Raising Cash...

[annie0000]

My kids have an opportunity to go to America next summer for 3 weeks with the Scouts at a significant cost - they want to go and we'd love to be able to send them but cost is a BIG issue. They will be doing some fundraising under the auspices of the Scouts, but that will still leave a bill of around £4k for the two of them. If we forgo a family holiday next year and cut back a lot then it will just about be do-able.

However, we don't want to hand them this on a plate and want them to raise cash themselves too so that they have the commitment and understand that life is about working and saving towards your goals. The problem is that they are only coming up for 11 and 10 now (they will be 13 and 12 by the time of trip) so any legal employment, delivering papers etc. is out.

Does anyone have any ideas how they can raise some money that is legal, moral, safe and age appropriate?

[sherrardk]

Could they ransack your house and sort out some stuff for a car boot sale? Obviously, it's still your stuff but they would have to do the leg work.

[tenrec]

Will they not raise money as a group? eg supermarket bag pack.

[annie0000]

yeah they could sher I guess, I have some stuff laid away to put on ebay - maybe they could find some of their own things and sell them too and do the packing and posting...both very computer literate. thanks :o)

[annie0000]

tenrec - yes, they are doing that too to bring the cost down but that still leaves £4k roughly. All money raised in organised events obviously has to be split amongst everyone going whereas anything they raise themselves cuts down the cost we have to pay just for our two.

[Maydup]

Wow, £4k is a huge amount for 2 kids to go to America but I dare say a big chunk of that is insurance.

Local lads here put a leaflet through the door to tell us about their big school trip and that on certains Sundays they'd be doing car washes for £5 a time to raise money for it -not so easy with the hose pipe ban but maybe yours could think of another useful chore they could do around the neighbourhood. People were very supportive once they knew it was legit and that a parent was keeping an eye out just around the corner.

I'd give an 11 year old £5 to clean out my wheelie bin with a broom and a bucket of soapy water, but I can't speak for anyone else!

[tenrec]

If the money does not have to be in before the new year think of stuff that could be done at Christmas. Make cards, deliver cards, help with neighbours/relatives shopping etc.

[annie0000]

ooh, good ideas guys - the biggest chunk of the cash is for the flights at roughly £1k each and that doesn't have to be paid until next year I think, so christmas might be a lucrative time.

maidup - no hosepipe ban here - my back garden still a swamp and had a pond instead of a lawn this morning :o( I think there are by-laws though about cleaning wheelie bins - the companies that used to do it round here had to shut up shop for some reason - polluting waterways maybe?? but I am sure a couple of young lads with a bucket and brush could get away with it. My OH is a bit of a germ freak though so probably wouldn't let them in case they caught something!!!

[grasscarp]

You don't need a hose pipe to wash a car. I do mine with a bucket of water, sponge and leather. They may need a step to reach roof though on some cars. Other ideas may be walking dogs, having a garage or garden sale of old toys etc

[annie0000]

I wash my car with a bucket too grasscarp - they are both tall (5' 4 and 5' 2) but I am 5 10 and I still struggle with some cars so a wee portable step would be good - and a bit of training!!!

I think I am going to stop giving so much stuff away and let them sell it instead - I cleared out loads of toys and gave them away to the neighbours kids - it's mainly their lego they have left but I'd be a bit loath to part with that as it cost thousands (they have a huge collection) and I can see it being passed on to their kids at some point.

[grasscarp]

You could build something amazing with the Lego and charge to come and see it. Or have Lego sessions where unfortunate Lego deprived children could pay to join extreme building sessions.

[starone]

I pay £5 for someone to cut my grass and £20 for someone to cut the hedges. The lawn mower is a push one (not electric) so they have to work at it but the strimmer for the sides is electric so easier. They should go round the neighbours to see if there are any jobs going. I would also like someone to do a bit of gardening (weeding, watering). At the moment I pay £2 for watering. £2 to sweep the path. Wish you lived near me, I could soon find a few jobs. Might be a good idea to make a list of jobs and appropriate rates and print a few copies to put through letter boxes, and then go round later to see if it has had any effect. If you also tell people why you are trying to raise the cash they might be willing to find something for them to do. It will take a lot of time and effort though.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

I don't want to be the party pooper here, but for less than 4k you could ALL go on holiday and reap the spoils. Just try not to waste it on getting drunk and sunburned.
I'm sorry, but for someone who has been poor all my life, I find spending 4k on kids that young is just daft.

