for the sale. It isn't the parent's responsibility to sell the stuff, it is the kid's responsibility.

[armel]

I'm probably in the minority. but I love buying the stuff from the kids. I don't have any of my own. All of my relatives live in other states. So I probably don't get hit up as much as y'all. I won't buy if there isn't anything I want. But if i like the item (and I love popcorn) I can live with it being overpriced.

[Curiosity Hears]

I'm probably in the minority. but I love buying the stuff from the kids. I don't have any of my own. All of my relatives live in other states. So I probably don't get hit up as much as y'all. I won't buy if there isn't anything I want. But if i like the item (and I love popcorn) I can live with it being overpriced.


I completely agree. Before I had the dds I loved it when coworkers brought in these fund raisers. Some of the stuff is really cute and the gift wrap is very high quality. I never felt pressured, I would simply look and if there was something I wanted (which there usually was) I would buy it. No big deal.

[sage]

In our office, if the parents bring in the sign up sheet, they just sit it on a table in our breakroom. Then you can look at it or not---sign up or not---no pressure. I usually get some popcorn from the boy scouts (from a friend whose child sells).

I just bought one of the tubs of cookie dough---it'll keep in the freezer and will be nice to have on hand with the holidays coming. I'm not a big cookie maker. Money goes to support the fine arts program at the middle school.

I'll buy something if I can use it and it seems to be for a good cause.

[aggie94]

I would much rather be hit up by a brochure in the breakroom at work or by an email from a friend with a link to an online fundraising site that I can browse at my leisure than be bothered at home by door-to-door solicitors. And DH & I almost always buy something. :)

[Lauren]

I'm so glad my son's schools (MS and HS) request a donation rather than sell stuff. But, having run a Yankee Candle sale for 3 years in elementary school, plus scounts, religious school, etc., I understand the importance. Sell to your friends and/or families.

However, I do not feel it should be forced on people in an office. Many companies have a "no soliciation" policy. If your co-worker likes girl scout cookies and you know they're interested, that's one thing. But I can't believe a boss would have his wife and kids sell within the office. Tacky IMHO! :rolleyes:

[stefania4]

I'm sooo fortunate - I only get hit up once a year, and it's a co-worker who has led Girl Scout troops for (literally) 30 years in the inner city. Her own daughters are all grown, but she is so passionate about the benefits of Scouting that she continues to lead a troop. I'm happy to buy from her.

[tippy7]

At my office, parents usually send out an email saying that their kid is selling cookies, popcorn, whatever, and if anyone is interested, to go to their office to order. I think this is perfectly acceptable. No one is pressured to purchase anything and those who would like to make a purchase are given the opportunity to do so. When parents work it is hard to take your child door to door unless you want to do it in the dark.

[Wendy w]

Sometimes I buy, sometimes I don't. I have a work friend who always brings in her kids' school stuff, but she isn't pushy about it.

We used to have a faculty member who has a daughter who was a girl scout. She used to send out an email letting us know when it was cookie sale time and we would let her know what we wanted. At a later date, she would bring her DD in to deliver the cookies. It was something that we all looked forward to. A couple of years ago, she stopped being a girl scout because of too many activities. My hips are thanking me.

[Beth Y]

What bothers me is the hoopla that goes on at the schools to pressure kids to sell, sell, sell. Well, in our neighborhood, every kid is selling, so door to door is out. We really don't have many relatives near by still alive or that would buy. I don't work and my DH is the boss, so he doesn't feel that he can ask others to buy. So, we end up buying some, but not much. At her school, they have prizes for top seller (Sally Foster, raffle tickets) each day, top seller each class, top seller overall...etc. THey post it all in the lunch room, announce in morning announcements, etc. Big "to do". It is clear the kids that are selling big are kids that have big local families that buy, kids that have dads/moms that can sell hundreds (one Dad owns a popular local wine store and a restaurant with big following, one is ex-basketball star that now sells real estate, etc). I explain to DD how we donate other ways, but just can't sell these things, and she understands, but it doesn't make it easy for her to deal with all the hoopla at school. Makes me mad.

[melfitz]

We don't even ask anyone. DH & I just buy the minimum for ourselves - magazine subscriptions, cookie dough, whatever. The fundraising is really pointless. I, too, would rather just make a donation.

