2 Ways to Give More on a Low Income

Giving Generously Despite Your Tight Budget

So you're looking for a way to give more. But perhaps you're like me, only able to spare $50, or so, a month and still make ends meet.

You could volunteer, of course, but maybe you want to support an international relief group or something that isn't in your local area. Maybe you already volunteer and want to do even more financially.

Here's two ways to increase your income so that you can increase your giving!

1. Donate your skills.

Consider using your hobbies or side projects to produce things which you can either give to the charity itself or sell to raise money for donation. This can be anything from mowing a few lawns to embroidering christening dresses to blogging.

For example, I happen to have a passion for quilting. So I've looked up various quilting charities to see what they want. Most want donations, but they'll do different things with them.

My old hometown group Quilts for Comfort gives these quilts, in turn, to hospitals and the like. Others, like the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative will sell them and use the money for their projects.

However, maybe you're passionate about animal rights or social justice in Darfur. What can you do for them with a quilt? or a painting? or blogging?

Sell it yourself! (ok, with the blog it's more like getting sponsors.) You like blogging and you wish you could do more for Darfur? Great, start blogging passionately about it. Tell stories, give information, try to interview people. Then find sponsors, ads, and people who will donate money to you or straight to some organization you think is helping. Get your content published on Associated Content, whether for upfront or performance payment. Market the articles to the nonprofits, your writing could be a donation in itself.

Or just take your regular blogging/writing and use some of the money from that. Try to do a couple extra paid posts per month or a few more AC articles.