An update from Winchester Meeting:
We have a SumUp card machine - linked to a DONA donations device.
Upfront cost: over £400. DONA charge: £15 per month. SumUp processing: 1.69% (didn't take it for first 4 months).
We have recovered the initial outlay, and we are getting more than £15 in each month, so it seems worth it. But that won't apply to all Meetings.
Our Treasurer was very sceptical, but is now convinced. I believe it is easy to account for monies received / pass info to book-keeper/accountant.
The donations device is very user-friendly, and useful if
- you want to take donations for different things, e.g. refreshments/repairs
- you appreciate having lots of information about donations, e.g. how much for different causes / month-by-month / graphs, etc
- you want to receive the 25% gift aid, and have it all calculated for you
- you like being able to phone someone if you have a query (good customer service)
As for the question about giving having increased or not - I certainly have the impression that it has, but I don't have the earlier figures. Maybe we can see this more clearly when the annual accounts are prepared. Having a card-reader definitely seems to be the way to go (with or without a donations device), as so many people no longer carry cash, and paying cash into the bank takes time, and banks are moving away from accepting cash.
All the best,
Lorraine