How Best to Donate?

[annamoo]

I read that for each credit card transaction the RP campaign has to pay 2-3% to the credit card company. I also know that if you pay with a rewards card, the percentage is higher because the credit cards don't really pay for those rewards, the merchants do, the cost is passed off to them in the form of a different code that has to be used when you pay with a rewards card!

This ticks me off. So in order to be as miserly as possible so that RP gets as much of my money as possible, I'll be paying with a check this time around. Or several checks.

I don't know anything about paypal, do they take a percentage?

Any thoughts? When do the checks get added into the total - not till the very end? Will Lady Liberty not show these donations?

ALSO: whoever suggested that they have on the official website more options between $100 and $500 - GREAT SUGGESTION, can someone here who has luck getting through to HQ suggest that AS WELL AS suggesting another idea I read here: that they should use paypal to do monthly automatic deductions from people's accounts on a schedule according to when the donor gets paid? They would get a lot more money this way!!

I'm a student so I am unemployed, but I tutor once a week for $50 and will donate this money to RP. Should I donate it all at once at the end of the quarter, or once a month to keep the totals up? I already have a nice little RP savings fund going, and have donated a few times before, but now I am saving specifically for RP.


Report from District 14: Life in RP's district is sweeeeeet. People I go to med school with are so out of it they don't even know their own damn congressman is running for President... nerds with heads lodged firmly in asses. Also, most of them are socialists, well-trained in their robot schools to ignore their own mountain of debt and let someone steal their money......and give it to someone who "deserves it more." Or something.

Well 62% of people down here who voted kept RP in office, so that's good enough for me!

[PathIveMade]

I assume PayPal does take a cut... when i get $ they sure do.

[Razmear]

I don't think PayPal can do an autodeduct, and there is the "other amount" option on the donate page for those other amounts. (that's how we get them 76 cents :D )
Regarding fees, Credit card fees are probably lower than PayPal fees, unless you use American Express which has the highest fees.
Checks are definately the lowest fee'd item, unless they bounce. Money orders would also be a no fee item and are bounce proof.

eb

[bbachtung]

Don't forget that there is overhead for opening the envelopes and processing the checks. Jesse Benton talked about how wonderful it was to have 70% of the donations in Q3 come through the internet.

[Kregener]

That kickback is how credit cards operate friend.

Donate $27.50 instead of $25...

[annamoo]

Hmm good point about opening the envelopes and processing....I hadn't thought of that. I wonder if they think its worth the $70k I read somewhere (probably here) was eaten by the credit card fees. I can see how the internet donating would make the bookeeping a lot easier. Its the fees that bother me so much, though. Same goes for small business owners, I hear they all hate the credit card companies.

[LizF]

What about bank debit cards (w/Visa or Mastercard on them)? Any difference in cost (however slight) between those and straight out credit cards?

[theseus51]

Well, small businesses prefer cash, but people prefer credit cards. But I mean the credit cards have to charge, how else can they stay in business?

But I think for Ron Paul's operation, they'd rather have it online than have to physically spend time opening an envelope and recording it manually.

[TechnoGuyRob]

I read that for each credit card transaction the RP campaign has to pay 2-3% to the credit card company.

Yes, that's why I always donate with Paypal, which is a little better. Paypal takes 1.5% if you have a business account (RP's) and 0% otherwise.

[TechnoGuyRob]

(that's how we get them 76 cents :D )

That's actually because people donate $17.73 (in honor of the year 1773, which I hope you recognize).

[aknappjr]

My inexpert advice:

If you're going to donate more than $200 at a time, send it by check. Its probably worth the $4 to process a check.

If you're going to donate less than $100 at a time, send it online.

Absolutely before you donate $2300, donate by check (save the campaign $46 in credit card fees)

[Corydoras]

Should I donate it all at once at the end of the quarter, or once a month to keep the totals up? I already have a nice little RP savings fund going, and have donated a few times before, but now I am saving specifically for RP.

Please do NOT save up your money for the end of the quarter or even the end of the month. Donate it NOW. All of it. Make further donations as SOON as you get the money. Do NOT hold onto it any longer than it takes to clear your account.

There are fewer than 90 days before the primaries begin. The campaign needs the money right away so that they can use it. The sooner they receive it, the more they can plan/commit to do.

Thanks for your effort under such difficult circumstances... med students work wild numbers of hours, and for you to be involved at all is serious dedication.
:)