[greysangel]

i wish there was a girl scout mom in my office :o

[donleyk]

I don’t feel compelled to purchase anything but often do. I love the wrapping paper. It stands up to me and DH’s wrapping techniques (or lack there of) without a rip. I have bought GS cookies in the past but didn’t this year and didn’t feel badly for it. Like some others, we don’t have kids nor family that hounds us so usually I look forward to at least flipping thru the magazines.

[Beth Y]

I must confess to being sad when the band fruit selling kid graduated.....I loved it when that just arrived from Florida box of oranges came in!

[sage]

i wish there was a girl scout mom in my office

The worst was when I worked in an office with 2 girl scout moms---they were very nice---no pressure. HOWEVER---they would buy extra cases and keep them in their office. Because they knew we were WEAK.

Every afternoon about 3 pm SOMEONE would get the urge for cookies and it was sooooo easy to just go get a box---they would even run a "tab" for us. And of course we had to have more than one box open at a time so we all had something we liked...

I don't even want to think about how many cookies we ate...and of course we would do the exact same thing the next year...

[Kathy B]

As the parent of a GS and a BS, the profits to the group are actually very good. Our troop makes $.50 per box of cookies sold, and the GS council makes something like $1. 89 per box. OUrs sell for $3.50 each, although it varies between councils. Our council owns FIVE GS camps in our area that all troops can use for very little cost, complete with zip-lines, rapelling towers, archery ranges, climbing walls, and one even has a stable full of horses!

Boy scout popcorn has approximately 70% of the cost going to scouts. I don't know how it is divided up between the troops and the councils, but Boy Scouts ALSO have some wonderful camp properties that serve thousands of boys in the area every year.

These are the ONLY products I let my kids sell door-to-door, and yes, they have also gone to their dad's work to sell. DD has been the only one to sell their for years, and people start asking her dad a month ahead when she will be coming in. Now there is another little girl, and they both come in the same day and go around together. If someone doesn't want to buy, they just say "no thanks" and the girls move on. My DD has learned so much from selling cookies.....how to talk to adults, how to present her product, how to answer questions, make change, organize her lists, etc.... Now the new little girl is learning from her, so she is learning to mentor as well. No way would they get that experience if her dad just took a list to work.

I DO take a list to work since she can't go around selling in a hospital, but she makes a sign and puts her pic on it, and I hang it in the lounge. And she DOES come in with me on a weekend or towards the end of a day to deliver as many as possible her self.

Personally, I ALWAYS buy something from a CHILD who approaches me and asks. Even if I can't use it myself, I can give it to someone else as a gift. I don't usually buy from parents who ask FOR their child.

[sdcook]

Frankly, I so wish the organizations could figure out how to do away with fundraising by little kids.

Our school did away with the door to door fundraisers this year. They've come up with a ton of other options to raise money. Because, really, for our school we aren't raising money for things the kids need. It's things the school wants. Like a marquee for outside the school (that's their big goal for the year), treasure box treats for the classrooms, extra playground equipment, etc.

We only get boy scouts coming to our house. I love their popcorn, so I'm happy to buy from them.

[misskitty100]

We only get boy scouts coming to our house. I love their popcorn, so I'm happy to buy from them.

I have NEVER heard of Boy Scout popcorn before but obviously a lot of you have and it is very good.... :o

I am now looking forward to getting our popcorn ;)

Greysangel: Oh boy do I know a mom that would LOVE to come to your office.......I can already hear her now, "It tastes just like a tea cake" :eek:

[jellyben]

I don't even buy the cr@p my own kids sell, so I am really not in a hurry to buy from someone else's kids.

Unless, of course, we are talking GS cookies. Can't resist. And their no cash up front thing is a killer. The year I was pregnant with my DD(I blame it on the pregnancy!) I must have bought from 5 girls. And when they all arrived a few weeks later I realized I had ordered 21 boxes!!

[lisas3575]

And DH & I almost always buy something. :)

...filing away for future reference.... ;)

[Andrea_2]

Personally, I ALWAYS buy something from a CHILD who approaches me and asks. Even if I can't use it myself, I can give it to someone else as a gift. I don't usually buy from parents who ask FOR their child.

