How much is to much to donate??

Question

I want to donate at least $50 a month to different charities. Me and my boyfriend live together and make decent money. He told me that $50 is alot but it's my money so i can do whatever i want with it. We are trying to save up money so that we can get a home later on. I can afford to donate and put 10% of my paycheck away a month. I don't think $50 is alot of money. The way i see it, someone can use it more than i can. If things should get tight on money, then i can make cut backs on other stuff. I guess the question is: How much is to much to donate??

I just would like feed back on what you have done in your community to help out.

Also i would love to start a food and money donation drive in my town. Any ideas on how to get that going??

Answer 1

it is good to give but don't over due it

don't feel bad if you can't give and you want to

you know you are over doing it when you have no money in the bank account

Answer 2

If you sincerely donate money ,10cent would do..If you donate without a sincere heart...then donating $100 would not be so meaningful as donating 10 cents with a sincere heart

Answer 3

If  you want to be famous then it is your desire how much you can do in a monetary form.But,if you really want to for the comminity then do something very special as very rare people do.As, I have done. I have written in my will that my body and eyes should be given to the . Medical College( Anatomy Deptt.)for research work for those students who are working on medical science just after my demise.And, eyes to the needy and blind person who can see this beautiful world.And this would be  the best service to the whole community and human race.

Answer 4

u can nvr donate 2 much 2 charity!!

Answer 5

I am a vigilante, I help in every way I can

Answer 6

yes u may be right

Answer 7

If you can afford to donate every month, that's fantastic!!  And you know what?  It is all something you can claim on your taxes so that is a major plus.  And like you said, this is your money and you're clearly comfortable with the $50 per month.  I say go for it!  It's never "too much" when you're helping people out.

As for the donation drive, word of mouth is your best bet.  Try letting folks know on craigslist, post a flyer at local grocery stores and at work.  Tell everyone you know that you're collect non-perishable foods and money for this great cause.  The more people spread the word, the more people you'll have helping you and donating.  Good luck!! :)

Answer 8

Donate however much you want too.  It is for charity.  Make sure that you choose organizations that use the money and don't dump it all back into ads/pay checks with only 2 cents on the dollar going to the needy.

If you are strapped for cash then pay yourself first.  Put food on your table before you try to save the world.  In fact ALWAYS pay yourself first.

I know people who donate all but 10% of their pay and live in small homes and have little to show for all their hard work.  One couple thinks going to McDonalds is a real treat and can not aford clothes when needed. A sad life I would think.

As for setting up a food drive ask local schools, radio stations, churches to help out and make flyers and place an ad in the paper and just go for it.  Same with a money drive.  Check out the links below for some ideas:

Answer 9

awww, you are a very kind person :) 50 dollars is ok monthly, but ask your boyfriend what he feels is reasonable and then come to an agreement. do remember whatever you donate to charity, you get back to yourself 3 x fold :) you sound like a nice person. good luck. i donate my clothes monthly to charity, i also work in charity shops for free! :) speak to your landlord on advice on how to set up a "meals on wheels" i think you will need to gain a food licence. good luck xxxx

Answer 10

You can donate any amount that you desire and can afford.  Many church goers will donate 10% of their income to charities and good causes.  It is really up to you.

There are many ways you can donate, keep in mind that in many charities the donations don't always flow to the people it is suppose to serve.  You need to donate where you feel it is doing the most good, sometimes giving to someone in need does more than giving to an organization.  You only get the tax deduction if you give to an organization, however; if you're giving for the tax deduction then your motive is wrong.  Some people will set up scholarships and trusts that will be a long term giving project.  Others randomly give every month to something different.  You can choose how you want to do it.

As for setting a food drive or money drive you will need to first find out the needs of the community.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen donated food, clothing, and household goods thrown in the garbage because the charity didn't need what was given them.  Find out the real needs in your community and then decide how to go about it.  You find out the needs by volunteering and talking to various charities.  I find that the best projects are those that are specific in what the needs are where the donations go directly to the clients, not the administration.

It's great that you have a desire to help.

