Charitable giving, Icelandic style

When I was in California, I had two envelopes from my favorite charities, Habitat for Humanity and the ASPCA. The enveloped included a stack of Christmas cards and preprinted return address labels, and a cover letter thanking me for my gifts earlier in the year. The letter went on to discuss the needs they were hoping to meet this holiday season, and there was a return envelope should I be so inclined to send more money to them before year's end. All very nice.

I get back here to Iceland, and was doing a little online banking today. Knew I needed to pay my cell phone bill, so I click on the electronic bill pay option. Only to discover that 4 different charities had sent me a bill, which showed up just like any other unpaid invoice. Huh? In the US, I get to decide how much I give, first of all. Second of all, I am not obliged to give anything. But here it is like "pay this amount or else get a late fee"? I went ahead and gave a little something to the fatlaður, but the krappamein society is going to have to do without from me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this does not land me in some sort of debtors prison.

Comments

Jon Frimann said…
Eftir því sem ég kemst næst. Þá er þetta ekki heimilt, nema þá að þú samþykkir það sérstaklega þegar haft er samband við þig í gegnum síma.

Ég fæ aldrei svona nótur í heimabankan nema að ég samþykki þær sérstaklega í símtali.

Talaðu við bankann og athugaðu afhverju þetta er svona hjá þér. Þú þarft einnig að tala beint við þessi félög sem eru að senda þér þessa reikninga.
December 8, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Björn Friðgeir said…
Ég er með eina slíka, Styrktarfélag lamaðra/fatlaðra, í heimabankanum án þess að hafa beðið um hana, en ég veit að þetta er happdrættismiði, greiðslubeiðni send eftir því sem ég best veit á alla landsmenn.
December 8, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Ko-Leen said…
I always found these bills funny
December 8, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Anonymous said…
nei nei, þetta er valgreiðsla, (semsagt það þarf ekki að borga frekar en maður vill) allavega þetta sem ég fékk. Mér finnst þetta reyndar samt ekkert skemmtilegar sendingar og væri alveg til í að sjá þær ekki í heimabankanum mínum.
December 8, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Lissy said…
I know they are optional to pay, but by employing the trappings of an unpaid bill, the sense of obligation is considerably increased.
December 9, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Anonymous said…
yeah, I just tend to get irritated and be less likely to pay when I get things foisted upon me this way ;)
December 10, 2009 at 8:08 PM
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