Should I start a crowd funding campaign to raise money while unemployed?

LegacyUser

I'm unemployed right now, after leaving a job that was making me feel miserable and has absolutely ruined my confidence in my ability and has made me feel afraid of getting back into work. I'm applying for jobs, yet receiving only rejections without getting to interviews.

I'm currently seeing a counselor to help me with my anxiety, but I'm also freaking out about money as I am struggling to pay rent, bills, and food.

I know there are crowd funding sites like GoFundMe, in which people can donate money towards. I'm contemplating creating one of these to help me pay my bills, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do.

I want to work, but I'm just so scared.

Neyite

If you suffer from anxiety already, I'm not sure putting your face and real name to a funding website would be a good idea - have you seen the kind of comments that bloggers and you-tube uploaders are regularly subjected to?

If I were you, I'd be more inclined to contact your Community Welfare Officer or St Vincent De Paul to see if they can help you with bills.

nc19

How bad is it? wrote:

I know there are crowd funding sites like GoFundMe, in which people can donate money towards. I'm contemplating creating one of these to help me pay my bills, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do.

Who do you think is going to want to give you money exactly?

silverfeather

I don't think it's a sound idea.

iusedtoknow

definitely not a good idea. You are not a charity case (i.e. a family that needs help covering medical bills etc). While you're in an unfortunate situation, there are countless social programs within reach and provided by the government to tide you over until you get back on your feet.

Make sure that you make your mental health a priority at the moment and the rest will follow.

ted1

Put the effort into getting a job

Spirogyra

and support as others have said, counselling, support groups such as Grow, Aware etc if need be, citizens information mabs etc....get support if you feel you can't deal with everything yourself...I know that it can be very disheartening, submitting hundreds of job applications and not even getting an interview or only the odd interview, competition is very intense and it can be demoralising, especially when one has bills, debts etc, get help from various support services, talk it through, make a plan, in liason with them, and hopefully longer term, things will work out

Taltos

Mod note
Est28 I've removed your post purely down to the tone due to the OPs battle with anxiety, with any other poster we wouldn't have to do this but in the OPs case it's clear they are in a vulnerable place right now.

Rubberchikken

Hi Op
things are probably looking pretty bleak at the moment but as i have no experience of this funding you're talking about i can't advise on that but i would suggest you contact your local welfare office/community officer and the St vincent de P are excellent.
if you can, maybe a chat with your gp would help as i can understand that you would feel anxious with all this going on.

also, keep applying for jobs. you never know when one will show up. good luck

zoobizoo

Best of luck with the anxiety issue - try to get a recruiter to look at your cv and give you some advice on it and your application letter.

In terms of the crowd funding idea - is that not just a case of digital begging?

Ask yourself what exactly it is that you are afraid of when it comes to work.

A good book to get is The Feeling Good Handbook - it has lots of practical exercises for you to do to improve your mental health

ShowMeTheCash

How bad is it? wrote: »

I'm unemployed right now, after leaving a job that was making me feel miserable and has absolutely ruined my confidence in my ability and has made me feel afraid of getting back into work. I'm applying for jobs, yet receiving only rejections without getting to interviews.

I'm currently seeing a counselor to help me with my anxiety, but I'm also freaking out about money as I am struggling to pay rent, bills, and food.

I know there are crowd funding sites like GoFundMe, in which people can donate money towards. I'm contemplating creating one of these to help me pay my bills, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do.

I want to work, but I'm just so scared.

Are you on the dole?
Technically the dole might stop payments and deem any charity donations as income if you use GoFundMe all the information will be readily handy for the social welfare officer and the inland revenue.

You are not a charity therefore you would not be exempt from taxation on any money you get!

You are a little down on your luck but so is half the country I doubt very much anyone would donate to you and if I am honest people might be suspicious this is some kind of scam!

Keep the head up, keep applying, talk to your GP maybe see counselor.
Be like Edmund "You must look into that storm and shout do your worst! for I will do mine!"

kjl

Sure, go on dragons den too, you will make loads of money.

But seriously this is the most hair brained idea I have ever heard. Crowd funding is used to help small business get off the ground with some initial capital and not to help someone pay their bills.

Now instead of trying to get money for nothing, I would recommend you use this energy to focus on your job hunt. If you are not getting anywhere with you applications then rework your CV. I know it's tight but there are jobs out there if you go looking.

noway12345

Come up with an idea for a new business and then do the crowd funding. Have good plans and ideas and sell it well. Then see if you get any money. If you don't then you've lost nothing anyway, if you do then you can go ahead with the business idea or just keep the money.

Est28

Apologies then for the tone last time but really it comes down to this:

OP needs to work on whatever issues they have. We'd all like to up and leave our jobs and have someone else pay our way but the world doesn't work that way.
His time and effort would be best spent applying for a new job and getting himself more financially secure than going about it this way. Both for his own good financially and mentally.

Even taking money out of the equation, sitting at home and feeling sorry doesn't help anyone. Being occupied, working and getting on with life can actually help the situation enormously in itself.