5 ways to keep giving to charity when money is tight

Not making as many charitable donations as you would like? Here's some wallet friendly ways to keep giving throughout the recession...

Cancel the charity direct debit or have the electricity cut off? A choice many of us will be forced to make as the pinch of spending cuts is felt across the country.

But whilst the age of austerity may limit donations, if you want to give to charity, a lack of funds certainly needn't stop you. New donation methods now exist that let the average Brit give more efficiently, and have a bit more fun whilst doing it.

iHobo

At first it may look like the iHobo app is a bit of a sick joke; “meet the young homeless person who will be living on your iPhone for the next three days,” reads the app description.

Yet this new app – released by the homeless charity Depaul UK in May – is designed to challenge perceptions of homelessness by allowing users to look after their very own iHobo. This “real time experience” last for three days and ends with a direct appeal from Depaul UK for the user to donate, via their iPhone.

But the iHobo is just one of many new ways to give via your smart-phone; last year, Comic Relief released the iNose app; a talking red nose that sent a donation when downloaded. The online donation site Just Giving now also has an iPhone app that allows users to keep tabs on who is donating to their cause and sends out reminders to their phone book.

You can even be friendly to the fishes by downloading Seafood Watch; a new app that allows you to make sustainable seafood choices when eating out or shopping for dinner.

Rock Corps

Fancy a free gig ticket? Well for just four hours of volunteer work you can get one; through the ‘Orange Rock Corps’ scheme.

Launched in Europe back in 2008 Rock Corps has put on gigs featuring Snoop Dogg, Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga; but the only way to get a ticket is by volunteering four hours for your local community.

Community projects involve rejuvenating local parks and community centres; and there’s always some workday beats provided by local DJs.

Gigs later this month include Wiley and Diana Vickers, both at London’s Koko. For those who can’t get to London, Orange Communities also offers the chance to win prizes in return for local volunteer work.

Charity Banking

Charity banking might sound like a strange idea considering the mess the banks have recently landed us all in; but this financial institution is not all about the profits.

The Charity Bank is regulated by both the FSA and the Charity Commission and aims to have a social impact, as well as a financial one. All money deposited with the bank is used to provide support to charitable organisations that might find it difficult to get affordable loans from commercial banks.

The bank also publishes complete details of every loan they issue on their website; so you can be sure that your pennies aren’t lining the pockets of a fat cat banker!

A relevant alternative in the run up to Remembrance Day is Coventry Building Society’s Poppy Bond 5. It’s a fixed rate account paying 3.50% until April 2013 and you’ll need to deposit a minimum initial stake of £500. In return for your investment Coventry will donate the equivalent of 0.20% of the total account balance to the British Legion.

Just bear in mind that this is a bit of a gimmick - there are many savings accounts out there that pay out far more than the Poppy Bond. The market leader is the Bank of Cyprus Bond 121, paying out 4.15%. So if you really want to give some interest to charity, you could take out this bond and donate, say, 0.5% instead - and you'll still be better off!

Gift Aid

If you’re a taxpayer and you donate to a charity, tell them! Charities loose millions every year by not claiming the relief they’re entitled to if the donation comes from a taxpayer.

You can even download an iPhone calculator from the Institute of Fundraising that tots up how much gift aid could be added when you donate.

Charitable Speed Dating

Here’s an option for the big bucks givers. The Funding Network organises events that bring together affluent donors and charities in a form of ‘speed dating for philanthropists.’

Each charity at these events makes a six-minute presentation and is given time to answer questions, donors then publicly pledge sums of money to charities of their choosing (a minimum of £100, but no maximum.) The format is designed to make giving more pleasurable for donors, as well as allowing charities to walk away with an average of five to ten grand each.

A festive London funding event is taking place next month, so get your chequebook out and your tuxedo on!

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