Death by nickels and dimes

Ok, it's time for me to vent a little. I am ALL for donating to charity, and giving to those less fortunate. I believe strongly in things like Breast Cancer research, The American Heart Association, and the March of Dimes, and give freely each year. But, this constant barage by employers to have you "participate" in a fundraising campaign for a cause is getting out of hand. I personally like to choose my charity of choice (namely the ones I listed above), and sometimes it works out that my company chooses one of those. That was the case this year, as we are raising funds for The American Heart Association. I lost my grandfather after years of complications due to multiple strokes, and my grandmother is now sporting a shiny pacemaker. This cause is close to my heart (pun intended).

I personally raised $350 towards my heart walk last weekend, and through various activities have personally donated around $150 through cash, t-shirts, raffle basket donations (Mary Kay products), etc, and am feeling 100% tapped out. It never seems to be enough for these sharks. I have been harassed eight ways to Sunday to give more and more. I have already donated 1/4 of my annual raise (1 whole percent! Can you hear the affection in my voice??) from last year, and I just can't keep going. We have 4 more days of this crap next week and I am just about ready to scream.

I don't like forced donations. They feel like extortion. Last year they literally baricaded the exits and would not let people go home until they donated. Then they publically humiliated those who didn't have any money, or those they felt didn't give enough. Enough already!!

Sorry, but I am just being nickeled and dimed to death, and as a mostly single-income family, I just can't afford it.