If you’re the
conscientious type, you probably wish you could do more for charity. Whether
it’s giving a couple of dollars to a homeless charity or hosting a fundraising
event, charity work comes in all shapes and sizes. This guide is packed full of
ways to get involved with charity without breaking the bank.
Donate your time
If you’ve got
some free time on your hands, consider donating it to charity. There are many
easy ways to get involved with charity if you commit yourself to it. You could
start by doing something like volunteering at a soup kitchen or offering house cleaning services for elderly people in need (or
even just someone who has difficulty maintaining their home but needs help).
There are plenty of charity jobs for people who are willing to put in the work.
Donate your skills
If you have a special
skill or service that people would be willing to pay for, consider offering it
as a charity service. If you’re a printer, why not offer your printing services
at cost? Or, if you’re a designer, consider donating your time to create
promotional materials for people who work with charities. In this way, you can
help a charity without necessarily donating any cash.
Give blood
One of the simplest
ways to get involved is by giving blood. Giving blood has many benefits for
society, and you may save someone’s life in the process! You can give at your
local hospital or blood bank, or look online if there are any mobile blood
banks in your area.
Donate food
If you can spare some
time and some food, consider donating it to a local food bank. There are many
homeless shelters that also serve free meals to the hungry on-site, so you
could offer some of these up as well! You’ll not only be helping out with
concrete needs like hunger, but you’ll also get involved in charity work that
is very hands-on.
Donate your stuff
If you have some extra stuff that you’d like to donate, consider
contacting a charity and asking if they’re interested. Many people want to give
back in tangible ways but don’t know how or where to start. If you can offer up
your old clothes or furniture (even if it doesn’t look very nice), it may just
help someone. Just look at the success of Savage New Canaan.
Organize a drive
Charity work doesn’t
have to be all about donations. Get the whole family involved in organizing a
clothing drive or toy drive, and you can collect items that others might need
for their own personal use. This is another great way to give back on a small
scale!
Raise funds by hosting
a party
If you have some social
talents, you could organize your own event to raise funds for charity. This could be anything from a dinner
party with ticket sales to a big barbecue or bar crawl that supports an
organization of your choice. You can also combine this idea with the toy drive
option mentioned above by holding a carnival-style event with games and other
entertainment.
Give stock or other
financial assets
If you have some money
that you’d like to see working for the greater good, consider donating it to an
organization that aligns with your values. You could even consult a CFP®
professional to help advise you on the best way to do this! If you have stocks
that are looking a little low, now might be the time to sell them. You could
also give cash or other assets directly to an organization through programs like
Kiva or Creative Children Foundation.
Shop at the right
places
Some of the most
popular charities are actually mega-corporations, so make sure you’re looking
at the big picture before choosing which organizations to support. Check out
Charity Navigator and give your money to a limited company with low percentages
of revenue going towards things other than what they were created for! You can
also shop at stores that have a history of giving their profits to charitable
causes.
Employer gift-matching
If you work for a
company that has a corporate matching-gift program, seriously consider taking
advantage of it. You could ask your employer if they will match any charitable donations you make out of your paycheck each month. Or, you could take the
extra step and have them contribute to a charity directly on your behalf! This
is a really simple way to increase your donation without really increasing the
amount of money you have to give. This is especially true if there are certain
causes that are more important to you than others, since your employer may not
offer matching funds for every charity that you’re involved in or support.
Donate your tax refund
Some people who itemize
their deductions each year are able to donate the money that they’d otherwise
be paying in taxes back to charity. If you’re eligible for this option it can
be a great way to help out and get involved with other people who care about
making the world a better place. Sometimes handing over your money to a good
cause feels even better than getting a refund.
Ask for gift donations
If you’re an involved
member of your community, it can be really rewarding to ask some of your peers
or employers for monetary gifts instead of presents. You might not want to do
this if you don’t know people that well, but some people are more than happy to
give charity as a present to someone they care about. If you have a birthday or
holiday coming up, consider asking for donations to your favorite organization
instead of gifts. Chances are people will be more than happy to contribute so
that they can help out a good cause.
Become an organ donor
Some people might not
consider this to be a charity option, but in some cases it really is! If you’re
willing to donate one of your kidneys or part of your liver to someone who
needs it, then there may be organizations that will help cover the costs associated
with donating. Donating bone marrow can also be a cheap way to help save someone’s life. If you aren’t
eligible to donate any of these things, consider registering as an organ donor
anyway! This will ensure that your organs can be donated after you pass away.
Donate your credit card
rewards
If you’re paying off
your credit card every month, consider signing up for a rewards program and
donating the points you accumulate to charity. This is one of those things that
doesn’t take much effort but can have a huge impact on the world around us. You
could even help someone in need just by taking advantage of all the great deals
you get from using your credit card.
Get a charity-focused
credit card
Another great way to
help out is by paying for everything with a credit card that gives you cash
back or other rewards every time you buy something. You could even consider
getting a credit card that will donate money to charity on your behalf, like
the Chase Better World Card. This is an amazing option for people who regularly
make purchases and pay their credit card bills in full every month. You can
feel good about giving money to a worthwhile cause while keeping your expenses
in check every month.
Consider crowdfunding
Crowdfunding has become a popular way for people to raise money for charity. If
you’re going to crowdfund a project then consider asking your friends and
family to donate to a cause that is important to you instead of pitching in for
the costs associated with raising money.
This is a great way to
get everyone involved and make a big difference in the world!
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