[ummmm]

It's not daft. It's an experience they'll remember forever.

Annie, If I had a leaflet put through my door explaining why they were raising money, I'd hire them to clean my car.

[Oiverbotel]

First, I'm proud of you Annie. Instilling these values in your children will have lasting benefits. My father did the same with me and all these years on I'm grateful. When I was ten I was tending to neighbours gardens, dog-walking and at Christmas my father would take me into the forest and we'd practice the safe use of a rifle. The target never-ever being a living thing (mammal-wise), but targeting mistletoe. I'd gather the mistletoe and break it into small batches, placing them in sandwich bags and I stood outside Waitrose selling the bags. I'm not sure whether people thought I looked sad, cute, or creative - perhaps a bit of each, but I could easily raise up to £75 in a good day! Add to this for your children the fact they have a sound and inspiring reason to be entering this small enterprise; they could print a tiny piece of paper that thanks the purchaser, explaining what their goal is for their Scouting event.

Plant some questions during family dinner and let their creative juices flow. You may find they already have some seeds of creative ideas to hand.

I wish you every success!

Oi!

[dennisb66]

It looks a great scout jamboree https://summit.scouti...13/Pages/default.aspx
A great experience them,but a lot of safety worries for the parents.

[Oiverbotel]

Annie, I just had a look at the link Dennis kindly provided. Absolutely! One of the most stunning locations in america! And well worth the visit. If you and hubby are going please consider staying at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs or the Homestead in Hot Springs Virginia - both nearby the Scouting Centre. However, please be aware there are still small communities in parts of the us that target unsuspecting travellers with appalling speed traps. There is one on the way on US60 (Ansted WV) where the speed immediately drops from 65 to 30 which everyone seems to miss. That small indiscretion will cost you £100 (and possibly more now since I got caught 3 years ago)...it's on the site: http://www.speedtrap.org . In any event, I fully understand the enthusiasm all of you share for this opportunity and I wish you every success. Hopefully you can take your sons to the 'hidden' underground nuclear holocaust bunker beneath the mountain as part of the Greenbrier's property. Many of the staff were once military, CIA, Secret Service and Department of Defence employees. The place was rumbled by the Washington Post a number of years ago and consequently was 'de-listed' - Regardless, I hope they have a grand time! Ollie

The Greenbrier

http://www.greenbrier...t-the-greenbrier.aspx

The Doomsday Bunker: http://www.kilroywash...006-Pages/Bunker.html

The Homestead

http://www.thehomestead.com/

The Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve

http://en.wikipedia.o...ational_Scout_Reserve

[annie0000]

Aww thanks for all the great ideas, I only wish I lived beside you all so that you could supply the boys with a steady stream of work. I know that we could have a great family holiday with the money – it’s about the same as we spent taking them to Turkey a couple of years ago. I guess though that we get more out of that than the boys do. We will still have our two weeks with them when they get back and if they are not fed up with camping we could manage a few days away in the tent just to have some family time. It’s just that we will not get the sea, sun and sand :o(

Thanks for the links about the jamboree and things – it’s not that that they are going to though, the plan is to go to Utah and Ohio (I think) they will be staying in the national parks and doing some touristy things (Yellowstone park?) and then doing a couple of different camps with some of the Boy Scouts of America – canoeing, rafting, rock climbing, learning some native American ways, wood carving etc etc finishing off with staying a few days with some American families – 3 weeks away in all. I really think that it would be such a life changing experience for them and would give them a lot of confidence – a lot more than a fortnight in Turkey I think.

They will also be doing about 6 training camps locally and also doing the organised fund raiser events which will be good for them too.

The OH and I both come from poor backgrounds and basically didn’t have any of these opportunities when we were kids and we just want better for our boys if we can manage it. I want them to know that their world is full of opportunities and sometimes it takes effort to make things happen.