GoFundMe should be used for sensible needs

by NICOLE TRUGILLO/Editor-in-Chief

It’s OK now and again to ask to borrow money for food, or a drink.

But, it’s not OK to ask people to fund you for things that are your responsibility.

I’m sure everyone is aware of the website GoFundMe. If not, the name says it all. GoFundMe is a website where you can create an account and set up a fund for anything your heart desires. Whether it’s to pay hospital bills, raise money for a school trip, or even funding someone for something that’s bizarre…Anything goes. But where is the line drawn? Surely a site such as GoFundMe has specific criteria, such as having a fund that is actually important and not stupid, right? Wrong!

Anyone with Internet access can make a GoFundMe account for anythinghe or she wants. That’s not the problem, though. The problem is that people make accounts and want people to fund them for things that aren’t worth people giving money to.

I’ve seen on Facebook (you shouldn’t be surprised) that people post and ask to fund them money for their personal needs. For example, a couple shouldn’t ask strangers or friends to donate money for a honeymoon. I can complain about this because I’m getting married next month. But, you don’t see me making a GoFundMe account and asking people to pay for my honeymoon, especially if it’s going some place expensive such as a different country. If people can’t really afford their personal needs, how about getting a job and stop asking for handouts. If you have a job, that’s great; you’re off to a good start. The money you get from a job, you can save, save, and save until you have enough for the personal needs that you desire.

It’s nice to ask for a little bit of money. But, no one in their right mind is going to just donate $500 so you can go waste it on things that don’t matter. I think GoFundMe should only allow people to create an account for things that matter, such as cancer patients, or memorials. Even school trips that have educational value are OK, while paying for someone’s tuition is pushing the envelope.

It should be for people who are in a bind and they are basically homeless. If I didn’t have a job or someone to support me, then, yes, I would make an account and hope that someone will have mercy on me and donate money to me. But, it’s not the case with half of the people on GoFundMe. If you can’t afford something, why just wait and earn it? Wouldn’t that make you feel better, instead of people just giving you money because you’re either too lazy to earn it, or you really do have the money and you’re just being a cheap ‘you know what.’ I would feel horrible if I was asking people to fund my whole entire honeymoon, or fund me so I can keep dying my hair red. I can’t stand people who aren’t honest and who are just lazy.

Also, someone can easily manipulate people on the website. Anyone could say that they’re raising money for a memorial, or a cancer patient. But, how do we know for sure that’s where the money is going? I don’t trust GoFundMe. The only thing I trust is if I know someone personally, then I will donate some money to him or her.

My advice is if you make a GoFundMe account for things that don’t matter, don’t expect to receive a lot.

Funding personal endeavors should be optional

by RILEY GOLDEN//Editorial Assistant

Go Fund Me started as something that was meant to help people with medical bills and related problems.

But recently a lot of controversy has stirred up because of perceived misuse.

People are Using Go Fund me for all sorts of things, and it’s a huge deal to a lot of people. Many people don’t think it’s right that so many people are using this site for things such as “Fund my vacation,” or “Fund my shopping addiction.” You’re probably asking yourself, “who would fund that?”

Well, I guess the best answer would be, whoever wants to, which still would not be many people. But society isn’t satisfied with making the individual choice to not help someone fund something. There has to be a huge controversy, and it has to be made into a big deal about what people want help paying for.

As someone who doesn’t use Go Fund Me to fund my life or to fund anyone else’s life, I don’t care who is trying to fund what, and I don’t think anyone else should care either.

Why is it such a big deal that Tina wants help funding her cat getting spayed, but it’s so wrong for Jimmy to ask for help with the new rims he wants on his Tahoe? If you don’t think someone deserves the help, then just keep scrolling and make the individual decision to not give them the last $4.50 in your bank account. Let someone else do it if he or she chooses.

My co-brother-in-law’s dog, Tito, recently passed away from Parvovirus Infection. But In the days leading up to the dog’s passing, my brother had gone on Go Fund Me and requested help with Tito’s veterinary bills because he couldn’t afford them. To me, this is a perfectly fine reason to get on Go Fund Me. But someone is always going to criticize. Not everyone sees the value in man’s best friend, and I’m sure there are people out there, such as my dad, who would say just put the dog down. They aren’t worth the money. So people like my dad would definitely criticize me for donating money to Tito’s veterinary expenses, or to my co-brother-in-law for even trying to pay for it versus just putting the dog down.

My point is this: someone is always going to think that something is not worth the money and, therefore, should not be on Go Fund Me. But just because something is on Go Fund Me, does not mean you have to fund it. People just need to complain about something. Anyone should be able to put whatever he or she wants on Go Fund Me, and it’s up to others to either donate to it or not.