Top tips for smart giving this Christmas
1. Budget for it. Make giving part of your weekly budget, along with food shopping and paying the gas bill. If you set up a regular payment that comes out of your account you won't even notice that it is missing.
2. Claim a tax deduction. Donations to the PA Research Foundation are tax-deductable expenses. If you are making regular payments to the Foundation you should itemise your contributions to make them tax-deductible, reducing your taxable income.
3. Give differently. It may be that donating money will not leave you feeling fully satisfied. Think differently about how you could make a difference in the community. For many donating time or organising a community fundraiser can be more fulfilling than emptying the coin purse.
4. Write it down. If you never seem to have any money left in the bank to make a donation, write down everything you spend your money on. If you keep a record of your spending, you can identify pockets of money that can be used for donating.
5. Follow your heart. Try to give to causes that really matter to you and that make a difference to something that you really care about. If you have a strong affinity with your charity of choice you are more likely to donate regularly, rather than just a few times or on a whim.
Source: Westpac Community Markets
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