Tis the Season, For Giving!

The holiday season is upon us. Have you considered giving a charity gift card instead of a physical gift? There are actually two kinds; the first is a gift card that the recipient can spend on themselves but a portion of the face value is donated to a pre-selected charity, and the other is one where all (or most) of the face value is donated to charity but the cool cat who receives it gets to decide which charity (or charities) the funds are allotted to.

If you’re looking to buy the second kind, a comparison of five of them can help you decide which one to give. One of the best is called TisBest. It’s a local Pacific Northwest company, and the first charity gift card out there (they’ve been around since 2007). If you purchase a card before the end of the year, 100% of the face value goes to the designated charities! Don’t worry though, if you purchased before Nov 27 or after the end of the year, most of the face value (minus 3% + 1.95) still goes to the charities. You have the option to email the gift card or print it yourself on your home printer to be even greener. If you do choose to go plastic, they cost a little extra (1.95 extra, to be exact, but that covers the cost of the plastic card, a greeting card it’s sent in, and shipping!), and are made of 100% recycled materials. If you give one, you can also use it as a tax deduction. TisBest gift cards are only available in the US right now, so if that doesn’t meet your needs, find one that does.

Other charity gift cards include Charity on Top, Global Giving, The Good Card, and Charity Choice. Do your research, and spend wisely! Happy Holidays, and Will We Make It Out Alive?