A woman says she got into a lengthy back-and-forth with a Goodwill worker after declining to round up her purchase by one penny for charity. She shared the story in a TikTok video posted by user @avidchatter, which has been viewed more than 263,400 times and received over 42,000 likes.
In the video, the woman is seen sitting in her car, speaking directly to the camera. She recounts the exchange, starting with the cashier’s question: “Would you like to round up for charity? It’s one penny.”
According to the woman, she replied, “No, I’m okay.” When the associate pushed back with “But it’s a penny,” she explained her reasoning, saying, “It’s not really a real donation, it’s like a tax write-off.”
Other customers joined the conversation about the penny
The woman said a nearby customer overheard the exchange and joined in, asking, “Oh, it’s a tax write-off?” She confirmed this, and the customer then asked, “But you’re not gonna donate it? It’s a penny.” The woman again said no. She then added that she donates to charity separately, noting, “Not that it’s any of her business, mind you.”
Per the woman’s account, the conversation grew to include a fourth person, who also questioned her decision, asking, “But you’re not gonna donate the penny?” She responded, “No! I’m not gonna donate the f–king penny, it’s my penny!”
She said she “stood on that principle” despite what she described as a three-minute conversation about the penny, and stated, “I did not donate the penny, thank you very much.” The woman also pointed out that she had already made a purchase at the store, which she estimated was worth “600 pennies.” She said, “And you’re asking me to donate one for free? I just gave you 600!”
Viewers left a range of comments on the video. One wrote, “I NEVER donate my change.” Another commented, “i feel like this didn’t happen.” Some commenters raised points about how store round-up donations work. One wrote, “Mind you they get all of their products for free.”
Another said, “The ‘donations’ are just to compensate for the donations the company already gives. It’s them making that money back.” A separate comment added, “SAME goes for tipping culture.” The debate over employee pressure and customer choice isn’t unique to Goodwill, as a woman trying to sell clothes at Buffalo Exchange had every piece rejected.
Another commenter defended the Goodwill worker’s role in the exchange, writing, “goodwill employees get in trouble if a too little number of people donate its not her fault, theyre told to push it.”
One comment challenged the woman’s claim about the donation being a tax write-off, stating, “Goodwill is a nonprofit. They cannot write that off. You can write it off but not a nonprofit.” Goodwill shopping can yield surprises, as a Nashville woman learned when she texted her husband a video of a $19.99 golf bag, unaware of its hidden contents.
Published: Aug 2, 2026 08:10 am