Be Charitable Without Spending a Penny
With the holidays quickly approaching many of us are starting to think about our annual charitable donations. Sending a check to a cause that you are passionate about is a great way to give back, and also works as a tax break when done properly. However, not everyone has extra money to donate, especially during the holiday season. There is good news, though, for those without heavy pockets; charity isn’t always about the money.
Donate Your Time
That’s right, money isn’t everything. There are countless organizations that are just as much in need of your time and dedication as they are donations. Whether you live in a city or a more residential area, chances are there is a soup kitchen or animal shelter within reasonable distance that would be very grateful for a few hours of your time each month.
Our founder and principal advisor, Doug Kobak, uses volunteering as a coach for the local Special Olympics organization as one of his methods of giving back. This is an example of an organization that can be found in most cities/towns throughout the country, and is always in need of dedicated volunteers to spend a few hours each weekend coaching in a number of events.
Donate Your Things
Technology has made it simple to sell things you no longer need or want for a profit, which is pretty awesome. We do, however, recommend going back to old fashioned donations whenever you can. Nationwide organizations such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, an Vietnam Veterans of America will take used clothes, dishware, furniture, shoes, and more off your hands just about hassle free, and year round. The beauty of donating this way is that you never know who is going to end up with your used goods- but there is a great chance that you will be providing someone with a good they would not have been able to purchase new.
Use the Internet and Social Media
Most people would be shocked by how many ways you can donate to various charities for free by web surfing and using social media. Browse for A Cause is a Firefox plugin that you can install and allow it to run in the background while you shop online. Websites like Amazon will donate a small percentage to Browse For A Cause, who then donates 100% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice.
One of the easier and fun ways we found to donate is through Free Rice. This site lets you play a vocabulary game, and every question that you answer correctly donates 10 grains of rice to the World Food Program. It is funded by sponsors who advertise on the site, which means it’s completely free to play.
We should all try to make an effort to give back this holiday season, and year round for that matter. It may start out as a sort of chore, but as we’ve seen firsthand, it turns into an enjoyable hobby once you realize the good you are doing. Additionally, for those who are lacking in time, but not money, talk to your advisor about the best way to donate money this year.
