# How much do you give to charity?



## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

How much of your net income (after tax) do you give a way to charities?


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

Nothing. I feel like those people in the book, "Millionaire next door." 

But I have won awards for volunteer work. I prefer to volunteer labour/time rather than money. A lot of charties are run by volunteers that don't get paid. Who knows if the money is being used or managed in the best way.

Your poll has nothing for 0%


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## GeniusBoy27 (Jun 11, 2010)

I have a few charities that I give to, and I believe in giving generously to a few.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

1-2% to Kiva which I could technically get back but I re-give the payments

So far I like it because as you re-give you get more and more back on a monthly basis so it seems to grow exponentially.


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## John_Michaels (Dec 14, 2009)

...very little since I participate in forced charity beyond taxes. The provincial gov't forces (assuming she even wants to treat them) my wife to take A LOT less by treating synod, OW & ODSP patients than non-recipients...that is, she nets $10 off OW/ODSP per patient when she nets >$100 off non-recipients. I figure that's charity enough.


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## GeniusBoy27 (Jun 11, 2010)

I've lived/worked overseas in Africa since I was a kid. So my charities are to organizations that generally work in Africa. 

I do spend lots of time abroad every year and some of it is without pay. However, having grown up seeing what true poverty is, and seeing what a little bit can do, I kind of feel obligated to give a little back.

Kiva.org is a wonderful organization


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

A few years ago, after reading Peter Singer's essay "How Much Should a Billionaire Give, and How Much Should You?" I set myself a goal of giving 10% of my gross income to charity. But I've never even come close. I typically give about 2% and one year I made it up to 5%, but it's going to take me a while to ramp up to 10%; I'm still too focused on saving for retirement and paying off the mortgage, but the older I get the more satisfaction I get out of giving to charities.


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## rookie (Mar 19, 2010)

i did write in the forum some time back about taxes. being in the higher tax bracket, i think i can consider some of my tax money as charity. joe bloe paying no tax is getting the same benefits from the govt as me which means i am paying something for him to get this benefit. so i do not consider doing percentages.

that does not mean i do not do any charity. i generally cannot easily turn down anyone asking me for help. so every phone call, every request gets some donation. also, i have realized this several times in life. if help is shoved without being asked, it is not appreciated as it should be. so unless someone asks, i do not feel the need to go out of my way to help. i do not keep track though, which is what my culture teaches. left hand should not know what the right hand donates.


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## steve_jay33 (Aug 29, 2009)

I give about 1% to Kiva. I really like the concept of this organization, and I have an idea of where my money goes.


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## R.O.V. (May 16, 2010)

As other posters have pointed out, I too have a tough time giving to most charities. I feel that all levels of government are taxing us quite heavily and this revenue should be enough to meet the needs of the community at large. 

For example, a telethon whose main objective is to raise funds for a particular hospital to purchase a particular piece of equipment should be unnecessary...and until Mr. Harper (and all the Premiers) agree to have the government books examined by the Auditor General to shed light on the amount of wasteful spending (and possible corruption) by our MP's, should be avoided by the public.


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## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

Maybe I'm the oddball (not surprising)... 

But I rarely give to local charities (I live in GTA). I usually give to Red Cross, and MSF, for disaster relief. But I do not have a regular donating plan. Usually, random disaster happen throughout the year, and I chip in a little here and there. I "feel" that these are more urgent needs, and isn't charity ultimately about how I "feel" ?


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

What about the GOV giving disaster money to countries in need? (Hatai, Pakastain) Where does that money come from..


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## ramy98 (Sep 20, 2009)

I try to give around 10% Gross to my church, world vision and Covenant House Vancouver.


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## R.O.V. (May 16, 2010)

Another thing I'm not happy about is fundraising (on the backs of parents)for the local public school for technology upgrades. Our son just came home with the first (of probably many) fundraisers for the school. Money for smartboards and such....so irritating!! We pay way too much in taxes for these types of funding requests from the public school system.


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## Brian123 (Sep 4, 2010)

One charity that bugs me.. when I go through the Wal-mart checkout, (and many other checkouts aswell) and they ask me if I want to donate. If I can afford to donate $1, then Walmart should be able to donate a billion. Then you notice in the news or some advertisement somwhere saying that they've donated $xxxxxxx many dollars to charity. Was that the customer that donated the money or really Wal-mart? Hmmm.. i wonder if they use the customers donations for tax breaks? Does Wal-mart care more about the charity or are they just using it as an advertisment?


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

Earlier this year - on a cold, cold day, in fact - I participated in a bake sale for Haiti. 

"Cupcakes for Haiti" raised $12,000 CASH that day, which was doubled by the federal government. We gave $24,000 to Doctors Without Borders and FINCA (a microloan charity). 

The cookbook which grew out of that event is now available. Here's a blog post about it:

http://familynature.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/cupcakes-for-haiti-cookbook/

If you want a cookbook, let me know. Every penny of the cookbook sales will be going to MSF and FINCA. If you like baking, and cupcakes, and charity, I will hook you up!


