How much do you set aside for charity?

[crosses]

When you make your budget, how much do you set aside for charity?

[PrincessPerky]

none and that really bites, I sort of make myself feel better because I am currently decluttering and givce ALOT of stuff away, but not really.

[agold138]

I set aside 10% off the top -- of my gross. By year end, I hopefully have given near 12% or more. Even in the hard times when 10% of a little is a very little, I gave. There is someone always in a harder place, so it actually helped me as much as it might of helped them. It is not the percentage. Just give something. Even with the decluttering, you are giving. It is just a great thing to do and there are such positive rewards.

[Russell]

Wow! 10% ? So $5k if you make $50k gross ? That's really excellent

I try to stay around 2% or so plus 5 or 6 bags to goodwill. I'm curious to hear what others donate.

Excellent question by the way.

[34saving]

10% in the budget then a little more in "decluttering" and special projects. It seems when we don't give much away it disappears anyway . . . (like the car breaks down or something . . .)

[skipper]

I thithe 10% to my church and try to donate 2% to charity I just to a trunk load of stuff to a non profit agency and we sponsor dd Girl Scout Troops annual picnic

[baselle]

About 3%, with some volunteering, a couple of non-profit memberships and buying a Real Change newspaper once in awhile.

[singinjeannie]

Currently we only give about 2% in cash, but we really, really would like to work toward more. We started a home-based business and tithe 10% off every dime we make from the business.

I believe that what we give to God, He gives10 times more back to us.

-Jean

[robex]

We have 3 charities that we give to on a monthly basis and spend a fair bit of time doing volunteer work. I would love to have more money to give, but I know that eventually that will happen and I do feel really good about the time we spend volunteering.
Our 3 kids put 10% of their allowance into a giving account. I am always so proud of my kids when they take their own money to the store and buy treats and baby food to put into the food bank!

[BAGAGT1]

I generally set aside 1 - 2% of our gross pay for charity.

[BCompDude]

As others have said, 10% gross for tithe to Christian orginizations and then offerings of approximately 1,000 dollars during the year above and beyond the tithe. Usually to the local Christian radio station--I buy airtime which both helps the station and gives a charity of my choice a chance to advertise.

I liken our relationship with our money to a child and his room. When asked whose room he lives in, the child will say "Mine". Of course as adults we realize that the room really belongs to the parents who pay for and furnish the room but the child does not see this. It is only by the parents' grace and love that the child has "his" room. Ask an adult whose money is in his bank account and he responds "Mine" when in reality it is only by the grace and love the Lord has that he bestows/lends us this money. We are stewards and should use HIS money as he wishes us to. To be frank--whomever thinks that "100% and me" is better than "90% and God" is really fooling themselves.

I never seem to go without anything, because I don't. When we give to God, we are just taking our hands off what already belongs to Him--period.

[dealsaver]

3%. If I gave more I would be a charity case myself!