Pay a Charity instead of a network for your PAYG phone usage :)

DavyD_83 · 03-02-2014 11:43am #1

Don't know if it's been mentioned before, can't find any real reference. For me it's a handy way of getting rid of unwanted credit and helping a good cause.

Or if you're careful, you can pay a charity for your phone usage instead of a network.

I currently top up with €30 a month on VF, and get pretty much all of my usage for free as a result.

At end of month, instead of using my phone at their rates and burning through the credit in a couple of days, I donate the remainder to charity.
The network's model is intended so that they give you coverage, and get your money eventually one way or another.
This way, if i don't send picture messages, call landlines or use more than my credit allowance I get a month's usage without the network actually ever getting my money; all goes to charity :cool:

In reality, each month I end up paying <€10 to VF for my phone, and donating >€20 to charities I otherwise would feel I couldn't afford to give to regularrly.

Below are the list of codes I was able to dig up from a bit of googling.

To Donate Phone Credit to Charity, just text the required code to 50300; more codes exist, but I do not have a complete list.
eg. Text "FAST" to donate €4 to Trocaire

Shave - €2 Irish Cancer Society (today FM; Shave or Die)
Daff - €4 Irish Cancer Society (Daffodil Day)
Pink - €4 Irish Cancer Society (Brest Cancer Awareness)
Fast - €4 Trocaire
Edele - €4 LauraLynn
Tackle - €4 Focus
Blind - €2 NCBI
End - €2 Peter McVerry
Talla - € Sightsavers
Dog - €2 ISPCA
Roses - €4 Epilepsy Research Ireland
Bucket - €4 Barnardos
Xmas - €2 Aware (Christmas FM)

Service provide by LikeCharity, with a commitment that 100% of donation goes to the charity.
I have no affiliation to this company or any of the charities.

suicide_circus · 03-02-2014 11:51am

unwanted credit?

van_beano · 03-02-2014 11:57am

I don't get it, you want to donate your phone credit to charity. So in theory you just use the free elements that VF give you for topping up and you donate the rest to charity? Why make such a sacrifice? You should look after yourself and stop lining the pockets of all these charities.

DavyD_83 · 03-02-2014 11:59am

suicide_circus wrote: »

unwanted credit?

Well, excessive credit I suppose.
Before donating, I used to end up with €90 credit after about 4 or 5 months, n would then just give in and let VF have it by using the phone on a purely credit basis for a month or so.

I've also had the situation of still having credit when switching network (had to get switched before a holiday or something).

For me, it's just a way of putting excess credit to good use.
Not forcing anybody to start donating

MadsL · 03-02-2014 8:55pm

Does LIKECHARITY charge any fees?

No we don't, our service is free to use. After 2015 we will generate an income by being competitive compared to other payment methods such as debit/credit card.

Not sure how that works...

NegativeCreep · 03-02-2014 9:08pm

I'm fairly sure vodafone get the money whether you spend it or not. You give the money into the shop and they get their cut out of that.

flutered · 03-02-2014 9:12pm

interesting idea, i would not mind doing it, i get 10 euros credit from 48months.ie, i recon that i do not use half that.

Colemania · 30-04-2014 12:34pm

Just to bump this. Was looking up a way of donating money to charity through phone credit and glad I came across this.

I'm changing phone networks so am going to lose about €10 credit on my current sim card. Have donated to ISPCA, Limerick Animal Welfare and will pick another few from the list.

Thanks

MarkR · 13-05-2014 11:22am

I was looking for this exact thing. I also have some credit to burn. Where do you get the codes from? I would like something for Autism Ireland, but don't see it there.

Boombastic · 13-05-2014 11:24am

no problem ms kearns, i'll forward you money straight away

MarkR · 13-05-2014 11:36am

Boombastic wrote: »

no problem ms kearns, i'll forward you money straight away

I know there was f*ck ups and nest lining, but that doesn't mean everyone was at it. It also doesn't mean people shouldn't donate to charity any more.

Boombastic · 13-05-2014 11:42am

MarkR wrote: »

I know there was f*ck ups and nest lining, but that doesn't mean everyone was at it. It also doesn't mean people shouldn't donate to charity any more.

fool me, once shame on you, fool me twice..etc

Akrasia · 13-05-2014 11:43am

if you're on android, you can use your phone credit to buy apps and subscriptions (eg google the play music service) so if you find you are accumulating credit, or that your unused credit gets eaten up on day 31 after you lose your free data or calls this is another thing you can do

somuj · 13-05-2014 11:46am

Your actually saving your phone company money. You paid for a service and they dont have to provide it. Win win for them.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller · 13-05-2014 11:50am

Post a code that will allow you to pay for burgers with it and I guarantee post of the day.

MarkR · 13-05-2014 3:09pm

Akrasia wrote: »

if you're on android, you can use your phone credit to buy apps and subscriptions (eg google the play music service) so if you find you are accumulating credit, or that your unused credit gets eaten up on day 31 after you lose your free data or calls this is another thing you can do

I did not know that. Now I have a snes emulator and some form of playstation emulator. Thanks

shoxter · 13-05-2014 9:13pm

You do know that you can send that credit to another vodafone number also. Personally I would be sending it to a family member or friend before giving it to charity but thats just me.

thehouses · 13-05-2014 9:33pm

MarkR wrote: »

I know there was f*ck ups and nest lining, but that doesn't mean everyone was at it. It also doesn't mean people shouldn't donate to charity any more.

