There are a number of additional issues that the author failed to mention.

Firstly there is the issue of commission-based fundraising, which often results in much of a donation not being spent on the charity concerned.

Secondly there are issues concerning what charities actually do with their money. How much actually goes on administration or on high salaries to executives etc

I question the the number of so called "philanthropists" who we are told give "billions" to charities, so I question why they need to ask for money from a "pauper" like me, I am concerned that some of these "generous" people are using certain charities as a TAX dodge, particularly if the "donation" goes to an other country, is there a way of verifying the amount? I question because there has been some very "inventive" ways of cheating the tax office in the past.

Best not to not to give to any 'charity'. They are businesses, and you don't know where your money goes, even if there is any left after the "charities" have taken out their 'expenses'. Keep it personal. Give to people people you know in YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.

I, too, have had this painful experience of having to stop donations to worthy causes, as I realised the correctness of Marx’s prediction of how charity would be transformed into a commodity for profit.

The telephone harassment is even worse than the junk mail.

Remember that pensioners have paid taxes for all their working lives, and additionally into old age through the Howard Theft Tax on daily living expenses introduced at the turn of the century by the Libs to fund a cut in company tax rates - and a letter today from Centrelink promising that pensioners' income and health support will be slashed again in 2016.

Meanwhile charity appeals are bombarding pensioners with calls to contrtibute funds for disability support organisations and for medical research plus the foreign aid budget for African child illnesses.

This should be weighed against the fact that one F35 strike fighter costs an estimated $122 million plus an extra $22 million if they want an engine in it. The government has a substantial number of these on order to help its participation in endless Yank colonial wars on the other side of the world. Cancelling the order would release lots if money for the government to pick up its obligation to fund what the charities are seeking money from the poor for.

A nice, interesting article and some thoughtful comments.
I have just had to explain again to friends and sisters that I don't usually answer the phone until I work out who's calling. Too many people trying to flog umpteen products at me.
I also refuse on principle to go into noisy stores, stores with too many kinds of music blaring etc. and especially stores that have horribly noisy ads.
Two of my siblings had generous spouses. When the spouses died, the survivors found out about all the charities which they as a family had been supporting. And those charities never knew the word "enough". It was always "you gave before, give us more".
I have paid my taxes and now pay GST. I don't usually give to people living in the street who have stronger arms and legs than I do, and who seem happy not to work - in their 20s and 30s!
I support my church through some money and through my actions. It sickens me that there are charities who bludge on the generosity of people and then demand money from governments. We have a few so-called churches that need to be shut down for blatant pilfering of the public purse. "Charity "is a much-abused word.