How much did you put in the contribution box?

by jayhawk1 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  jayhawk1

  I think as the prices of gas, health care, housing and other things continue to rise, the JW without a great education will struggle to put much in the contribution box. It got me to thinking, how much did my family put in the contribution box at the Kingdom Hall. This is what I estimate for the final 5 years I went 1994-1999...

  $10.00 per week for about 5 years. (I was a teenager and put in a nominal amount personally.)

  So for a period of 5 years an estimate of $2600 was contributed at the Kingdom Hall.

  5 District Conventions at $25 per = $125

  Special Day and Circuit Assemblies... maybe another $200

  Grand estimated total of $2925.00

  I would hate to think how much money was spent on car and hotel expenses for service and going to meetings.
• 

  candidlynuts

  i went for more than 35 yrs

  always paid for the publications even after the donation arrangement started.

  put in 5 - 20 dollars a week in the regular contribution box

  dont remember putting much in the world wide work box

  always a big chunk at the assemblies..

  i dunno, i figured it up once but i cant remember the figure i came up with.

  wish i could get a refund
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  whyamihere

  My mother always put in money....*shakes head*

  It was usually at Assembly's, drop in 500-2,000 each time. Ridiculous I must say, I am sure it was just for show.

  I probably spent a good 2,000 of my own cash, like paying god off for the weekend events. lol

  Brooke
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  fullofdoubtnow

  I can't really estimate I put in over my 25 year membership, it varied according to my circumstances.

  What I do know is that every penny was wasted, as were the 25 years.
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  Mysterious

  When someone gave me a "tip" for giving a good talk as a youngster I always made sure mom saw me put it in the box..and she always went through the motions of saying I didn't have to do that..and once in a while I'd put a dollar in but I certainly told her I contributed more than I did and she was always pressuring me to give more.
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  jayhawk1

  I almost forgot, my family always gave something extra for the literature too. Of course I am only going back to the last 5 years, but there is an untold amount if you go back the full 25 years my mom was in.

  I guess my family was a bit on the cheap side when it came to giving. But my mom did pioneer for 2 years and she used her large car very often. I would guess over a 25 year period $12,000 would be fairly accurate for the whole experience.

  But then I get to thinking about meeting clothes that only got worn for JW events and the price goes up again...

  Clearly there is an expensive burden to be a JW.
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  Finally-Free

  Nothing. I've always believed in voting with my wallet, and I didn't agree with the way much of the money was spent. One example is they spent several thousand dollars on a new oak door for the front of the hall. They also removed an awning, which was the only thing that provided some meager protection from the elements for the door. Within 2 months their new door looked like shit.

  I also felt I was contributing more than my share by always using my vehicle in service™.

  W
• 

  lovelylil

  my family used to contribute about $1,000 per year on average. And more if we took extra literature. So over 12 years they owe us $12,000 just for KH contributions. For each assembly or convention we gave about $150 on average.

  And to think when I bought my first home 4 years ago, I had to borrow the down pay't from my mother in-law. I think all the money we contributed would have been a nice down pay't.

  P.S. paid mom in-law all of it back and still never missed a contribution to the hall. What an idiot I was!

  Do you think I should send a bill to the Society requesting a full refund due to fraud? Lilly
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  undercover

  I was one of the slackers.

  I never was good at donating. I usually dropped in a few bucks here and there. For awhile we tried to write a check and drop it and then keep records so we could deduct it from taxes but after a few months I got lazy and quit doing that even. That and I didn't trust the accounts servant in having my checking account info that was printed on my checks.

  At assemblies and conventions I almost never donated. For a two year stretch, we dropped in $20 at each convention, but other than that, I never gave anything.

  As for the magazines and literature, back in the old days I paid for them at the counter and then what money I took in at the door I pocketed because I had already paid for em.

  Then under the new arrangement, I tried to be conscientous about paying for them upfront, but didn't always, or didn't pay enough. Plus I would drop in the box whatever I took in from service...I rationalized that that would take care of it.

  Somehow through all that slackness in giving but sitting through all the meetings stressing supporting the "kingdom work" with our monies, I never felt that guilty about not giving more.
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  frankiespeakin

  I never put much money in, I figure I gave so much in time and labor I didn't need to give that much in money. When I was a Catholic, I used to take the money my mother gave me in an envolope out and just throw in an empty envolope. thier was usually a dime or quarter in it, enough to buy a soda or soda and candy bar.