Archive for December, 2009

Scroogenomics

December 20, 2009

Though the title of the book sounds crabby, Joel Waldfogel has a point that’s really about bringing joy to people we care about enough to buy presents for. The Wharton professor and author of “Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays” says in Time magazine that when we buy things for ourselves, we only pay what it’s worth to us.

But when we buy things for other people, we’re more likely to overpay and throw the economics of value out of whack. It’s bad for us, because we overspend and tend to rack up debt. And it’s bad for the recipient, because they get something they might not value instead of something they would have really valued and enjoyed for the money we were willing to spend on them.

Most of us intend to bring joy with the gifts we give, but it’s easy to miss the mark, even with good intentions. So how to we actually accomplish our goal of making the gift recipient happy?

One way, Waldfogel points out, is to buy gift certificates so the person can buy something they really want. But another way, he also recognizes, is to give to someone’s favorite charity instead of buying them things. If you don’t know their favorite charity, you can use a site that allows for charity gift certificates, where your recipient gets to choose the ultimate beneficiary of the donation.

Giving to charity is often seen as a luxury, and it makes us feel good. Two great attributes for any gift.

Additional sites that allow for your recipient to choose between many different charities:

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Donations Replace Dust Collectors

December 14, 2009

If you’re anything like my family, you’ve given up buying holiday presents for the adults. Rather than searching for novelties and decorative baubles (which my brother-in-law refers to as “dust collectors”), we just give money to charity instead.

Actually, as it turns out, a lot of you are JUST like my family. The American Cancer Society recently did a survey of over 1,000 adults about their holiday plans. Key findings include:

  • “This year, nearly half of adult consumers are at least somewhat likely to change conventional gifting traditions by asking for or giving a donation in lieu of birthday or holiday gifts.
  • “Women may be more charitable than men, at least when it comes to asking for a donation in lieu of a gift this holiday season.  The survey showed that almost 50 percent of women are very or somewhat likely to ask for a donation in lieu of a holiday gift, compared to less than 40 percent of men.
  • “Giving to health causes, like the American Cancer Society, is among the top causes on wish lists this year. Of those women who would prefer a donation in lieu of a birthday or holiday gift, they would most likely prefer a donation in support of a children’s cause (no. 1) or health cause (no. 2).
  • “Finally, the survey predicts that the average donation in lieu of a gift this holiday season will be just above $50, an amount that can make a significant impact.”

Why do you think this trend is growing? Is it because of the recession? Because charities are doing a better job of asking for gifts? Because we’ve seen this behavior modeled and it’s just finally catching on? Because of the mainstream attention to philanthropy, including this summer’s brief TV series “The Philanthropist” or “Giving” sections in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times?

If you’re looking to give donations instead of dust collectors, try some of these gift ideas.

And from Nathaniel Whittemore and Change.org, Three Great Ideas for Good Holiday Shopping

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25 Things You Can Do to Make a Better World for Women and Girls

December 10, 2009

I wanted to share a list that calls us to use many of the assets we have to bring about social change that I briefly described in my last post, More Than Money, Part II. It goes without saying that you have power as a donor. But beyond that, I believe your power lies in these areas:

  1. You are a Consumer
  2. You are an Investor
  3. You are a person with a Reputation
  4. You are a person with Skills and Talents
  5. You are a person with a Social Network

In fact, the list below makes me wonder if I missed a bucket: 

6. You are a Citizen.

Straight from the esteemed Chicago Foundation for Women, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary:

  1. Join our email list at www.cfw.org/email
  2. Celebrate at an upcoming 25th anniversary event
  3. Run for office or volunteer for a campaign
  4. Be–or find–a mentor
  5. Get a guy involved in women’s rights
  6. Support women-owned businesses
  7. Follow the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook
  8. Volunteer with our grantees
  9. Write letters to the editor
  10. Vote
  11. Advocate for your workplace to be fair and accessible
  12. Make a small gift every month or every paycheck
  13. Listen to young women
  14. Celebrate Women’s History Month in March
  15. Use gender-neutral language such as “humankind” and “congressperson”
  16. Take care of yourself–mind, body and spirit
  17. Contact your legislators
  18. Create a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons
  19. Network–it’s not just a boys’ club
  20. Don’t put down women, or yourself
  21. Attend community meetings and town halls
  22. Report discrimination and sexual harassment
  23. Honor women in your life
  24. Share this list with five friends
  25. ______________ Tell us how YOU will make the world better for women and girls.

Feel free to leave a comment with other ideas.

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