I give when I can. I don't like chuggers but realise they have a job to do. I hate being stopped several times as I walk down the street and then feeling bad for not giving. A friend used to be one. She got £45 a day.

Have to agree with Rosie. I worked in Soho (that sounds so dodge) and on the way down to Oxford Circus station, I got pestered day in day out. You get blind to them and they cause you not to give to any of them, which defeats the purpose.

It's interesting in the US as you don't see many collectors on the streets, except the Salvation Army with the red buckets at Xmas, (and they don't stalk you). What we do get are loads of phone calls. Apparently they are exempt from the no-call rules, whereby if you've listed yourself on the national do-not-call list, anyone calling for a charity can still call. Furthermore, they make themselves unindentifiable if you have caller ID.
I do a lot of charitable stuff (which isn't me patting myself on the back - it's very common here to volunteer for charities), and we also donate money but I'm winnowing down the list of organisations I give to, so that my donations can be more meaningful.
I have found myself saying a few times recently that I won't be giving "this year" and callers generally don't argue with that.

I agree with you. I am involved with charities which are close to me in one way or another. The door-to-door callers are tricky - I know they are doing a great job but it's kind of intrusive and invariably they call just when I'm bathing the kids or changing a particularly offensive nappy. Didn't see the concert last night but will be watching the whole shabang tonight. Great cause.

There is huge pressure at this time of year to give to charities. At the moment my son's school is doing a penny race and the team hat brings in the most money for charity gets a non-uniform day at school and films to watch at the end of term. I have been saving some in a tub and asked him to take it in the other day, but he took one look at how much I'd put in and told me to save some more because the green team had brought in much more than that!

Then there's Operation Christmas Child which I packed my son off to school with today and he took great pride in enclosing a note addressed 'Dir child, I hop you like your stuf.' (He's only five) and adding a handful of sweets from his own very precious selection.

I am more than happy to support any of the school's charities and I support the big cancer charities at any opportunity as this is an illness that has tarnished several members of our family lives. That really is my lot.

I used to give to the big issue until my husband came home one day fuming after he'd seen one of the regular 'sellers' he supported in London sitting at the bus stop in a suit and tie reading the Times newspaper and smoking a cigarette!!!

I hate the chuggers! Our high street is absolutely rife - you have to steal yourself and then power walk throwing out a constant stream of 'no thank you!'s and 'not today thanks'. It's always the same people but wearing different tabbards which always kind of annoys me... They don't seem to care if you're pushing a screaming baby, or on the phone, or have a mouthful of sandwich. And they watch you like hawks and always swoop on me cause I look young and easily manipulated...

Now I am in a difficult position at the mo in that I am flat broke and have hat to stop my regular charity donations :( BUT! This year I am going without a couple of Christmas presents and using the money to give to Oxfam instead and I give when there is the odd bit of money left each month.

I give to three charities every month, and donate all my old clothes and baby stuff to charity shops, so really hate being harassed when I'm just trying to make it down the street. When I tell them I already donate to three other charities they always reply - why not make it four? I do my bit, and resent being made to feel guilty.

I think quite a lot of people do what they can, we have our special charities which we give to and always get involved with fundraising at school whatever the beneficiary is, kids love seeing just how much they can get into a shoe box for the christmas appeal. It's quite annoying then when you are made to feel guilty for not giving to another charity by a collector or someone who rings you at home. (how do they get your number?)

At christmas we have started to buy gifts online from WORLD VISION such as trees, goats, school books, etc for those in third world countires, you fill in a gift card online and they send that to you with details of the gift you have bought. The children then give these to their teachers (and the numerous classroom assistants, specific subject teachers etc etc) instead of the usual choccies as a gift. Just hope they appreciate it instead of the 30 boxes of goodies they get! There are quite a few charities online that you can do this with and I think it teaches the children about those less fortunate too. I always let them pick the gifts, son always wants to go for footballs and sporty gifts, and these are just as important as the necessary items too. Sorry sounds like i'm preaching, just thought it's a really good ideal

Thanks for the mention. It is difficult to chose where to donate, there are so many in need. I never feel guilty for ignoring the chuggers because I know I do what I can, but I'm never rude to them.