"Excuse me, madam, do you want to hear about our latest pay television offer?"

No thanks, I'm fine thanks ...

"G'day, do you want to buy a scratchie to support the Coastguard?"

Errm, the coastguard, here in Hepburn Shire, no, not really, but thanks anyway ...

Mmmm. Lunchtime. What do I feel like - might just take a wander.

"Excuse me madam, do you want to ...

No thanks.

"G'day there, wanna buy some scratchies ...?"

No thanks.

Yawnnnn. Mid afternoon and I need a sugar hit.

"Excuse me ...

NO!

"G'day ...

NO!

Who knows, perhaps I am just tight, or turning into an even grumpier old woman, but I really don't want to give money to the Coastguard, have pay television connected, or, and this my gripe from last month, financially support the paralympians.

And while I don't really mind when I am stopped for the first time when it comes to the second, and third, on the same day, it does get a little boring.

Now, I know that jobs are scarce and these stalls keep people off the streets, well sort of, but surely there must be some legislation to restrict their activities.

I mean, if I really wanted to donate to the paralympians I would do it in my own time with some thought involved and without the need to pay collectors.

And living in the bush I am always happy to give to the CFA, but I really haven't seen many coastguard vessels floating around the shire lately.

And pay TV? It's hard enough to get through all the free-to-air channels these days and, to be honest, I would probably rather support the local video shops or attend a real-life sporting game.

Not that I am against all street stalls. I am happy to dig out gold coins for schools, sporting clubs and myriad auxiliaries, which I am pretty sure are all manned by volunteers giving up their time to support their organisations.

On the whole I think donating is a personal decision and my choices are the Asthma Foundation and the Royal Children's Hospital - simply because I am an asthmatic who survived an attack 38 years ago thanks to that hospital and its staff.

I donate what I can afford and regularly - not because someone on the street has called out "excuse me ..."