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

p.s. I kid you not. This was a bunch of gung-ho but low-key women baking cupcakes and selling them on one woman's lawn in the middle of winter.


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## Ihatetaxes (May 5, 2010)

I raised $2500 in this years Becel Ride for Heart and Stroke in Toronto. First experience raising funds instead of just donating and it felt great to get involved.


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## osc (Oct 17, 2009)

$0 - I don't believe in charity. 
Helping the poor is a government job (although I'd prefer the money to be spent on education and contraceptives for the poor). 
Funding research is a government job. I think we should pay more taxes for research.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

osc said:


> $0 - I don't believe in charity.
> Helping the poor is a government job (although I'd prefer the money to be spent on education and contraceptives for the poor).
> Funding research is a government job. I think we should pay more taxes for research.


'At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, 'it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.'

'The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?' said Scrooge. 

They are. Still,' returned the gentleman,' I wish I could say they were not.'

'Are there no prisons?"

'Plenty of prisons,' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

'And the Union workhouses.' demanded Scrooge. 'Are they still in operation?'

'Both very busy, sir.' 

'Oh. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,' said Scrooge. 'I'm very glad to hear it.'

'Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,' returned the gentleman, 'a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?'

'Nothing!' Scrooge replied. 

'You wish to be anonymous?' 

'I wish to be left alone,' said Scrooge. ... I help to support the establishments I have mentioned-they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.'

'Many can't go there; and many would rather die.' 

'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

---from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens


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## BETTYVEE (Dec 23, 2009)

speaking of christmas i tend to buy donations on behalf of other ppl. I feel horrible doing this like I am jipping them out of a gift but i can't justify buying someone something i know they aren't going to appreciate for more than a couple of weeks/months at most.

My family is huge so they all get lots an lots of presents (specially the kids) and then at the end they get mine..oh! its a card saying you donated mosquito nets, malaria pills..yay christmas..the faces, they don't know what to make if it..priceless!

this year im giving charity cards and letting them choose where to donate..i feel so evil doing it but oh well mauahhaha lol


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## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

I actually REQUESTED donation as my birthday present. muhaha.


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

I give very little to charities, often at drives where I get something for donating (ie buy chocolate for charity). I prefer to volunteer, which I do on a regular basis and very often.


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## Jayde (Oct 4, 2010)

I never donate money. If I feel a cause is worthy I'll donate my time instead.

Charity for the sake of charity causes more problems than it solves. It teaches people to rely on handouts rather than try to make their own way. Like anything else in life, charity must be earned.

Show me that you're willing to help yourself and I will gladly assist you. Come to me with excuses and begging for donations and you'll get a dial tone as your answer.


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## davext (Apr 11, 2010)

Charities are trying to grab too much these days. Recently I went to sponsor my friend for Run for the Cure and found the donation options started at $50. I donated $25 under "Other Amount". 

Another thing I hate about charities is that they keep asking for more. I donated $100 to the Toronto Humane Society 7 years ago and they haven't stopped sending me donation requests with christmas cards/stamps, or whatever. Do they feel that just because they've sent me something, I'll feel obligated to donate? I'm not falling for that sales trap.

I receive at least one phone call a day from a charity that one of my family members or I have donated to in the past.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2010)

*Taxes are enough ...*

My thinking is in line with Rookie ... as my income and income tax increased, my contributions went down ... and I was thinking that a certain family member who takes considerable advantage of health and other services might consider doing some volunteer work to compensate for his use of those services ... rather than sit and whine about how unfair life is ...


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## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

Canadians on average give about 0.73%. US give almost twice as much at 1.38%.

I've read somewhere that people tend to give more in regions where there isn't a strong government funded safety net.

I think these figures are gross income, differs from the figures used in this thread.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/12/20/con-charity-report.html


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Jayde said:


> I never donate money. If I feel a cause is worthy I'll donate my time instead.
> 
> Charity for the sake of charity causes more problems than it solves. It teaches people to rely on handouts rather than try to make their own way. Like anything else in life, charity must be earned.
> 
> Show me that you're willing to help yourself and I will gladly assist you. Come to me with excuses and begging for donations and you'll get a dial tone as your answer.


Hmmm .... so how in your view, does one "earn" charity?

And similarly, what is your criteria for "willing to help yourself'?

So if I say I've forgotten my wallet and could you spare a quarter for a photocopy, what would be your response? Or if I say I need the quarter to start a business, is you response the same?

Just curious ...


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## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

@Electic12: Lots of people believe that their success in life is 100% earned by themselves. I do not wish to belittle their achievements, but I believe them mistaken. Circumstances, environment play a large role as well. Those who lack empathy cannot intuitively understand the kind of help their upbringing and their community had given them. So they naturally scoff at giving anything back.


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## olivaw (Nov 21, 2010)

I'm 1-2%. It isn't enough.


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## DavidJD (Sep 27, 2009)

Does anyone have experience donating stocks? I am not sure that many charities have a suitable account set up to hold such investments. Not the small orgs anyway. Also I am sure that what is donated are not that wonderful or in odd lots. I am sure that the portfolio would be a hodgepodge of wierd things.

