Grifters, you know those people who engage in small scale swindling of others, have always been with us, I guess. 

With the Internet, online banking, and other modern conveniences, there is even more going on. And it's not just the unscrupulous that engage in this but every organization, church, school and even the government get in on the “take.”  

It used to be when some needy group needed some funds they would put a jar up at the local cafe and people could put their change in there to help them go to the State Championship or buy new uniforms.  

But Ol’ Dutch has noticed that with every transaction I make with a credit card, there is a line asking me to donate to some deserving cause. At first, it asked if I would round up to the nearest dollar. I mean really, if the FFA, St. Jude's or Second Harvest needs some change that's OK with me. Round it up.  

This week in a transaction, the prompt came up asking if I wanted to donate $10 to the local needy few.  It appears that the days of getting a nasty tasting candy bar for your donation are long gone and we now have a generation that goes right for the jugular asking for straight cash.  

Most of you who know Ol’ Dutch, know that I am the epitome of frugalness and I think my Scottish genetics lends toward that type of stinginess. Enter Miss Trixie into my life. And even though I don't know what nationality she sprung from, she makes Ol’ Dutch look like a piker when it comes to saving a dime. Which is just what I was looking for in a woman. 

My ex was the exact opposite as she would have hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees every month buying brand names without a care in the world. Miss Trixie, though, was raised by her mother Billie who would get the oink out of a pig when it came to good deals. I've seen Miss Trixie go into a grocery store and they end up somehow paying her. How could a Scottish miser like me not fall in love with that?  

That's not to say that Miss Trixie isn't generous. She is, especially when it comes to giving away my good treasures to other folks. Stuff and food, she happily shares but she won't part with a dime to a down-on-their-luck person begging for money on the sidewalk. 

Ol’ Dutch, however, is not without compassion. I have been known to pull over to the curb and give solicitors some cash on occasion. And even though I realize that may be a scam, I am only responsible for what the good Lord impresses me to do. The recipient of the money has their own accountability and it's not for me to be concerned about it. 

Asking for money in all forms, though, has gotten out of control lately. I noticed this rapid increase not only in the number of organizations asking for money but in the amounts they ask for. No longer is it enough to donate a dime per mile for a kids walk-a-thon, now the form states, “suggested donation is $50.”  

Televangelists and even some churches have gotten into the act. At least they promise you 100 times your money back that you donate or at the least a “get out of Hell free card” or something of the sort for enough money given. That's better than a candy bar, I have to admit.  

The Girl Scouts have probably the best deal going in that they sell cookies and particularly the Thin Mints that Ol’ Dutch has a hard time resisting. Yesterday, there those uniform wearing cookie pushers were dressed in their cute little green berets hawking their goods in front of the Big Box store, shouting for all to hear, “5 boxes for $30.” The way Miss Trixie turned to me and said, “Wow, $6 for 20 cookies” I could see instantly she was not going to let me have any of the chocolaty delights.  

I guess it's a sign of the times as everything costs more these days and organizations are struggling to make ends meet just like everyone else. The best we can do is give where we feel led to give and let the good Lord take care of the rest as He sees fit.  

And if He is gracious to Ol’ Dutch, maybe I will be able to sneak away from penny-pinching Trixie this week and score me a box of thin mints from the little ladies at Wal-mart.

Kevin Kirkpatrick spends his days fishing, hunting, ATVing, hiking or making people laugh. His email is Kevin@TroutRepublic.com. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com or on Twitter at TroutRepublic.