I remember being a high school student and they wanted me to peddle useless crap on my friends and family and I thought it was stupid then! Events are definitely better...the senior athletes in my school would put on a male beauty pageant (tuxes, talent, swimsuit and interview) and it not only raised a lot of money, but it was super fun! I remember being both a spectator and participant. I will remember the hilariousness of those shows more than some cheap candles and it achieved the same end result!

I agree with William K. Hayes.  A high school band director once told me that his school received a visit from administrators at a more affluent school district in another state.  At the end, they commented (more or less), "There is absolutely no reason your program should be this good -- but it is."  The solution to all problems is not necessarily to throw more money at them and hope they will go away.

When I was a kid, my father saved me countless hours of knocking on doors and begging relatives to buy useless junk to raise money for my school.  On the first day of school every year, he gave me a check for a $100 written out to the school accompanied with a note to the principal that told them not to make me sell anything.  My dad figured that the school would get $100 and that I wouldn't have to go through the stress of trying to peddle over-priced merchandise.

I would just rather write a check directly to the school, since the school only get a small percentage of the proceeds from the fund raisers.

Ok let me tell you I am PTO president of my daughter's elementry school and i totally feel the same way you guys do about the crappy fundrasiers and the hand out always for money, but what other choice do we have?  If the pto does not do those fundraisers for your children where would the teachers get their money to do the extra little fun stuff that the school doesn't provide.  It is unreal how much a school teacher gives of their own money to make learning fun for the kids.  If you do not feel like selling the crappy fundraiser then make a tax deductible donation to your school or to your child's teacher.  The money they make from all these fundrasiers goes to nobody else but the students and teachers.  We wear uniforms at our school and t help with a t-shirt fundrasier they get to wear the shirt on a certain day if they purchase the shirt we feel like it is a win win situation for the school and the students.  Please just give your Pto a break they are only trying to do they best they can and they are devoting all their time for FREE>>>>

honestly, when everyone got the fundraiser, and i thought i had a choice, they gave EVERYONE one of those packets.

for magazine subscriptions.

honestly, i dont really care for it, and the prizes are sucky.

you have to sell $100 worth of subscriptions just to get these light up glasses that are worth about $5.00.

seriously, and a trick wallet, just for even bringing the thing back.

my brother wants to go for a $700 gaming chair, and im not even doing it, ^_^.

well, i feel sorry that you have to go through this, and i probably make no sense in saying this, but it really annoys me to go door-to-door selling something that is overpriced and totaly worthless in value, and to make students sell them just to get something that will break within 24 hours of earning it.

its just not worth it.

We are also fed up wth cookie dough, magazines, and overpriced candy, we have just registered to a website that is giving parents something they need at a time of the economy slump.

You do not purchase any products, the site www.refrigeratorsaver.com is fully automated to take the parents purchase online, and the product is shipped within 5 days direct to their door.

The product is an energy saving device which saves, energy and produce spoilage in refrigerators. so the parents get about $200 in saving each year, the product costs $30 including S&H and the school get $5.00 on every purchase, and doesn’t need to drive the PTA mad anymore

Parents haven’t got any money, so give them something they need instead of cookie dough

Help! I am in the pta trying to find ideas to help our school. I too, hate the fundraisers. I would love other options! Does anyone have suggestions that work? Thanks!

Lana try the method we are using, the company Refrigeratorsaver give parents a chance to save money through energy saving and produce waste saving, and the schools get $5.00 per unit.

I think all fundraisers need a buy out option.  I would much rather send money directly to the school or organization, have them get 100% and I get a tax deduction.  My 3 kids have been asked to participate in 8 different fund raisers in the last 3 months alone.  We have partipated in none but I have sent a donation to each.