This is pretty much what I do too. I will always buy something from kids in the neighborhood (well, except for the one kid who never delivered what I ordered, and his mother just made excuses for him.. :rolleyes: ). I don't usually buy something from kids that I don't recognize and have no idea where they live though. I also never buy stuff from parents selling the kids stuff. I work in multiple store locations, and feel like I'm being asked to buy stuff almost every day, and it just drives me crazy. I don't bring my kids stuff to work either. I either buy a few things myself, or just give the daycare a donation.

[Terri_A]

I have 150 raffle tickets that I need to sell by Friday for DD ( 4 1/2 )...anyone want any?

Hehehe....

but seriously if you want some let me know....the prizes are Amex gift cards and I'm going to have to eat all 150 probably!

[Peweh]

I really like that our local boy scouts have a bin at the town recycling center to drop off cans & bottles for the recycling $$ (in MA it's 5 cents deposit a bottle). So if I'm too lazy to turn it in at the store for the money at least they are getting a few bucks. they make it even easier every few months they have a 'bottle drive' and if you put the stuff out curbside they'll pick it up, or you can drop it off in bulk at the historical society parking lot which is what I usually do. Except I'm often embarrassed DH and I and friends drink that much beer!! But I think it is a good alternative to selling for them, I hate the obligation to buy.

as for the office, I'm with those who just throw the sign up sheet in the office, no pressure - and everyone likes a good Samoa, right? (although I think they now call them Caramel Delights...)

[aggie94]

...filing away for future reference.... ;)

That had better be a very distant future, Missy! :eek: ;)

[Gracie]

I wish we had a boy scout mom in our office!!!!! :D

Cookies are easy to come by but I've never heard of Boy Scout popcorn!

Loren

[SDMomChef]

A twist - I was talking to a friend this morning about this topic because one of my co-workers here posted a sheet for her son's choir's fundraiser. The product is coffee - something that I love and can use - so I gladly purchased some.

Anyhoo, her point was that she gets annoyed when she buys things from others at work, but those same people do not buy from her when she puts up her kids fundraisers. Never thought about that, but I guess I can see her point.

[Beth]

DH and his coworkers put fliers in the lunchroom. No pressure, but there are a few regular buyers. I have one son selling scout popcorn now and another selling fresh wreaths and greenery for Christmas. We always buy some popcorn (I was suprised at how good it was) and get a wreath for ourselves and ship a couple for gifts. The wreath gift shipments are about half the price of the ones I saw in catalogs last year, so I have no problem sending those!

[misskitty100]

I just did some quick research regarding the Boy Scout's and their popcorn fundraiser and it appears that they get to keep 70% of the money sold for each can of popcorn that they sell. That is fantastic!!!

Not sure if the popcorn costs the same across the country, but in our area that is $7 dollars for the scouts for each sale.

Obviously, I was mistaken when I assumed they didn't make very much money for themselves.

[misskitty100]

I have one son selling scout popcorn now and another selling fresh wreaths and greenery for Christmas. We always buy some popcorn (I was suprised at how good it was) and get a wreath for ourselves and ship a couple for gifts. The wreath gift shipments are about half the price of the ones I saw in catalogs last year, so I have no problem sending those!

Do the boy scouts sell wreaths too?

[Lrimerman]

I can relate. DD and DS are in different schools. Last year with Girl Scouts there were 3-4 fundraisers in a row and then more a few months later.

This year is much better. DD's school did one fund raiser which was a Fun Run. It was during school hours, they got donations for sponsorship (name of co. on the shirts) the kids took donations for doing laps at school during the run. It worked out great. DD was sick the day of the run, but we still got 3 sponsors and over $100 in donations. No junk, no pressure, pure money for the school. Benefits of exercise, school wide pep rally, learning about healthy habits, etc.

I ignored DS's schools fundraiser.

However, I am a Girl Scout troop leader, so obligated to do those fundraisers. Actually was surprised by the magazine prices this year. I had just renewed my cooking light online for around $15 for a year and the Girl Scout offer was 2 years for $20. Our troop gets 1.50 per subscription, so not too shabby. Plus the council gets a cut. We are also selling candy and nuts and calendars. Those are from $5-$8 per item and we get $1.00 each for the troop and the council gets a cut, so not too bad.

Cookies start in December. Those are easy to sell.

Lisa

[Beth]

Do the boy scouts sell wreaths too?

That is a troop activity rather than a BSA one. As far as I know, the popcorn is the only BSA fundraiser that is nationwide -- pretty much like Girl Scout Cookies.