The most ridiculous GoFundMe campaigns of all time
THE rise of crowd-funding platforms like GoFundMe has given people the opportunity to raise money for those in need or help fund worthy causes they believe in.
Platforms like this prove there are people out there who genuinely want to help others when they need it most, even if they don’t personally know them.
Of course, there are also people that see these crowd-funding sites as an easy way to get money for any ridiculous request that might pop into their head.
These requests usually involve something they want but would rather not pay for themselves, like a trip overseas, and often pales in importance to, let’s say, a family that have had all their possessions destroyed in a house fire or someone facing mounting medical bills.
These crowd-funding ploys range from laughable to outright absurd and, for some unknown reason, people actually send REAL MONEY to these guys.
Help to fund a ‘spiritual journey’
A US woman took to GoFundMe to raise money for what, in her mind, was a very worthy, life changing cause: taking a trip around the world to further her spiritual journey.
*Cue collective eye roll*
Becca Gronski describes herself as a “spiritual teacher, life coach, reiki and crystal healer” and asks all the people she has helped on their personal spiritual journeys to “give back” by helping fund her holiday.
“I’m raising money to support myself on my travels and spiritual journey around the world,” she explains in her post.
“I believe we should all have the opportunity to have the things we need at our finger tips, whether or not we have the money for them.
“I have set up this go fund me so that anyone who feels I have helped them in any way or would like to be apart (sic) of what I am doing and would like to help me fund my travels back to Australia (where I would eventually like to create my home base) and around the world, they can do so.”
The campaign was set up in February last year and 82 people have donated $1,220 ($AU1,619) to her cause. But it seems that many made a donation just so they could share their thoughts on Becca’s path to enlightenment.
“Handouts are for those who cannot help themselves, not for privileged and able people like yourself. Hard work, independence and perseverance are virtues — learn them on your journey,” one person wrote.
“You might try getting a job. Here’s $5 so you can print your resume. Good luck,” another said.
Spend money to prove the Earth is flat
It turns out that the rapper B.o. B is part of that entertaining crew that thinks the Earth is flat.
In fact, he is so sure that the government is lying to us about the true shape of our planet that he is challenging people to prove him wrong. How, you may ask? By raising $1 million ($A1.32m) to send multiple satellites into space in order to “show B.o. B the curve”.
B.o. B is so certain that his expedition will prove him right that he kicked off the campaign by personally donating $1,000 to the cause.
Since s tarting the campaign in September 2017 he has raised $6,899 ($AU9,138), which is still nowhere near his goal but it’s depressing to think anyone would actually donate to that.
These flea-bitten newlyweds want a second honeymoon
No one likes getting bitten by fleas, especially on your honeymoon. But does it really make it acceptable to ask strangers to fund a second, flea-free, getaway? Not really, no.
Sarah and Sam Davey hoped to raise £300 ($550) for a fresh getaway following their stay at the Trecarn Hotel in Torquay, Devon, UK, after claiming their trip was cut short due to a flea infestation.
In their online appeal the couple blasted the hotel, writing: “The room was dirty there were hairs in our bed and my husband has been bit all over his body by fleas and after numerous complaints they have done nothing.
“So we had to leave on Tuesday morning and come home five days early because they ruined our honeymoon.”
The pair have already been refunded $330 of the $480 cost of the trip, but apparently that’s not enough.
They also asked potential donators not to “judge or be nasty”, which of course didn’t deter people from expressing their unbridled thoughts on the matter.
One poster wrote: “What a bleddy cheek. I’d love a holiday, but you won’t see me begging for one #shouldbeashamed.”
Another said: “Good grief, it beggars belief. Anyone believing this rubbish and thinking of donating must be close to insanity.”
Thankfully these guys had the sense to withdraw the appeal, but not before some poor suckers sent them £65 ($AU117).
Help me purchase Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl’s self-confessed “biggest fan” decided to that if he could get a bit of money together he could hang out with his idol every day.
So Frank Pain asked the internet to send him some money so he could purchase Grohl. Yep you read that right. He wanted $35,000 ($AU46,300) so he could buy the dude from Foo Fighters and Nirvana.
“I’m his biggest fan and figured I can round up enough scratch to purchase him so we can hang out and high five and s**t. Heck, I may give him a bro-hug or two as well,” he wrote.
But fear not, Frank is a realistic guy and he has a backup plan if it turns out buying a human is more difficult than expected.
“If it is indeed illegal to purchase another human (or if Mr. Grohl isn’t a willing seller) then I’ll spend the money on beer because Dave seems like the kind of person that would want me to drink beer.”
It seems that there are a bunch of people that like the way Frank thinks because he has raised $1,854 ($2,453).
Pay for my kids trip to Disney World
A mum who was lashed by critics for making a crowd-funding appeal to send her children on a trip to Disney World hit back at people who called her out.
Nikki Smith set up a crowd-funding page, asking for £5,000 ($A8,000) to be able to get her daughters to the theme park, but was slammed online for using the site to raise the money.
She ended up taking the page down but later relaunched it, saying “I never meant to upset anyone”.
“I am not a bad person,” she wrote on the new campaign.
“I also am not asking people for their hard earned money, people have a choice.”
She upped the goal for the new campaign to £10,000 ($AU18,000) and has raised a hefty £7,328 ($A13,170).
Even if you don’t agree with asking for hand outs for a family holiday, you have to admire her determination.