Would it help/force them to get their act together? The Torcaire EO got €125,000 and a car recently and the Irish Cancer Society CEO got €145,000 with a company car, pension scheme and a health insurance contribution.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-charities-spend-your-money-29839111.html

NegativeCreep · 13-05-2014 9:34pm

Akrasia wrote: »

if you're on android, you can use your phone credit to buy apps and subscriptions (eg google the play music service) so if you find you are accumulating credit, or that your unused credit gets eaten up on day 31 after you lose your free data or calls this is another thing you can do

How do you do that? Doesn't give me the option when I try and download an app.

oppenheimer1 · 13-05-2014 9:47pm

I don't understand. I'd you are topping up once a month with €30 for the 'freebies', why don't you get a pay monthly plan for the same minutes and internet but for less?

Some people are terrible with money

Fluorescence · 13-05-2014 9:53pm

I pay €20 a month with 3 for unlimited texts and data, which is all I need tbf. I like this idea of spending my credit on charities instead of getting 3-4 days worth of phone usage before topping up again.

Think I'll save those codes. Cheers

MarkR · 13-05-2014 10:26pm

thehouses wrote: »

Would it help/force them to get their act together? The Torcaire EO got €125,000 and a car recently and the Irish Cancer Society CEO got €145,000 with a company car, pension scheme and a health insurance contribution.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-charities-spend-your-money-29839111.html

And in the meantime people who need help go without? The state does not fund anywhere near half enough to support people who need it. I'd rather give money, knowing I tried to help, then not, congratulating myself on not being taken in by all those bogus charities. I came here looking for info on how to support charities, not to defend my right to do it.

NegativeCreep wrote: »

How do you do that? Doesn't give me the option when I try and download an app.

Found the option here. Fairly well hidden to be honest. I thought I was fairly clued in with android. Missed that completely!

Akrasia · 14-05-2014 9:41am

NegativeCreep wrote: »

How do you do that? Doesn't give me the option when I try and download an app.

When you're buying an app, 'click' on the payment method and it brings up your payment options (where you can add a new credit card/debit card, or use your mobile phone credit)
I know it works on Three and O2, It almost certainly works with Vodafone, but for the rest, I'm not certain about the other carriers if it's available for them.

thehouses · 14-05-2014 9:56am

MarkR wrote: »

And in the meantime people who need help go without? The state does not fund anywhere near half enough to support people who need it. I'd rather give money, knowing I tried to help, then not, congratulating myself on not being taken in by all those bogus charities. I came here looking for info on how to support charities, not to defend my right to do it.

People who need help are already going without directly because of these extortionate wages.

Take 100 grand from the Trocaire CEO's salary and he is left with a decent wage. How many people are missing out right now from that 100 grand which should be going where it is needed most and not to line someone's pocket?

A high wage does not mean someone is good at their job - look at the bankers.

MarkR · 14-05-2014 10:17am

thehouses wrote: »

People who need help are already going without directly because of these extortionate wages.

Take 100 grand from the Trocaire CEO's salary and he is left with a decent wage. How many people are missing out right now from that 100 grand which should be going where it is needed most and not to line someone's pocket?

A high wage does not mean someone is good at their job - look at the bankers.

Yes, and they would be worse off if people didn't donate to charity. I don't see what the issue is. I want to donate to charity. That's my business. You don't. That's yours.

thehouses · 14-05-2014 10:36am

MarkR wrote: »

Yes, and they would be worse off if people didn't donate to charity. I don't see what the issue is. I want to donate to charity. That's my business. You don't. That's yours.

Exactly and in a more extreme example when charities donate to corrupt regimes some still goes to those who need it so it is good to donate to them too.

My point is why should we perpetuate a system that does not work? In the long run it means more people lose out. If the problem of extortionate wages was fixed, more people would benefit from our donations.

Another example is in the case of Rehab - how many people could have been helped already if Kerins took 200 grand off her wage? It is not right that people should be profiting on others misfortune.

MarkR · 14-05-2014 10:38am

thehouses wrote: »

Exactly and in a more extreme example when charities donate to corrupt regimes some still goes to those who need it so it is good to donate to them too.

My point is why should we perpetuate a system that does not work? In the long run it means more people lose out. If the problem of extortionate wages was fixed, more people would benefit from our donations.

Another example is in the case of Rehab - how many people could have been helped already if Kerins took 200 grand off her wage? It is not right that people should be profiting on others misfortune.

This thread is about using call credit in other ways. I and others have found what we needed. Thanks, and good bye.

thehouses · 14-05-2014 10:39am

MarkR wrote: »

This thread is about using call credit in other ways. I and others have found what we needed. Thanks, and good bye.

Yes, this my last reply cos we are going off topic.

maximoose · 14-05-2014 10:42am

Fluorescence wrote: »

I pay €20 a month with 3 for unlimited texts and data, which is all I need tbf. I like this idea of spending my credit on charities instead of getting 3-4 days worth of phone usage before topping up again.

Yep, I'm on the same. Always have most of my €20 credit left after my 30 days and usually spend it on comics, but this is probably a better idea.

NegativeCreep · 14-05-2014 10:51am

Akrasia wrote: »

When you're buying an app, 'click' on the payment method and it brings up your payment options (where you can add a new credit card/debit card, or use your mobile phone credit)
I know it works on Three and O2, It almost certainly works with Vodafone, but for the rest, I'm not certain about the other carriers if it's available for them.

Ah, I'm with 48, that's why I didn't see the option :L

shruikan2553 · 14-05-2014 11:25am

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I don't understand. I'd you are topping up once a month with €30 for the 'freebies', why don't you get a pay monthly plan for the same minutes and internet but for less?

Some people are terrible with money

I don't know about vodafone but for 3 it isn't less from what I can find. Plus some people don't like being stuck with a company for a year.

Pay a Charity instead of a network for your PAYG phone usage :)

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