Charity Card-For any Philanthropists Out There

[Anonymous]

Kind of a cool idea for those of us who like to donate to charity.

https://www.charitycharge.com

[Anonymous]

Capital One also allows you to directly transfer cash rewards to charitable organizations. Though I am not sure if it also charges processing fees, but I couldn't imagine if it is a transfer.

That is an interesting card.

[wasCB14]

If charity is the goal, you can earn much more than 1% cash elsewhere (not to mention a cash bonus). Then just make a donation directly to the organization once a year.

Or donate with a CC! Increase your donation by 2% to account for the non-profit's merchant fees and use a card that needs minimum spend, anyway.

[Anonymous]

This reminds me of a former employer.  They would place Red Cross signs outside the business during Christmas season.  It had a red level meter telling you how far they have to reach their goal.  They would go around asking employees to donate money and the company matched whatever you gave.

The company was donating the funds in the company name and none of the individuals were recognized for giving.

It's kinda like former North Carolina US Senator John Edwards trying to hit up Rachel Mellon for $50 million while he had a poverty center on UNC's campus with his name on it.

It's using other people's money to make yourself look good.

[Anonymous]

CB14..... very true, but the out of site out of mind thing comes into plays. Sort of like the "keep the change" thing BofA did/does. You don't notice it much if it is coming from a card purchase bersua taking $100 or $500 or whatever and donating it.
I personally would not get the card but I like hearing about cards not talked about much.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:

This reminds me of a former employer.  They would place Red Cross signs outside the business during Christmas season.  It had a red level meter telling you how far they have to reach their goal.  They would go around asking employees to donate money and the company matched whatever you gave.

The company was donating the funds in the company name and none of the individuals were recognized for giving.

It's kinda like former North Carolina US Senator John Edwards trying to hit up Rachel Mellon for $50 million while he had a poverty center on UNC's campus with his name on it.

It's using other people's money to make yourself look good.

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The ones that bug me:

1. Grocery cashiers asking if I want to donate "a bag of groceries" (at an undisclosed cost) to some organization with which I'm unfamiliar. I can't observe their charitable operations, inspect their financial records for waste, or have an convenient record of the donation for tax purposes. If the grocery store owners have so much confidence in the organization, they can give their own **** money.

I just give a "not today" and move on. I know the cashier probably hates asking as much as I hate hearing it.

2. Paid fundraisers who call "on behalf" of some police or fire charity. I read a report (I think it was commissioned by the VT state government) on the practice a while ago and in some cases 80%+ of any donations go as a commission to the paid fundraiser. The charity barely gets anything. Sure, it involves no effort for them...it's free money...but by associating with those paid fundraisers, a charity is kind of telling potential donors that waste isn't a concern for them.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:
CB14..... very true, but the out of site out of mind thing comes into plays. Sort of like the "keep the change" thing BofA did/does. You don't notice it much if it is coming from a card purchase bersua taking $100 or $500 or whatever and donating it.
I personally would not get the card but I like hearing about cards not talked about much.

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Feeling good is not always the same as doing good. The card may be more about the former...particularly if a person can bring out the card at meals with friends/dates and talk about it.

[Anonymous]

That does not matter to me one bit. I could care less what people think of me, good or bad-and if one of my friends was like that-they would not be my friends.

Regarding your cashier asking for the $1..... I hate that as well. It's very annoying. When I used to shop at the store I would go 4-5 times a week. Every time I was asked, for like a month straight. They should just have a bucket or a big area that can't be missed where people can give if they want.

[longtimelurker]

I assume it's not tax deductible either, right? Whereas getting the rewards (non taxable) and donating part of it would be

[wasCB14]

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@longtimelurker wrote:
I assume it's not tax deductible either, right? Whereas getting the rewards (non taxable) and donating part of it would be

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From FAQs:  

Will my donations be tax deductible?

Rewards earned with your Charity Charge World MasterCard are tax deductible. Cardholders can find their tax receipts in their donation dashboard. However, it is always wise to consult your personal tax advisor.