they think you are being selfish' i don't give very often because you never know who has there hand in the bag.

Maybe because they're thinking that you're placing the welfare of animals above theirs. Or, they dislike being compared to animals, which, obviously, wasn't your intent when you said that.

Firstly I don't give to charity on the street. In the UK it is not tax efficient to donate money unless you fill in a giftaid frm too, where 28% is added on and taken from your tax. The other option on the street is where you fill in a direct debit form and that is basically a charity mugging (performed by chuggers!) As far as animal charities are concerned (and I would like to point out that I am vegetarian.) I personally feel that there are many more charities that are a lot more important, for example Cancer and Heart charities, or charities providing help to the homeless; I would rather donate my money to those charities than ones for animals.

Because they want YOUR money. They want MY money. They want EVERY ONE'S money! BUT once you part with your hard-earned dollars, do you REALLY know if that money is going to the "charity" they tell you it's going to? The answer is a re-sounding "NO"! How do I know this? One afternoon I was with my Dad. Outside one of his favorite restaurants, people were "selling chances for a car" for what was once one of my Mom's many charities. I bought a "book of 6 tickets for $5." After filling in my name and number and getting the stubs, Dad asked what I did. I told him. This is what he told me: "Your mother was one of the few people who raised money for that charity and gave every dollar she raised to that charity. More than likely your money won't get any further than those folks pockets. You see, son, there are people out here who think they are entitled to get a piece of the action for their time." Since that day, I NEVER gave another penny to anyone "hustling" anything for any charity on the street. BUT that's my choice. In addition: I do the same with folks soliciting contributions on the phone. Here's what I tell them: "You have my phone number. Do you have my address?" If the reply is, "Yes", I say this: Will you please do me a favor?" AND I ALWAYS wait for an answer. When the answer is "Yes" OR "Sure": "Will you please send me something on your charity's letterhead? I don't arbitrarily commit to any amount of money to any charity over the phone." When the response is, "NO": I ask them, Will you please make a note of my address and send me something on your letterhead? Then I'll consider it." To this day (about 12 years later), I have yet to get any correspondence from any telemarketer representing any charity. (Is that a hint?) A couple times I heard, "We're not allowed to do that." Without saying one word, I IMMEDIATELY hang-up the phone. Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: Because you asked.