How would you respond to a Salvation Army bellringer?

If it was a woman i’d probably flirt with her ;¬}

I usually give money a few times a season. the rest of the time I greet them. It is hard work.

I always empty the change out of my pocket. Despite their overly religious stance, they do much to help the poor and disadvantaged.

Money. And @reijinni your tags make zero sense: The Salvation Army is not a scam.

@SpatzieLover, of course they don’t. Also the only thing they will be seeing form me are my fingers.

I give money.

I’m an atheist, right. But I’m a nice atheist. One FREEZING Michigan night, I knew I had tickets for Auckland, New Zealand and, with a bit of luck, wouldn’t be back any time soon. I had finished my Christmas shopping and outside Kmart was a bell ringer, and it was super-crazy-cold. Too cold to snow, sort of cold. I had NO use for any of the change I had in my house or my purse, really, so that night, she got all the change I brought (I sort of planned this, it wasn’t soo spur of the moment..) and because it was so cold, she got a cup of hot chocolate too.

I wouldn’t give much to their counterparts here in Norway. They flat out refuse to help gays or anyone ‘living in sin’, and people here are much better off because of the social welfare system here, anyway.

I’m another “whatever change is in my pocket” type.

I say “Hi, how are you?” and keep going; I don’t support religious institutions.

I’d write a check but Ive never heard of them ringing doorbells. Love this charity.

@syz if you live in the US, you do support religious institutions. They can do what they like, it seems, and enjoy tax free status. They even send letters to members, telling them that their eternal soul will be damned if they don’t vote a certain way. That doesn’t sound like that was part of the original deal of separation.

Oh, believe me, I’d happily revoke tax-free status if it were in my power!

Give money. I don’t care about their religious affiliation. In Australia, the Salvos do a lot of great work in the community and with the homeless. Given something like 8% of our population are living on the street, charities that actively provide refuge and food will get my support.

I give them my change.
@Aster The poster meant a bellringer not a doorbell ringer.

There are people who give them a hard time?

I give them change or a dollar bill if I have it. If I don’t have any money on me I just smile when I pass by and say hello.

I ignore them. The noise that they make is just sound pollution. They are more likely to get a contribution from me if they didn’t ring those damn bells.

I ignore them and I agree with @elbanditoroso . However, I do donate my old clothes to them every year.

I drop 3 or 4 bucks in the pot. Poverty sucks, however you feel about religion or stuff like that.

^^ That.

The stores I shop at don’t allow them, so I don’t have any response. I am currently helping support several out of work relatives, so I don’t contribute any money to charities.

I use Goodsearch.com and click on Thehungersite.com every day, and that is the extent of my charity work. I also send money to The Yellowstone Foundation and Wikipedia.

They ring on doorbells? Gosh different worlds to here. No one ever rings on our doorbells, not even Jehovah Witnesses. If the Salvation Army rang mine they’d definitely get some change and a thank you for the good work they do.

I help when and as I am able. I smile, am polite and give if I WANT to.
I don’t feel guilty not giving, and am not one to buy into guilt trips at all.
I love to be generous but I resent feeling pressured to be.

@Shippy No, they don’t ring doorbells, LOL. The OP just meant they ring their little Salvation Army bell.

I don’t give. The Salvation Army gets money from every person on misdemeanor probation in my county every month, and it all goes to support the frakking CASTLE they have built a mile from my house.

Nope, they don’t need my spare change.

I usually say hello. Sometimes I give money, rarely.

If I see 2 bell ringers, one at each entrance, I will put money in both pockets, so I can donate to one going in, and the other one going out. I also try to chit chat a little bit with them, like asking them if they are keeping warm. We also donate to the Salvation Army by check.

Putting a little bit of money in the pot, to help the less fortunate was something fun, and useful that I’ll always remember from my childhood.

@WillWorkForChocolate Oh loll, well then they’d get more change!!