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Electronic Donations without PayPal?

claycookiemonster

claycookiemonster

Well Known Member
I have been grievously behind in my donations, and just got caught up. Shame on me. I wanted to establish a monthly donation, but everything seems to go thru PayPal, even if paying from my credit card. I cancelled my PayPal and do not wish to go there again. Is there an electronic way to donate, but avoid PayPal?
 
I connected my credit card to my PayPal account. I only pay out using PayPal, never use it for anything else any more. It’s convenient to make payment, or donation to someone who does not accept credit cards but does accept PayPal. Goes right on my CC.
 
claycookiemonster said:
I have been grievously behind in my donations, and just got caught up. Shame on me. I wanted to establish a monthly donation, but everything seems to go thru PayPal, even if paying from my credit card. I cancelled my PayPal and do not wish to go there again. Is there an electronic way to donate, but avoid PayPal?
Click to expand...

A couple of folks use electronic bank draft. Once you set it up it can auto-send yearly. It's how I pay my water bill. I'm grateful for anything!!!!
 
Yes, I also made my donation as a credit card and also did not like the fact that Paypal takes a chunk out of that donation to fill their pockets.
I would send cash if It was feasible to get away from Paypal.
Art
 
I too do not like PayPal. I had someone use the PayPal line of credit to charge stuff under my account - even though I did not have a line of credit account.

Carl
 
Paypal

I'm not fond of PayPal either. BUT if you use it properly it's safe, inexpensive (or free) and can be very useful.

Link any payment to a credit card. The card company protects you.
Use "send money to friends" if you are sure the other party is reputable. They then get 100% of the payment. Have your buyers do the same thing by convincing them you are a reputable seller.
Do not keep any significant amount of cash in the account. Transfer all funds to a linked bank account as soon as you get payed. I had one experience with fraud, but PayPal refunded the lost money. Since then I keep a near zero balance.

Convenient and free. Just use caution.
 
Not really sure paypal is working - I made two donations this year and I don't show up on the donor list.

paypal donations to DR 2022.png

VAF Michaels 2022.png

I feel bad looking like a VAF moocher. Perhaps a direct bank transfer would be better - just need an IBAN.
 
claycookiemonster said:
I have been grievously behind in my donations, and just got caught up. Shame on me. I wanted to establish a monthly donation, but everything seems to go thru PayPal, even if paying from my credit card. I cancelled my PayPal and do not wish to go there again. Is there an electronic way to donate, but avoid PayPal?
Click to expand...

Hi Clay

You do not have to have an account with PayPal to donate to the VAF site.

Doug is the same as me and uses PayPal as a payment processor, so they collect your card details and your payment on his behalf and send the payment through.
They do charge a few percent fee for their service, but that's a part of doing business. Simple for you, and it means vendors like Doug and I don't have the headache and (huge!) responsibility of keeping your card details safe and secure. Venmo, Zelle, Square etc are all there doing the same thing.

Look for the "Pay with credit card" links:
Capture Custom.jpeg

Doug offers other ways to pay as well: Donate methods


 
Zelle +1

With Zelle becoming a very popular bank transfer system with the largest banks I find this very easy to use and completely free. Transfers occur instantly and are free. My kids got me into this and for over 2 years now proved very easy and efficient. Venmo seems to be used by less "reliable" banks but might be ok just have heard of more scammers who like to use this. Currently using bank checks to send payments to DR (sent by my bank automatically on an annual basis) but that involves handling paper (By DR) and probably takes time for DR to process. Zelle is paperless. PayPal involves a % being lost to corporate and then goes into a third-party credit card system which ones needs to clear against their bank. Maybe PayPal by friends is free but then you lose some traceability.
 
As much as I tried, I could not find a single solution that worked for most. So I have PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, Paper checks, Billpay checks, ACH, wire transfer, cash, credit cards, crypto, and even physical gold and silver for the Zombie Apocalypse.

Apple Cash is right out. :)
 
International Payments...

Up in the North, we have a pretty good e-transfer system whereby we can transfer money between any two Canadian bank accounts with just an email or a phone number for free (or at least it's a buried cost). We are however a slave to Paypal beyond the southern border. The options before Paypal were however far worse so you live with it.

Cheers, Sean
 
My bank has a bill pay option. The bank keeps a list of my accounts and it's easy to set up regular payments or to do it individually. Works for me.

Dave
 
I am using Zelle to make automatic rent payments for my hangar. I think you can set this up directly from your bank checking account as a one time payment.

This is another option as more people migrate away from Paypal. I am thinking of doing the same too so there maybe no Paypal in the future for me.
 
This thread compelled me to use PayPal this time. It took some doing, because I’m technology challenged, but I got it done. The receipt, post payment, provides instant gratification.

Big thank you to Doug and family for keeping this site up.
 
I stopped using Paypal after they put out the policy where if a Paypal customer puts out what they deem "disinformation" or something they do not agree with socially, on any platform, Paypal will retain the right to fine you $2,500. Can you imagine?
 
Only if you have the $2,500.00 in a Pay Pal account... They can't charge your credit card. I am not defend them. I agree, it is a $hitty deal.
 
iPhone Apple CASH

I do not see it listed but some of us that have an Apple Credit Card get CASH back added to our iPhone. It would be very easy to transfer some of that CASH to VAF using Apple CASH.

The BIG problem that I see with this is that the PHONE number would be made public and that would attract a LOT of unwanted SPAMers.
 
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Just a thought. We all buy products to support our aircraft. Would it be feasible to have the VAF vendors put a line item in their inventory for a VAF donation? Maybe add $1.00 to each transaction.

Thanks
Keith Rhea
RV7
2023 donation
 
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