By: Ellan Dickieson, Family Service PEI
With December having just passed, it is probable that many people made monetary donations to support a local, national, or international cause. Islanders, and seniors specifically, are some of the most giving people across the country. The act of giving to others makes us feel good about ourselves and often aligns with our individual morals and values.
Donating is a personal decision, but can be highly influenced by social and peer pressure, placing you in a situation where you feel obligated to make a donation. It happens to all of us. A friend, co-worker, family member, or total stranger asks us to make a donation, and we don’t want to!
Unfortunately, most of us don’t have a money tree. This means, just as we can’t always buy the things we want, we can’t always donate money every time we are asked. This New Year, start to think more about your giving proactively, rather than just responding to solicitations that comes in. By preparing and setting donation rules, it will be easier for you to stay on track with your donation budget, and say no!
Set Your Donation Rules:
How much will I give?
Set your own limits. Make them annual, seasonal, or monthly, as you wish. Write down the amount you will be giving to specific organizations. Keep track every time you donate, and at the end of the year re-evaluate your donation budget.
What causes do I support?
Do you prefer to support local charities or national charities? Causes that your family members/friends are part of? Sport, or health oriented charities? Pick a charity of choice or make a prioritized list of favourites.
What don’t I support?
Some people have individual reasons for choosing not to support. Perhaps the charity does not align with your personal morals or values, or perhaps they are not having a direct impact on your community. Knowing what you do not support makes it easy to say no.
Other rules?
Some people insist on researching a charity before they donate. If you are giving away your hard earned money, you want to make sure it is going to charity you trust.
For more information on donating, including a donation tracker, please visit http://www.itsyourright.ca/lending-giving-money/