Happy New Year to all.
The only major change in my January 2011 budget is a drop in my Giving from 10% to 6.9%. I feel kinda bad about this but still 6.9% is not bad.
I made this decision as my non-food spending per month budget was running at about 200 per month while my Giving budget was running at 180 per month. So I felt too squeezed and I didn't want to decrease my monthly savings contributions.
I feel like I have gone to Confession to confess a Sin ! lol Catholic guilt and all ! :-)
Giving percentage down.
January 3rd, 2011 at 02:22 pm
January 3rd, 2011 at 02:28 pm 1294064920
"Your sins are forgiven, go forth and sin no more!"
From a fellow Catholic ... All I can say is you are an inspiration for embracing charity/giving as much as you do.
January 3rd, 2011 at 03:49 pm 1294069796
January 3rd, 2011 at 04:02 pm 1294070540
January 3rd, 2011 at 04:36 pm 1294072597
Financially, we give where we see a need. I feel both these approaches are far more rewarding than sending a set percentage every month or year. I only gave 1% of my income this year in cash, but we might have gotten 100+ "Thank you for your time/help/genorsity" this year.
When my spouse returns to work and we have less time to spare, I am sure we may want to fill that area in our life with more cash giving, but I don't think it will be quite so rewarding. I guess will see!
January 3rd, 2011 at 05:59 pm 1294077580
Also... I used to contribute to a charity that got a lot of criticism for abandoning a volunteer of theirs that was kidnapped in Africa. Maybe these big international charities are not paragons of virtue after all. You also have the whole debate of how much of your gift actually goes to the people in need as opposed to "Administration" or salaries for the Charity's management.
Giving one to one maybe a better more fulfilling route.
Thanks for the replies guys ! That book about everyday philantropy seems interesting :-)
January 3rd, 2011 at 06:09 pm 1294078198
What is that quote - Charity begins at home? More my own philosophy. (Maybe it's a bit selfish too. We reap the benefits when we give support to the needs in our own community).
January 3rd, 2011 at 06:14 pm 1294078499
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:27 pm 1294093650
January 4th, 2011 at 05:57 pm 1294163859
St. Judes is the hospital. And I was quite delighted to find Sock Money animals at Sam's Club that gave a portion of the proceeds to St. Judes. And my girls said they liked the monkeys more because they were "helpful" gifts. DH and I donate our "times and talents" to our parish on a heavy basis. My oldest daughter needed 15 hours for the year in service hours (7.5 hours per semester). Thankfully she and her bff like to volunteer and they both had 17 hours for the first semester. I think donating your time is a great donation, too!
January 7th, 2011 at 01:14 am 1294362889
1 Million by age 35!
http://30sfinance.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
January 7th, 2011 at 10:27 pm 1294439247
Jerry