I think they have their place.
If it was my own pet, I would pay for it myself or borrow the money. But if there was a stray hit by a car or something, I'd be fine with someone setting up a GoFundMe so we could all help a little bit instead of one person taking on the whole expense.
I've never actually set one up, but I have donated to a couple of them in the past - when a family had a tragedy or when a little kid wanted to raise money for a charitable project.
Hopefully those closest to you know your need and will come alongside - if they ask how they can help TELL THEM!! I wish you well.My daughter has suggested setting one up so we could hire packers and movers to get us to our new place (which I haven’t found yet). The idea of packing up and three bedroom duplex with a full basement all by myself doesn’t excite me. Especially since I don’t have my daughter to help and my husband won’t be able to do much.
We’ll get it done somehow..but I won’t lie. Being able to throw money at it would make things so much easier.
If it's someone we know well enough to want to support, we definitely just give them cash directly, even in the few cases there has been an on-line fund set up. We give to a lot of people for a lot of things but not just random GFM's. If there's a large-scale tragedy (local, national or even globally) a legit charity (Red Cross, United Way, Salvation Army etc.) usually sets up a fund to collect donations for relief and we do give to those when we feel it's appropriate.I would not. I would also be embarrassed/upset if someone set one up for me.
I find GoFundMe shady, I don’t like that there is a middleman collecting a fee for a cause. As mentioned above people have good intentions but it can create problems that otherwise weren’t there. I also agree that if one is set up for someone you should have to gain their permission to avoid those types of issues. If I have a friend in need I donate to them directly with cash or PayPal friends and family.
I also have a problem with funds for expenses that should be personal responsibility: band trips, prom dresses, power/phone/cable bill, down payment on a car, tickets for Wicked, your dog’s cremation and urn. It just feels so lazy and entitled to me.
I don’t know about for life but I do admit to giving side eye to someone who is depending on the kindness of strangers to pay their bills and put a roof over their head and then takes their unpaid vacation.I would never have one. Every single vacation, purchase, anything would be under scrutiny for the rest of your life. I have given twice to one lately for the children of my kids' classmate who recently lost their dad. Ones like that and for medical bills tug at me but I have to know who the people are so I know it's legit. There a woman I knew whose daughter was ill. I knew she asked for and took a lot of money from another friend to pay a bill and used it to purchase WDW passes instead. I didn't donate a dime to this one, though I hated seeing the pics of her daughter getting chemo etc. (On that subject, I really hate when people post pictures like that of their kids online, pics of little kids in hospital beds etc are an invasion of privacy IMHO.)
I'm actually quite surprised at how many people seem truly incensed at the idea that someone would ask for help...
With a vacation? Or their phone bill when they’re on FB (so have the cash for Internet) crying poverty while simultaneously talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones (so have cash for cable)? I will help someone in dire need but I will not enable poor life choices or someone who refuses to take responsibility for those choices. “Helping” with those kind of things only makes the situation worse and continues a cycle they can’t get out of. If someone is always bailing them out why should they bother to try and figure it?I've never done one and I don't think I would, but a lot of that is because I'm simply very fortunate--I have insurance and a fair amount of money, but not everyone does. I can certainly see myself contributing to one under the right circumstances, and they wouldn't have to be all that dire frankly. For instance, under the right circumstances, I would kick in for someone to take a great vacation. I'm actually quite surprised at how many people seem truly incensed at the idea that someone would ask for help...
With a vacation? Or their phone bill when they’re on FB (so have the cash for Internet) crying poverty while simultaneously talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones (so have cash for cable)? I will help someone in dire need but I will not enable poor life choices or someone who refuses to take responsibility for those choices. “Helping” with those kind of things only makes the situation worse and continues a cycle they can’t get out of. If someone is always bailing them out why should they bother to try and figure it?