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I read the obituaries in my home town newspaper everyday. Lately, maybe the last year or so I have been seeing people being told to go to gofundme. People that seem to have had successful lives, good jobs, are now doing what many would consider begging. Asking to pay for the funeral, educate their children, pay bills. Am I the only one having a problem with this? I have donated to fundraisers, bought tickets to fundraisers, and donated prizes to fundraisers but this seems so much different to me. Gives me a weird feeling especially when I know the family.
Any thoughts? Is this just a changing of the times?
It is mind boggling. Sometimes understandable if it is a child who dies suddenly or something like that but when an older person dies after an illness, you would think they would have put back money for a funeral.
Well, every funeral I've been to, people have enclosed cash in the envelopes with the sympathy cards. Because burials are ridiculously expensive. Perhaps they are using the gofundme in lieu of cash in sympathy cards?
For several years, I've seen requests to help pay for funerals, children's education, etc. It's only recently that the gofundme suggestion became a part of it--since the inception of the site.
If it's a younger adult with children, the education part doesn't bother me that much. Or even an unexpected death...
I read the obituaries in my home town newspaper everyday. Lately, maybe the last year or so I have been seeing people being told to go to gofundme. People that seem to have had successful lives, good jobs, are now doing what many would consider begging. Asking to pay for the funeral, educate their children, pay bills. Am I the only one having a problem with this? I have donated to fundraisers, bought tickets to fundraisers, and donated prizes to fundraisers but this seems so much different to me. Gives me a weird feeling especially when I know the family.
Any thoughts? Is this just a changing of the times?
We have an entitlement society now.
There is now a trend for weddings where couples create websites and tell you what fund you can contribute to, their honeymoon fund, their we want to buy a house fund.
I just saw one from a couple who have lived together for 5 years and make combined over six figures. I think it's tacky to beg for money unless you're in dire straits.
I don't mind if someone is killed in a hit and run the family is traumatized and not expecting the death.
But as you said you see this from people with good jobs, who have successful lives.
You see this a lot with police officers, when in fact the widow/widower get's the salary and than the pension unless they remarry. Sorry, they don't need the money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiGal7
Well, every funeral I've been to, people have enclosed cash in the envelopes with the sympathy cards. Because burials are ridiculously expensive. Perhaps they are using the gofundme in lieu of cash in sympathy cards?
Than look at cremation. While it will still cost about $1,500 it's much less than a burial.
Like photobuff above, I find it strange that an older person would not have an insurance policy or some savings to take care of their burial costs. And if not, that middle class relatives could not chip in for a decent funeral/burial. But no, no one wants to feel put upon. Nowadays people seem to think it makes more sense to make random strangers assume the responsibility for their problematic situations.
I find the whole concept of gofundme simply astonishing. I've been on a couple of sites, and cannot believe many of the things that people are asking for money for. Glorified begging for fancy weddings, vacations, parties, bills, etc.
The spirit of entitlement has overtaken our country.
Well, every funeral I've been to, people have enclosed cash in the envelopes with the sympathy cards. Because burials are ridiculously expensive. Perhaps they are using the gofundme in lieu of cash in sympathy cards?
I've never known that to be a practice. How would you know what's in the envelopes of a funeral you attend? I most often see a charity specified where the surviving family members would like donations sent.
It is mind boggling. Sometimes understandable if it is a child who dies suddenly or something like that but when an older person dies after an illness, you would think they would have put back money for a funeral.
Greedy heirs?
To be fair, a long illness can be extremely expensive and can leave a family in debt. I don't think that's a great example.
I do think a lot of gofundme requests are tacky. I think the cause is both a feeling of entitlement by the younger generation, and that the economy isn't what it once was. A family used to be able to live pretty well on one salary, then get a good retirement/pension after 30 years. That doesn't happen much anymore.
Before gofundme, I used to see fundraiser car washes when a member of a lower income family died suddenly.
At least you get a clean car from a car wash event.
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