I did a little bit in my younger years. I usually just offer to donate money to whoever is asking. I really don't need the cookies and money is pure profit.

I just sent Girl Scout donation to a friend's daughter (across the country). The daughter decided to split the money between "give cookies to a soldier" and a straight donation. I thought that was a great idea too.

Lisa

mwoods - I hated it too. Felt like I was begging and since my sales weren't up to snuff, I guess it showed.

Never had to, but I would have been a complete bust, I could not sell a sandwich to a hungry person.

I was a lousy cookies seller,too. Hated it, and parents would only let me go to the doors of people we knew. They were concerned about safetey even back then.

I really didn't like the days of 'parties' where one was expected to buy things they don't necessarily want or need, generally overpriced, to support friends who were trying to gain prizes for selling X dollars of goods. I particularly don't appreciate groups using children to do it for their particular 'causes'. They know adults would feel guilty NOT buying a token something from a child they love. And I really, really hate the newest twist on it.....teenagers standing on the hellstrips of busy streets and intersections in town approaching car windows to solicit donations. Shame on whoever thought of that one.

If adults want to raise money.....let them do it in an adult manner. Yes.....I was a girl scout for one year and yes, I did the door-to-door. I stank at it too. The kids who usually got the 'prizes' for most sales had parents who dragged the sheets to work and did their children's work for them.

Selling anything is an awful way to make a living, IMO. Like you, Lisa, when kids come to the door, I usually just give a donation, b/c I don't want whatever they're selling, but feel guilty turning them, away, empty-handed.

I hated it with a passion and I won't even do it for my son at work. "It's against our rules" gets me out of doing it, but really, it's his job to call on people if he wants to sell it. He's usually dying to win the grand prize whatever it is, but it's more than that. I can say, "I'll buy you X just for trying" and that doesn't do it. He wants to win. He's not even a competitive person, so I don't get it??? Maybe it's the recognition. Once or twice I've been able to get him to phone friends/family and most say yes, but he hates it too.

Around here, there are usually car washes and I too cringe at the chiildren standing on the corner trying to drum up business. I haven't seen the adults sending kids in thing, but I wouldn't even donate to those kids.

I donate money because I usually can't afford what they're selling. I feel I can give them $1 or $2, but I sure as heck can't give them $15 for a tin of popcorn, even if it is a "collectorable tin". I got out of the habit of the cookie buying because Ed is a diabetic. He really didn't need the cookies.

Lots of people are born salesmen and cut their teeth, so to speak selling door to door.
One of the best "sell stuff for school programs" salesmen I ever saw was a friend of my daughter. He sold crates of fruit, dibs and dabs of stuff from a catalog, wrapping paper etc. I always bought because he was so good.
Now he's a pastor....go figure! Suppose there's a connection? LOL!
Linda C

No, I never did that; wouldn't have even if the opportunity had existed. I'm not against selling, I am against being compelled or peer-pressured or adult-pressured into selling.

I feel very much as Suzi put it, especially when it's schools or Scouts or charity organizations. It's teaching children that it's okay (and rewarding!) to put guilt trips on adults. And check the amount that actually gets used for claimed purpose -- if I'm going to donate then I feel 100% of the donation should be used for the charity and I refuse to have my money used for any less.

Years ago, DD's school PTA wanted to sell flower bulbs, getting about 3/4 of the income to use for buying books. I stood up in the meeting and said that I would donate cash -- which they could use 100% percent -- but I would not buy bulbs, candy, cookies, magazines or anything that was not a true-value donation. I added my opinion about guilt trips, and sat down (knees shaking so badly they wouldn't hold me up). There was an eternities-long silence, then almost the whole group started talking -- in agreement! When the dust settled, the only parents who favored the selling were the ones who had made the original proposal. I hate speaking up to large groups of people, but I've never been sorry that I did so that time.

We must be living in a unique place because the Scouts here just set up a table somewhere and there is an adult with them. If you want cookies,you go buy them.It's the same with chocolate bars and other things that kids sell. I think kids who benefit from an organization need to do something to contribute to that organization. It doesn't matter what as long as they know that all the good stuff they get isn't coming free of charge and they need to help out.We've been here 30 years and I've never had kids here to sell something. Well,I told a neighbor once to send over her son and I got a magazine subscription from him.

Am I the only one who loved selling? Started with magazines, on to Avon,Mary Kay, Home Interiors, and a dried food thingie that I don't remember the name of. Graduated to Real Estate. Loved them all, didn't make a lot of money but I had fun and loved meeting and talking to all the people. Talk, talk, talk, loved it!

I sold Campfire Girl candies when I was a kid--I think they were chocolate-covered toffee bars. Pretty tasty, as I recall. I didn't really like doing it, but I felt satisfaction when it was going well.