20 Stupid Reasons to Start a GoFundMe

GoFundMe is a legitimate platform that has funded cancer treatments, disaster relief, and genuine hardship. It is also a platform that has hosted campaigns for a potato salad, a man’s need for a new gaming chair, and someone’s desire to go to Coachella. This list is for the second category — not to shame anyone, but because the contrast with genuine need is genuinely funny, and also because some of these campaigns succeeded.

The most surprising thing about crowdfunding campaigns for non-emergencies is not that people start them — it is that other people fund them. Generosity and bewilderment are not mutually exclusive.

The Lifestyle Upgrade Campaigns

1. Funding a vacation to somewhere warm because “I really need a break” is the full explanation given
2. Replacing a gaming setup that was “perfectly functional but honestly a little embarrassing”
3. Buying a new phone because the current one has a cracked screen but otherwise works completely fine
4. Upgrading from a standard to a premium streaming subscription because the ads are “really affecting my wellbeing”
5. Getting a tattoo that has been wanted for a while and is described as “emotionally necessary”
6. Funding a wardrobe refresh described as “essential for my confidence journey”

The Food and Beverage Emergencies

7. The original potato salad GoFundMe (real, raised over $55,000 in 2014 for a man who wanted to make potato salad)
8. Funding a cheese board described as “an investment in hosting quality”
9. Covering the cost of a meal at a restaurant “that would genuinely change my life if I could afford it”
10. Getting a high-end coffee machine because making coffee at home is “technically saving money long-term”

The Social Event Funding Campaigns

11. Covering the ticket cost for a music festival while explaining that missing it would be “emotionally devastating”
12. Funding a birthday party that the organizer believes deserves a larger budget
13. Getting to a friend’s destination wedding that was described as non-negotiable to attend
14. Covering the entrance fee to a club opening described as “career-relevant networking”

The Pet Situation Campaigns

15. A dog spa day that is described as “a thank you for everything they have been through”
16. A cat’s preference for premium food, framed as a dignity issue
17. Funding a hamster’s birthday party including a tiny cake and documented celebration
18. A pet costume contest entry fee described as genuinely competitive at the local level

The Completely Honest Ones

19. Described straightforwardly as: “I want money. I don’t have a specific reason. Here is a photo of my face.”
20. The campaign that simply says: “I am a person on the internet. If you would like to give me money, here is the place to do it.” This one received donations.

None of this is meant to discourage anyone from using crowdfunding for genuine needs — medical emergencies, disaster recovery, and legitimate hardship are exactly what these platforms exist to support. The campaigns above are funny precisely because of the contrast with those genuine uses, and because several of them demonstrate that the internet’s willingness to fund things defies any logical model of charitable giving.