Some say those with the least, give the most. I don't know if that's true or not, but I do know that some people are more generous than others. How generous should a person be? That's a question that I'm sure most people ask themselves as they create budgets, pay their bills, do their jobs and spend their money.
I thought about this today since I receive countless emails everyday asking for money from all kinds of good causes including people running for office, charities related to illnesses, environmental concerns, educational funds and more. Honestly, I'd like to give money to all those places, but like most people, my funds are limited and I want to be able to take care of my expenses and family while having a little fun now and then too. So how does one choose?
Going forward, since my family has been through a number of significant transitions during the pandemic, I hope to be able to add donations to our yearly budget. I want to sit down with my family and consider our values and who/what we want to support and how much we can afford to do that with. I want to do the research related to how donated money is used and who profits the best from those dollars. I also want to advocate for fair use of the tax dollars we pay--I want our tax dollars to translate to good service and good living for all. I hate to see those funds wasted on politicians that simply spread propaganda and don't do the job or initiatives that do not do the job they are meant to do. I'll be a more discerning citizen in that regard.
These are questions most people I believe consider as they live their lives--questions, that in the end, have potential to make us a stronger people and nation. Onward.