You CAN Give Back On A Budget

You don’t have to be making the big bucks in order to give back to the community. Even when money is tight, there are ways to get creative with your service. No, you don’t have to donate hundreds and thousands of dollars every month, but you can do small things that still make a big impact. Here are some tips to giving back on a budget:

Put money aside

If you’re serious about giving back but you don’t have serious money to do it, an easy way to make sure you’re able to give in some capacity is to budget for it. We budget for what’s important to us, right? Maybe you can cut down on your personal expenses, or your eating out in order to give to your favorite charity.

Don’t be hasty about your giving – be intentional. Do your research on charities whom you support and what they stand for. That way when you do give, you can be deliberate about it.

Donate your time

Ok, so maybe you can’t pull off giving literal money – but what about your time? Organizations may need volunteers to make calls, enter data or send emails. Others may have volunteer opportunities that last for a single day, but make a significant local impact. Charities such as food banks, senior centers and nature preserves organize days to come and help with whatever tasks they need.

Support a fundraiser

The fact of the matter is, not everyone wants to or has the time to start their own fundraiser – so why not support one instead? You can support a non-profit by simply asking stores to support an auction with a gift certificate or donating an item they sell. Buying tickets to attend a fund raiser may be an easier consideration for you as well.

Match a gift

Looking for times when matching a gift is offered – this will stretch your money further. Major donors will sometimes match contributions to a specific charity up to a certain amount, plus matching gifts are often available through employers. In most cases, workers must submit a form with proof of their donation for a match to be issued. Talk to your HR department to see if and how your company matches charitable gifts.

Give blood

Donating blood is a great way to give to your local community. Since blood donors are always in demand, giving blood if you are able to can make a big impact on your community. Not only that, but you’ll usually get a free t-shirt, too! Who doesn’t love free t-shirts?

Understand that giving something is better than nothing

The fact of the matter is, even $5 will make a bigger impact than giving nothing. If you can gather even just $5-$20 a month to give to your charity of choice, you’re doing something great. A lot of the time, charities don’t need your money, they need you to spread the word. By donating, you’re getting the word out.

Any amount of giving is important and special when it comes to donations to non-profits. If you prioritize your time/budget, you can squeeze even small amounts of time and money into your charity of choice.