Being generous will always be an excellent quality to have, especially if you have kids that look up to you. You can lead by example when it comes to your family and peers by giving back to the less fortunate through charities, even if you don’t have the expenses to do so.
Here are the best ways you can give to charity without breaking the bank.
Donate Your Time and Skills
Most charities survive through the kindness and hard work of volunteers. Volunteering is one of the best ways to give back to charity and is just as valuable as monetary donations. So, if you have the means, donate your time and work at any homeless shelter, soup kitchen, hospice or senior center, and animal rescue. You can take this up a notch by offering your “special skills” or services for free.
For instance, if a charitable organization you’re supporting is looking to expand its branches or establish its first physical branch-and you happen to work in the real estate industry, offer your services. Similar to how real estate developers in the Philippines work, help the cause convert their ideas from paper to real property.
Donate Your Holiday
On the next holiday season, rather than traditional gift-giving, why not set up a fundraiser instead? You can do this by donating directly to the causes you support one time or make it a monthly or annual goal, depending on how much impact you want to have-helping you keep your community thriving.
Organize a Drive and Raise Funds
If you have plenty of free time and the enthusiasm to help out the needy but not the funds, consider organizing a drive to collect donations for an organization of your choice. For instance, you can manage and host a food drive at your office, at your children’s school, or in the neighborhood. After all, it only takes a single person to get the ball rolling and host a food collection or drop off giving back to the needy.
You can also try to raise funds for charities in several ways, including organizing local collections, sharing the causes you support on social media, and participating in sponsored events.
Employer Gift Matching Programs
Many employers provide matching gifts to their team members, which means they’ll “match” some or the exact amount of your donations to charity, doubling the assistance provided. If you’re looking to expand your helping hand, see if your employer offers this policy and help you double your donation minus the costs. However, if the company you’re working for doesn’t provide this benefit, ask your HR department to encourage the company to implement it
Donate Blood or Become an Organ Donor
If you don’t have the funds to donate to charity regularly, you can always use your body-literally. As long as you’re healthy and are willing to help, you can give back to charity by donating blood or becoming an organ donor. Donating blood to healthcare organizations such as the Red Cross is free, doesn’t require much time, and can help you save someone’s life. You can donate whole blood every eight weeks and platelet every seven weeks up to 24 times a year.
If you want to help out until the moment you pass away, you can become an organ donor by granting permission to use healthy body parts, helping you save lives even in the afterlife.
Give Away Credit Card Awards
Most credit card providers often let their holders donate their cash back, points, miles, and other credit card rewards directly to a charity in partnership with them. However, even if that isn’t an option, you can redeem your cashback rewards and donate the amount right after. Additionally, you can avail of credit cards specifically designed for charity work-you can ask your credit card provider if they’re offering this option or ask any of your local credit unions if they have this program.
Lend Your Pet to the Needy
Simply lending your pet can go a long way in helping other people in distress receive unconditional love and affection. Several facilities accept pet owners to bring their animals to their physical location to offer love to those who need it in the area, ranging from college campuses to nursing homes. All you need to do is train your pet to be friendly toward others and look into the places near you that offer pet programs.
Giving to charity doesn’t need a massive amount of disposable income. So, if you’re looking to help make the world a better place by starting with your local charities, you can still contribute without using most of your paycheck-and the tips mentioned can help you maximize your modest budget.