all charity quizzes - opinions please

[lady'smum]

I'm not sure if anyone else has come across this. My bank have offered a 'Green' account whereby I would not get any statements etc sent in the post, but by e-mail or internet banking instead. Part of this account's green thinking, is NO CHEQUE BOOK. This would mean sending cash to pay for quizzes. I know the Cinnamon Trust (I think) accept Tesco gift cards which saves a cheque, and if I remember rightly the Children of Fiji quiz, you could pay through their web site. Does anyone have any thoughts on going ''cheque-book-less''. Do any of the other quiz setters have other ideas. When I asked in the bank, the only advise was to do a bank transfer via internet banking - this of course means people giving out bank account details all over the place. I would like to go 'green' on my bank account with no statements sent by post, but would then be without cheques and then have problems paying for and entering all the good charity quizzes out there. Your thoughts please! Many thanks,

[gen2]

Most quizzes will accept cash but there is an increased risk in sending money that way so if you enter many quizzes, I would say keep one cheque account active. Many people have accounts with both a high-street bank and with a building society. By all means go green on one and reduce statements on the other to quarterly instead of monthly.

As for direct bank transfers, that is fine when done through large organisations with secure billing pages - account details are then kept private and safe. The reality is that most charity quizzes are run by individuals or small groups on behalf of a larger charity. These people are unlikely to have secure websites and would rightly be reluctant to disclose bank account details on an open web page. I would even be wary of including it in just the quiz itself, though having said that, when you send a cheque, it has your bank account number on the bottom and you don't generally think twice about that.

Finally, If payments were to be made by direct bank transfers, it would add an extra layer of checking before the quiz-setter could send out the quiz. When I was doing my quiz, most days the quizzes were sent within 2 hours of the post arriving. Each one simply required the recording of date, name, address and amount received. Having to access an on-line bank account and match up payments with requests would further delay this process.

Oh! Just realised why that wouldn't work. Payments are generally made direct to the charity involved, but the individual(s) running the quiz would not have access to view that account on-line. Therefore the idea is a non-starter. (I don't think people would be keen to pay money into someone's personal account when it was intended for a charity.

[Sir Alec]

Do the charity quizzes accept postal orders?

[lady'smum]

Good thought about Postal Orders Sir Alec.
I've just checked the Post Office web site and a �1.00 order ill actually cost �1.47. This may put people off.
Would this rely on someone going to the post office to cash them or can you pay them into a bank account the same way as a cheque?

[jared25]

I send off for lots of quizzes and pay for them all with cash. I sellotape a �1 coin between 2 pieces of card, which are the same size as the envelope, then wrap my s.a.e. around it and you would not know that there is any money in the envelope. I have never had any problems with the money not getting to the recipient.

[quizmouse]

I now know who you are!!! Jared25, but in all hoesty I've not had a problem with yours. I have suggested that when sending cash the sender tapes it to paper, then puts it into the SAE, then the whole lot in the env. I have had several problems with bulky envelopes which apparently dont go thro the po machines and have to be handled. They then have to be collected from PO with an extra charge made of as I seem to remember around �1.15 which means we're out of pocket.
I usually wrap my coins in a piece of kitchen roll, keeping them all as flat as possible, no probs so far.
Suppose the other way is to send �5 perhaps for 2 or 3 in advance but that would mean a lot of work for the poor old setters.
I'm thinking that maybe they have to have an increase in charge anyway to cover these unexpected costs.
After all where does a �1 go thesedays??
Some Quizzes I've seen are a lot more than that. Are they better quizzes, better prizes or just senible setters????
QM

[wookeyhole]

I hope your bank is offering you a big discount for saving them loads of money. It will cost you money - you need to keep bank statements for 6 years for tax purposes, so you will need to print them out yourself. You really do need a cheque book - many internet sites are not safe and also telephoning is not safe so cheque book by snail mail turns out to be the safest way for sites that you do not know. If you send cash thru the post you should send it registered post - costs you more money. Your bank is pretending to go green, but really it is just saving money.

[lady'smum]

Thanks for all your thoughts and answers - I'll stay as I am and keep the cheque book and statements.

[jessiedog]

Interesting thread. I am the Cinnamon Trust setter and looked at various ways of being cheque/cash less after a spate of 'missing in transit' cash.

I rejected postal orders as the cost is absolutely ridiculous. Also I thought that payment direct by bank transfer would be far too time consuming for such small amounts.

Then inspiration hit me! I work at Tesco and realised that their gift cards only cost the amount one needed to send - no premium - and they are nice and flat so easily hidden in envelopes. Tesco, for once, do not make a profit on this scheme. This, however, is the only card I accept as I do not live near a town with other large stores who might also have this service.

Another point raised in this thread is - are quizzes too cheap. I have wondered about a change of price but admit to cowardice and am waiting for someone else to make the first move. What would be a new price? �1.50? �2.00?
Neither seems a huge amount and would make a lot of difference to the charity. HOwever, some quizzes I do are relatively simple and short and some are longer and more challenging. I would be happy to charge more for those I consider the latter and keep the others at �1.

Thanks for opening this thread.

Julie

[quizmouse]

I refer to Jessiedogs posting. Can you cash the tesco cards or do yoou have to spend them on goods??
Im a morrisons shopper!!
Also I agree with you on the latter comment some quizzes only take a few hours to complete, not very taxing while others need a fair bit of research etc.
I'm not sure how you would rate them??? what some find easy others struggle with....as ivorbiggun is quick to point out.
I just notice that more and more people send more than the specified �1 donation which leads me to believe it needs a price increase
QM