Creative Ways To Help Charities At No Cost

[jeffrey]

There are a lot of people that assume that the only way that they can help a charitable cause is by giving money to it. While giving money to these organizations is one way to donate, there are many other ways that you can help that won't hurt your pocket book.

Donate Your Time: While this may seem obviously to a lot of people, many don't ever consider this option. There are all types of functions that need to be done to keep the charity going and most would love any volunteer help they can get. Simply call the charity and ask if there is something that you can do to help out.

Donate Your Skills: Less obvious to many is that you may be able to donate a skill that you have to the charity. I have a good friend that helps one small charity that he likes help keep their books in order since he is an accountant. I had a friend in college who created art work for free to help campaigns a local charity ran. I have another friend who is a handyman that does all the repairs a local charity needs on their building for no cost. If you have a skill, ask the charity if they could use it.

Donate By Clicking: There are a number of websites that receive money by you simply clicking on a button. When you do, advertisers are displayed and they pay a certain amount for each click. You can find a large list of charities that make money this way at Charity Click Donation

Place The Charity In Your Signature: Place the website address to the charity in the signature of your emails (this will make it show up at the bot om of every email you send out). If you participate in a number of online forums, place a link to the charity in your signature that will show up each time that you post on those forums. Be sure to read the forum rules before doing this as some o not allow it, but this is a great way for others to learn about the charity, especially if you are active and well liked in the community.

Make A Video: If you have a digital movie camera, consider making a video detailing why you like the charity and load it up to a shared video site like youtube where others can see it.

Get A Credit Card: More and more charities are offering branded credit cards. If you use these credit cards, the charity gets a small percentage back on the amount you spend (just like a cash back card, but the cash goes to the charity instead of you). Just make sure to pay off your balance each month.

Create A T-Shirt: if you need a basic T-shirt for working out or other activity, consider making your own that advertises the charity instead of getting a plain T-shirt at your local clothes shop. Sites like cafepress.com will allow you to create your own T-shirt that can help publicize your favorite charity.

Sell Goods For Charity: If you have old stuff lying around the house, consider selling it on eBay and having the income generated go to the charity of your choice. eBay has a system that allows you to do this called Giving Works. Not only do you help the charity with cash, you can still deduct the amount donated off your taxes.

Donate Food You Get For Free: here are a lot of websites on the Internet that can teach you how to greatly reduce the cost of buying food such as Grocery Coupon Guide. If you follow the steps, what you will find is that sometimes you can get food for free. If it is food that you wouldn't normally use yourself, still get it for free and donate it to a local charity.

Address Labels: If you give to certain charities, they will send you address labels and other small items to try and get you to donate each year. Instead of purchasing a bunch of address labels for $10 through the Internet, I simply made a $10 donation to one of my favorite charities. This way I'm not spending any more money than I would have been, but the $10 goes to charity rather than to a printing company. Now I get all the address labels I need while giving a donation to the charity.

With a bit of creativity, there are a lot of ways that you can help your favorite charity without spending a lot of money.

[sweeps]

Great post.

[fairy74]

one other quick one: donate old towels, blankets etc that are ready for the scrap pile to your local pet shelter, they are in desperate need of these items

[Staceyy]

Go to online prayer request sites and pray for people. Do a "Google" search and a long list of sites will come up.

[PRICEPLUS]

Great post. I try to donate time on a regular basis more than money!

[Hez]

Iny my hometown, there's a "good neighbours care" centre, where you can donate items that people in need can take at no cost. I often donate clothes there, although they take other items as well...I prefer that than giving old clothes to places that charge people to purchase the items.

Obviously the items I donate weren't free to begin with, but when they're just sitting in my closet doing nothing, I'd rather see them put to good use by those truly in need.

[pretty cheap jewelry]

I don't like the office policy of a gift exchange. It seems so excessive to me.

So this year I suggested :
--for the office gift exchange how about all gifts be chosen from a charity?


I hope they agree.

[Ginafish]

I'm cheap by nature and agree the best way to help out a charity is to donate your time. I find food banks to be most appreciative.

[ENdlessME]

Originally Posted by Staceyy

Go to online prayer request sites and pray for people. Do a "Google" search and a long list of sites will come up.

Don't use google, use Searchkindly.com, or greenspider.com, or any number of these things.
Or for other ways, message me or see the 'website' bit of my profile.

[nomorecredit]

Originally Posted by Ginafish

I'm cheap by nature and agree the best way to help out a charity is to donate your time.

I 100% agree. I might not have any $$$ to donate, but i've got tons of time. (we're currently fostering dogs that don't do well in shelter environments, get them back on their feet and healthy so they can go to their "forever home" Talk about rewarding!)

[Johansen8]

Numbers 1 and 2 are the most valuable for me.

[Judi Dial]

Thank you for these posts! They're almost all new to me.

Here's one that isn't listed above:

Items you get for free or nearly free with coupons or rebates are usually appreciated at your local food bank, nursing home, or woman's shelter!

JD

[Mamaw]

If you stay in hotels and motels small size shampoo, soaps are free. There has been some arguements that this is stealing but other say this is figured into the cost of your room. Lets not argue about it just do it the way feels right for you.
Two freebies I like to send to our Baptist Center is baby formula and woman's hygine products.

[Mamaw]

Please don't think that I don't agree with you when I tell you I had a friend who tried not doing the office gift exchange and she became known as scrooge. Personally I think you have a good idea.

[Judi Dial]

My compromise on the stealing/taking what you pay for deal from hotels is that I take the stuff that's opened and the hotel can't use again: soap and shampoo mostly.

I have a friend who's very involved with a refugee group locally. Food stamps (at least here) does not cover non-food items, so people arrive literally with the clothes on their back. They appreciate getting soap, even if it's been used once or twice, since otherwise they have to choose between bathing and eating! I think it's a win/win. The stuff doesn't get wasted and it goes to a good cause at the same time..

JD

[ravravrav]

A great idea is to volunteer where you can. We can always help out local community organisations and things like that - it's a great way to give something back.

[goldentraders]

I agree with donating my skills... Anyone need my service, (i'm an artist) i'm here in Tennessee, but if you think i'm too far, I can outreach my hand to you through prayers... Also, donate by clicking is a nice idea...

[mnop915]

it`s good Idea!

[Saving_spree]

Even i used to donate things, henceforth I will use my creativity to help them....