2 Ways to Give More on a Low Income

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.

Consider online retail opportunities like eBay, Etsy, and Craigslist. If you paint or quilt or have any productive hobbies (that is, ones which leave you with products), you can probably sell the finished products online. But be careful-if your product doesn't sell, you don't want to be left with 50 knitted Barbie sweaters. Make a few and test the market. Diversify. Don't make more until you find out what you can sell.

You can also put ads in the paper (or Craigslist) for commissioned work-like portraits, dresses, curtains, alterations, and the like. Have fun with it, build on talents you already love to express!

2. Donate your clutter.

I know that's been around for a while, but I want you to think of it in the same context as your skills. Maybe a charity can take something directly-like a shelter which needs your van. But as a general rule they don't want your old tv.

Fortunately, the world is full of places online and offline where you can try to sell your stuff. It's a giant virtual yardsale out there (and yardsaling might not be a bad idea, by the way)!

If you've got good, gently-used clothes, you can market them on eBay, Craigslist, or your local consignment store (Plato's Closet is one I've used). If you have books to sell, preferably ones that'll bring an actual profit, there's Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Overstock, Half, eBay, and so many others!

It'll take some time and effort on your part to figure out what's saleable and how/where to sell it. Do what fits your schedule and your conscience. If you really want to give $100/month, you'll have to make some sacrifices and give up some time. But maybe that's worth it to you.

Don't let your low income or high debt keep you from doing what you want. Don't let it keep you from supporting causes you care about.

I'd love to hear other ways people have made money for charity (or for themselves but money that could be given to charity).