How to Make a Difference
Do you desire to make a difference in the world? To be a part of something that is really making an impact on people’s lives? There is a non-profit organization that is really making a difference in their community that I believe is doing a great job. It is called Barrio Works, which is a program of Neighborhood Ministries. They are an entrepreneurial and educational bike shop that creates custom cruisers to help better their under-resourced community. Since 2000, Barrio Works has been working with youth in urban Phoenix to teach the skills of bicycle maintenance and repair, and help get a bicycle to any youth willing to work for one. Check out this video:
If you have read my blog before, you know that I am an advocate of giving to worthy causes. If you like what they do and feel compelled to help them with their cause click here.
Do you know of another non-profit making a difference in your community? If so, I would love to hear about them. Feel free to leave their info in the comment section and I would be glad to check them out.
Last Minute Giving is Still Worth Doing
Do you know someone who is going to a Public or Private school? Do you have a heart for those in need and want to help out? If so, let me tell you about a couple of opportunities available to you. There is a way in which you can give to a worthy cause AND get your money back. Sounds like a gimmick, right? That there has to be strings attached. Well it’s not a gimmick but there are strings attached. There are Tax Credits offered by each state that will give you each dollar back you give. If you live in Arizona, here are some Tax Credits available to you and their guidelines:
Working Poor Tax Credit – You can give up to $400 to a non-profit organization that helps the poor. The limit is $200 if you’re single and $400 if you’re married. The deadline is 12/31.
Private School Tax Credit – You can give up to $1000 to a private school to help pay for a students tuition. The limit is $500 if you’re single and $1000 if you’re married. You actually have until April 15th of the following year to take advantage of this one.
Public School Tax Credit – You can give up to $400 to a public school for extra-curricular activities that require students to pay a fee to participate, i.e. football, band, cheerleading, etc. Limits are $200 if you’re single and $400 if you’re married. The deadline is 12/31.
So here is the deal, you have to actually owe taxes to the state of Arizona. So if you don’t pay state income tax, then this doesn’t apply to you. But for the rest of you, all you have to do is provide the donation info to your accountant (or online tax service) and you will get the money back.
Click here to go directly to the Arizona Department of Revenues site for more information. Please seek the counsel of your accountant to make sure you qualify. For those of you reading that don’t live in Arizona, check your state governments website to see what may be available to you.
Merry Christmas!
3 Ways YOU can Stimulate the Economy
If only it was easy as pressing a button, right? Unfortunately it is not “easy” but it is possible. I recently heard a quote from Mother Teresa that really hit home, “If each one of us would sweep our own doorstep, the whole world would be clean.” There are things that you and I can do to make our lives better and that could even make the lives of those around us better. Things that we are perfectly capable of and that are within reach. If we can each do our part to make our personal economy better, imagine how much better the world would be.
The first thing you can do to stimulate the economy is to donate UNUSED items around your house. Did you know that when you donate items to Goodwill, that that product is then sold for a profit, and then that money is used to create jobs. You want to see the unemployment rate go down? Then this is one thing you can do to make that happen.
The second things to do is pay off your debt. I know this sounds counter-cultural, as there are many financial professionals that say to never pay of your debt as long as you can get a better return elsewhere. Well, my response is that the average credit card rate in America is 14.75% according to www.CreditCards.com. You show me a place where you can get that kind of return without risk! If you pay of your debt, eventually you have more money to keep because you are not paying interest to a bank. In turn, you can take that money and buy goods and services.
Lastly you can clean up and repair the exterior of your house. The real estate market in America has taken a tremendous hit and it doesn’t help the cause when you the exterior of your house is a mess. Imagine going to look for a house to purchase and the neighboring houses have excessive weeds, paint chipping, trees that need to be trimmed, etc. You would think twice about living next door, right? I know I would.
Remember to sweep your own doorstep.
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Another way you can stimulate the economy is by getting a Finance Degree online.
Why is Giving So Important?
Have you ever thought about this? I have been thinking about this more and more recently. The other day I took some donations to Goodwill and I had an epiphany. When I donate items, they get priced and sold to customers, which generates revenue that enables the store to hire people. This in turn allows these employees to feed their family, put gas in their cars, pay their rents, etc. So by me giving to them, I am helping make all of this possible.
There is a verse in the Bible that says “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” When we give, it changes the way we perceive the world. We start to take the focus off of ourselves and to shift that focus onto others. When we do this, we begin to see that the world is much bigger than just the personal bubbles that we live in. When we give of ourselves, our time, our money, our resources, it shows how much we values others. That we love them, care about them, and that we want to see the best for them. When others see these characteristics in us, it is hard for them not to reciprocate those feelings, hence, we are then refreshed.
It is amazing to think about how many times I helped other people, I knew that it was the right thing to do, I felt good about it; however, I still don’t do it as often as I would like. I mean, how can you know what is right, feel that it is right and yet not actively pursue doing it again and again?
I can only speak for myself when I say that I have, to some extent, become comfortably numb. I have my work, my daily routines, my day-to-day commitments and that is what I spend the majority of my time doing.
What Really Matters
People matter. Not things, or cars, or toys, or video games, not stuff. Now I am not saying these things are bad or that you should have them, I am simply saying that they should not take priority over people. Especially not over people that you love and are close to. As a society we need to spend less time worried about things and more time being considered about others.
Where Can You Start
1. Take care of the people in your life. Make a list of these people and ways that you could help them. Give them a call and set it up.
2. Get involved in organizations that are making a difference in the world. Make a list of organizations of which you support what they do and that you would be willing to either volunteer and give financially to. Setup a time to go check them out or search online for their website to find out what their need is.
3. Take care of your neighborhood. Make a list of 3 things you could do this week to impact the area you live in. Meet your neighbors, pick up trash, help the elderly with their yard work, etc.
Start right now! Don’t wait. Remember that giving does not just mean financially, it can also be of your time, skills and resources. Start giving today!
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