Buying gifts for the people you care about is always a bit of a challenge. Unless they tell you exactly what they want, you have to work very hard to figure out the best options for the people you care about. You have to think about the things they enjoy, the items they already have, and the fresh experiences you have the power to give them. This process is fun, but can often leave people feeling worried that they’ve made the wrong choice. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring charitable gifts, and how they can be used to leave the right kind of impression.

Outside of gift giving, I also believe that it’s important to give back throughout the year to those less fortunate or to worthy causes that are making a positive impact that you are passionate about. Giving is a great way to reflect and appreciate what you do have in your own life. I personally try my best to make giving a regular part of my monthly budget, to a few worthwhile charities or causes.

The question is, how can you a) become more charitable and b) do so in a meaningful way?

Making Donations

The simplest way to give a charitable gift is in the form of a donation, but this doesn’t mean that you don’t have options when you go down this route. There are countless charities and other worthy causes out there, and picking one which is important to your gift recipient shouldn’t be too hard. Some charities offer donations that are a little more meaningful than money, with things like wells and chicken farms being essential resources in certain parts of the world, and people with more than they need having the power to give it to them.

One area that I also want to call out is that donations don’t just have to be cash. Many charities accept donations in the form of cars (get rid of that clunker), stock, or even crypto. Donating stocks apparently is a great way to save on taxes too – something I plan to look more into in 2022. You can also donate your time, which in some cases can go just as far if not further than cash!

Buying Ethical Goods

Over the last few decades, groups like FairTrade have been able to leave a huge mark on the world of retail. Not only have they cast aside the need to make huge amounts of profit from their products, but they’ve also put people at the forefront of their work. Ethical gifts can be found across the web, with loads of different companies offering great options. Whether you want to buy clothing, chocolate, or toys, you can find someone selling them from a fair and sustainable source, giving you good reason to look down this route when you’re buying presents for the people you care about.

I think that you can and should view your money as an investment. Even regular spending can be done in a thoughtful manner, in a way that benefits an underserved group or helps make the world a better place!

Starting Your Own Charity

A lot of people have big ambitions when it comes to charity, but struggle to find the time or motivation to get started with it. This is something you can kickstart for your loved ones, and it can be achieved by filling out a few documents. Registering a charity isn’t too hard, but not a lot of people know how to do it, making this a great gift for someone who you could see throwing themselves into this work. Of course, this is quite a large commitment, and you will need to ask questions like “Does your charity need an accountant?” along the way.

Summary

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on giving gifts in the spirit of charity. A lot of people struggle with this sort of work, finding it hard to know what they should do when they are trying to give a gift that benefits others. Of course, though, as long as you find a cause which the recipient likes, it will be hard to go wrong with this work.

Disclosure: Some links will earn me a commission.