Answer 11

there is no limit on how much to donate. If you can afford it without making your own life too thinly stretched financially and it makes you feel good, go for it. I used to help out with an angel tree type of organization via a club in my high school, and even though I didn't have a lot of money to give or to buy gifts with, it made me feel so good to see these little kids who probably got nothing for christmas or their birthday the year years prior just light up with joy. I really felt like I was making a difference. If you want to start a food and money drive, get in contact with a local organization that is uses donations to make what they do better. Homeless shelters are always looking for donations for more beds and food. If you have a Ronald McDonald House in your area, contact them bc they are always in need of volunteers or donations. Also, you could try contactingyour local Child Advocacy center or Dept. of Children's services. The kids that go in there, as well as the foster parents taking care of them, are always appreciative of any donation that will help them to buy clothes and school supplies. I know in my town, Meth is a big problem and when children are taken away from their homes where Meth has been manufactured, they lose all their toys, clothes, everything bc it is considered contaminated.  Children's services set up a program specifically for these children and they accept any donations, clothes, food, toys money, for these children. In college, we set up a donation center for this program in the hallway and the outpouring of support was amazing. you could also try to contact your local Dept. of Human Services to find a family in need in which you could get doantions for. I hope this helps some. Good luck.

Answer 12

I personally used to think donating was a great thing to do until recently... I have found out that the majority of charities out there do not give as much as you think they do, especially when we are talking about national charities. I have done a lot of research into this problem, and so has dateline and 20/20. They both have found that more than half, closer to 90%, of charities (including the cryptic "Non-Profits") in fact do not give as much of your dollars as they probably COULD and SHOULD.  So I personally don't trust any charities. I know it sounds cynical but run a search on corrupt charities and it will really disturb you. On that special I watched, the CEO of the largest Non-Profit OrganizationS (yes he owns multiples, especially noted was some type of Disabled War Veteran's operation) and they noted that they were only giving a small amount of every dollar to the ones they claim to help.

Either way...$50 dollars could be a good chunk of your pay-check or it could be a small amount, it really depends on how much money you make...with-out knowing what you take home it is really difficult to say whether or not it's unreasonable or not. I tend to side with your bf simply because right now times are about to get really tough so as crappy as this may sound, I would use that money to pay for a tank of this insanely priced gas.

However, should you feel compelled to dontate, try looking for a homeless shelter of some sort in your community that you can interview and discuss their policies for how they do things. For instance, I found this really great homeless shelter in downtown Houston where I live that I would donate to in a second.  

I personally recommend to give somewhere around 1%-2.5% of a paycheck if you still feel strongly about donating. Good Luck.

Answer 13

i do the same after church donations. homeless folk on the street and the occasional girl scout cookie, im broke start off at like 5 a week and then gradually step it up. also get a receipt its tax deductible. plus you know one thing i found helpful, if you make a donation at the counter of a store while making a purchase you dont really realize that you made a donation at all. in the long run it all helps some where. just make sure what you are donating to is legit. god bless.

Answer 14

go for it if $50 a month  does not stretch your budget too much.  there is no limit on donations.  i'd want to make sure most of my money is used for the charity and not for administrational expenses.

my favorite charity is Teen Challange: a faith-based residential year-long program for men or women who have had addiction problems.  it is funded by churches, individuals etc. its not a government program. best of all , it works!!  changes in the individual  is focused on..not just dryin em out. students have classes in groups or studies especially for his needs, work toward GED's if necessary, counselling, even job training.  its an international organization.

Answer 15

It all depends WHY you are giving.

If your giving to feel like your 'doing your part' then a token amount like $50 sounds just right.

If you feel a strong, deep conviction on a particular matter and want to make a sacrificial donation then donate more.

I know of women who work full time and donate 100% of it to charity. They do it because they know it makes a difference.

In 50 years time from now you'll look back and know your life made a significant differnce to someone elses.

Answer 16

that is nice of u that u want to donate.  i dont think it is too much or too little.  you have a kind heart. I wish i can donate too, but i have financial problem.

Answer 17

when you realise your charity is a liability to your own livelihood. Charity is made to help people - therefore if your losing out too, it's really defeating the purpose isnt it?! 20 a month max.