# Why is it always $19 a month, and you get a blanket? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996 "2021-12-13T17:40:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/21 "2021-12-14T13:04:45Z")
Not all charities are about people. Think of conservation and animal charities. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/22 "2021-12-18T07:56:03Z")
Charity begins at home. I think this means organizations that you care enough about and have researched. I like to be charitable in my local community. This means I did a bunch off volunteering,⁹ at school, the libar ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/23 "2021-12-18T15:53:02Z")
$19 feels cheaper than $20 and a blanket sounds universally useful (much like a towel!). Granted, the actual blanket you get might be garbage but if someone offered me a “blanket” or a “water bottle” or “tote bag”, I’d pick the blanket as the thing I’m most likely to find purpose for in my house. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/24 "2021-12-18T16:31:43Z")
In my (admittedly limited) experience, the “blanket” is a hook to get you to sign up for “pennies a day.” Once you’re on their list, expect a barrage of letters, texts and phone calls that all boil down to, “you’ve been so generous, _surely_ you can afford _just a little bit_ more!” I’m sure there are any number of worthwhile charities out there, but since this seems to be the practice across the board it’s soured me on the whole topic. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/25 "2021-12-18T16:40:34Z")
The cat likes the blankets, which saves me from having to acknowledge that I otherwise would buy blankets for the cat. ETA: My experience is that these giveaway throws hold up well and are a good size for the car, using as backing for a kid quilt, and taking places like the chemotherapy center where you don’t want to be dragging around a blanket. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/26 "2021-12-18T16:52:24Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > $19 feels cheaper than $20 and a blanket sounds universally useful (much like a towel!). Yup, for the same reason prices are $x.99. “Nope, no way I’m paying $10 or $20 for _that thing_” but $9.99 or $19.99 looks to be a lot less because of the smaller dollar amount. $19/month is still in the teens, it’s not $20, & it’s definitely _not_ $228/yr (except it is), which is a lot of money to give. While I’m at at, why should I just _give_ you my money; why don’t I get something back from you, Big Charity; hence $19/mo & you get a blanket you’ll probably never use. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/27 "2021-12-18T20:11:59Z")
As to why blankets? People already have enough water bottles, tote bags, and t-shirts. From [a promotional item place I’ve used before](https://www.denverpromotionalproducts.com/fun-outdoors-camping-outdoors-blankets.htm), I see different styles of blanket range from about $7 to $100. 1000 50x60 inch blankets, with your logo on them, are $7 each. So for $228 a year, the charity gives you a $7 blanket. That seems reasonable from the charity end (what they do with the other $221 is a different question). Obviously, that’s an expensive way for you to get a blanket, but might be a nice perk if you think the charity is a cause worthy of your money, and a blanket advertising that fact is more appealing than a hat or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/28 "2021-12-19T11:44:15Z")
My reaction to these “Donate, and we’ll send you this _\< thing \>_” is decidedly negative. I want my donation to go to the cause, not towards buying whatever token they’re offering to send me. When I give to public radio, I don’t take the tote bag or umbrella or whatever. But I also don’t donate to the organizations that have these massive media campaigns - I don’t want my dollars buying more ads, thanks. I also recall hearing all sorts of negative things about Wounded Warrior Project, similar to what was cited in the links above. I don’t trust them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/29 "2021-12-19T13:18:12Z")
My wife often donates To Native American charities. They often give blankets in return. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/30 "2021-12-20T05:51:15Z")
> [@susan](#): > > The cat likes the blankets, which saves me from having to acknowledge that I otherwise would buy blankets for the cat. Ha. My late parents donated to Wounded Warriors and Linden and Poe adore the blanket. [![](https://i.imgur.com/vroiYVm.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/vroiYVm.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/31 "2021-12-20T07:20:58Z")
Jet is a blanket sucker and likes to nurse on the air just above a fleece. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/32 "2021-12-20T12:16:44Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > 1000 50x60 inch blankets, with your logo on them, are $7 each. So for $228 a year, the charity gives you a $7 blanket. That seems reasonable from the charity end Is it possible the blankets, tote bags, water bottles, etc were donated by a philanthropist or corporate sponsor and don’t cost the charity anything? ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/33 "2021-12-20T19:47:08Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Is it possible the blankets, tote bags, water bottles, etc were donated by a philanthropist or corporate sponsor and don’t cost the charity anything Anything is possible. Marketing budgets for charities aren’t unreasonable though. (Just making up numbers) if it costs $20 to raise $100, that might be completely justifiable. The few times I’ve dealt with corporate sponsors, sometimes they just gave money, and then we added a “sponsored by” line to promotional items we were already buying. Other times it has been donation of things, but usually that’s a case where the sponsor decided to donate or discount items we were going to buy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/34 "2021-12-20T21:13:14Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Is it possible the blankets, tote bags, water bottles, etc were donated by a philanthropist or corporate sponsor and don’t cost the charity anything? I am by no means experienced in Big Charity, but as a long-time school band director, I am quite familiar with the fundraising game. There are scads of companies out there that help schools, churches, and other such smaller groups fundraise. This usually involves selling some sort of product (my most successful was frozen pies). A 60/40 split is pretty much the industry standard. For every $100 I collected, I kept $40 and used the rest to pay the bill (for the pies and whatever “incentives” I chose for rewards for the kids). ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996/35 "2021-12-20T21:27:34Z")
Native Americans and _blankets_? My mind may be taking some wrong shortcuts, but it sounds like [revenge](https://www.history.com/news/colonists-native-americans-smallpox-blankets) to me. Good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-always-19-a-month-and-you-get-a-blanket/955996.md?page=1)