Not to long ago my middle daughter called me up to tell me one of my grandsons was having a Fund raiser for the Cub Scouts he joined this year. She wanted to know if I would be interested in purchasing anything to help out. She told me they were selling popcorn, which is something I really love to snack on so I was excited to be able to buy something I knew I would really enjoy. Well at least I did enjoy the thought of the popcorn until my daughter told me the price of a regular size bag would be $20! We have bought things during Fund raisers for all of our grandkids...but this was the first Fund raiser for this grandson and even though I really think the price is ridiculous...I went ahead and bought the $20 bag of popcorn anyway. Now I just am not sure whether to eat it or put it in a glass case where it will remind me never to pay $20 for a bag of popcorn again!
I just sent $20 for a fundraiser for my 9 yr old grandson and got nothing in return...they were just asking for donations for his school or class or something. He called me personally with a sales pitch, was so cute. Could have given any amount but I did $20. I used to get hit up by my oldest 2 here and I always bought something and it was never really worth it but it was for the school so I paid for crap.
Prices for the Fund raiser things were more reasonable years ago and I often bought things then...but Fund raiser prices have gone up so much now and we have so many grandkids that we have had to make the decision to not help with Fund raisers anymore. I want to keep being able to do Birthdays and Christmas for the grandkids, so Fund raising is not going to be in our budget anymore.
I don't get hit much anymore. When the older two were younger than I would buy the gift wrap and chocolates etc. And the little ones in Illinois don't ask unless I'm there. This was a unique situation with the $20 around Halloween. Wasn't thrilled since I had just sent $75 for Halloween for the 3! I still get the 3 little ones. Stuff for all the holidays and bday but the oldest I don't usually. Exception was money for HS graduation last year. My daughter says they don't need it...I need it.
As long as my grandkids aren't married I will get them a gift or gift them with some money for Birthday's and Christmas. After they marry I will still send cards.
I was feeling bad about not giving the older 2 gifts anymore and insisted but my daughter said that I give/gave them something that no amount of money could buy and that was my love and time. Said that was worth more to them and something they'll remember longer than an iTunes gift card. Those boys don't really need anything...even my daughter has a hard time getting them things. Little ones are easy...always need Legos. It's true...last time I was there when my daughter was cleaning up the oldest's room, she found a few unused iTunes card...one was for $100.
It's true that kids get so much these days and it is often hard to think of something the bigger ones might need or want. It seems their parents give them everything now days! Last Thanksgiving I gave a notepad and inkpens to my older grandkids and told them if they wanted gifts from us then they were going to have to make us some Wish Gift Lists...and they had to give them to us before we went home that day. I was tired of asking their Moms what to get them...or trying to guess what they liked or needed. It worked out good and every list had at least 5 things to choose from...in our price range for gifts. So I'm doing this again this year because it was actually fun to pick from those lists when I knew it would be things they wanted. Although my daughters and their husbands make a good living...the older grandkids can always use a little extra spending money so I tell them to put that on the list too if that is what they would prefer.