Just curious because the part about not incurring a capital gain so the 'donation' achieves a maximum tax refund is attractive.

Is their a list of Cdn charities that are accepting these types of donation?

I might ask TDW if they have advice on this.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

DavidJD said:


> Does anyone have experience donating stocks? I am not sure that many charities have a suitable account set up to hold such investments. Not the small orgs anyway.


I've worked for a number of small and medium nonprofits over the years, and most of them did in fact accept donations of stocks.


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

I always thought that would be a good business idea - providing advice and support to charities who receive donated stock. You could run seminars for their prospective donors, and help their staff understand the implications of receiving irregular bundles of stock, including odd lots.


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## DavidJD (Sep 27, 2009)

MoneyGal said:


> I always thought that would be a good business idea - providing advice and support to charities who receive donated stock. You could run seminars for their prospective donors, and help their staff understand the implications of receiving irregular bundles of stock, including odd lots.


I would it expect that the account(s) would be provided by their financial institution under a charitable category with a favourable fee structure. I am sure that 'rebalancing' would need to be done regularly. I suspect that some orgs would simply want to liquidate while others may prefer to get some reliable returns by way of dividends.

The reason I was wondering if there was a list of orgs accepting stocks is because some may see it as too costly/complicated to set up or run and not expect many donations of stocks from their community. Having said that, the first charitable organziation to come along and invite/solicit such donations will probably get quite a good response. All they would need to explain is how (transfer or a cert?).


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

slacker said:


> Canadians on average give about 0.73%. US give almost twice as much at 1.38%.
> 
> I've read somewhere that people tend to give more in regions where there isn't a strong government funded safety net.
> 
> ...


The problem with that is in the US if you give say used books to the Library, or used clothes to goodwill, you get a tax receipt. I don't think that happens very often in Canada if at all. So my well-to-do in laws drop their armani suits off at goodwill once a year, and their servants drop off a few crates of books to the public library for a tax write off.

As sarcastic as that sounds, I think we should be offering up the same benefit here in Canada.


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## Sustainable PF (Nov 5, 2010)

1-2% now. We wrote about giving to charity last week.


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## slacker (Mar 8, 2010)

Sustainable PF said:


> 1-2% now. We wrote about giving to charity last week.



@Sustainable: Good job !! I've noticed that you have "diversified" your charities.

I give online to about 4 or 5 charities, but I've found that each of them send me snail mail spam every couple of weeks. Not only is it annoying to get spam, it's infuriating knowing that they've just wasted admin money on spamming me. I have resolved to reduce my charitable givings to at most 2 charities to reduce spam.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

BETTYVEE said:


> speaking of christmas i tend to buy donations on behalf of other ppl. I feel horrible doing this like I am jipping them out of a gift but i can't justify buying someone something i know they aren't going to appreciate for more than a couple of weeks/months at most.
> 
> My family is huge so they all get lots an lots of presents (specially the kids) and then at the end they get mine..oh! its a card saying you donated mosquito nets, malaria pills..yay christmas..the faces, they don't know what to make if it..priceless!
> 
> this year im giving charity cards and letting them choose where to donate..i feel so evil doing it but oh well mauahhaha lol


I'm starting to do the same thing. However, for those who are too small to understand the lack of a gift, I give one or two small gifts so there is something to open when everyone else is opening gifts. The rest goes into the donation or into their RESP.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

slacker said:


> @Electic12: Lots of people believe that their success in life is 100% earned by themselves. I do not wish to belittle their achievements, but I believe them mistaken. Circumstances, environment play a large role as well. Those who lack empathy cannot intuitively understand the kind of help their upbringing and their community had given them. So they naturally scoff at giving anything back.


So true ... I think of the investing advice my uncle gave when I was in university. I didn't take full advantage but several of his suggestions paid off.
Then too, his comments made learning a lot easier as I wasn't starting at square one.

I also think of my former co-worker who suggested the job change that netted me a 65% raise, before bonuses. I was certainly looking but his suggestion was a much more lucrative change.

Cheers


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Addy said:


> The problem with that is in the US if you give say used books to the Library, or used clothes to goodwill, you get a tax receipt. I don't think that happens very often in Canada if at all. So my well-to-do in laws drop their armani suits off at goodwill once a year, and their servants drop off a few crates of books to the public library for a tax write off.
> 
> As sarcastic as that sounds, I think we should be offering up the same benefit here in Canada.


Actually, I believe the same is available - it's just that most places aren't familiar with it and are reluctant to assign a value that CRA might question.

A company I worked for tried to sell a phone switch to a university. When they couldn't agree on price, they agreed to have the switch company provide a letter stating the value of the switch and the university supplied a charitable donation for the same amount.

Then too, if the charity is taking in books that they might sell for $0.25 each, unless there's lots of books, they may not want to tie up staff time to generate the tax receipt.


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## tasamy (Dec 16, 2010)

$500 to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International


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