Is your donation getting the best bang for its buck at the checkout?Let me first say that I’m a big believer in donating to charity. In fact, I think it’s essential for any successful society to have citizens who are willing to help those that are less fortunate than they are. I make this assertion lest someone reads what is to follow and determines that I’m a Scrooge of the highest order – a tight-fisted meanie who cares more about her tax situation than she does about making a difference. So, once again, please know that I’m a big fan of supporting charitable organizations.
Let’s say I reply “Yes” to every cashier who asks me for a $1 donation, and let’s say I hit those retails establishment five or six times a week (believe me, that’s conservative – my family has been known to go to the grocery store alone three or more times a week, with our growing kids and all). Six bucks times 52 weeks of the year - that’s over $300 donated to charity, with nary a tax receipt in sight. As someone who’s always meticulously kept my charitable donation receipts and claimed them come income-tax time, it seems a bit of a waste.
One of the retail chains involved in this kind of $1 donations at the checkout claims on their website that their campaign raises $2.5-million a year from customer donations (as well as donations from employees, who I assume get receipts for their contributions). It’s a very impressive number and I'm sure a great deal of good comes of it. But I can’t help but think: That’s an awful lot of money given by an awful lot of Canadians who are not getting tax credit for what they’ve donated.
It's also much easier to send a cheque or two to favourite charities once a year. Also re those "food bank" donation bins at the grocery store, why would you pay for food at retail, then donate it to the food bank without even a tax receipt. Your donation will do a lot more good to the food bank and to you if you send them a cheque. (Besides, they have cash expenses like rent, utilities, transportation, etc. for which they can't pay with donated food.)
I do it quickly and efficiently online, through the excellent website Canada Helps.
If you really want to do it efficiently, send a cheque. That way organizations like CanadaHelps don't get to skim ~3% or more from your donation to pay for processing your payment.
P.S. Lately when a cashier has tried to shake me down for a loonie or two I smile and respond with something like, "Sure, providing you make a matching donation." I'm still waiting for a cashier (or their boss) to take me up on the offer.
Sedulously eschew obfuscatory hyperverbosity and prolixity.