How to Give to Charity Without Spending a Penny

Have you always wanted to make a donation to charity but worried that you really could not afford to due to your own outgoings and the credit crunch? This article aims to show you ways in which you can give back and be charitable without hurting your own bank balance.

Clicking on sites to make a donation

There are several websites that have been created where you can visit and click on a link. This link represents a donation to that particular charity. The charity receives the money from sponsorships that they have in place. They have agreements with their sponsors who have agreed to donate a certain amount of money for every click that is received from the site. Now you can simply do your part by clicking on the links in order to generate the donation. Companies choose to do this for several reasons. One is because they will get people who are surfing the internet to see their advert or logo for their company and it is also their way of giving back.

Getting a charity card credit card

There are many credit card companies that work with charitable organisations and have produced a charity credit card. An example would be Cancer Research. As the cardholder you will use your credit card in exactly the same way as a normal card. Every time you make a purchase you receive a cashback reward. The credit card company donates this reward to Cancer Research (or whichever charity they are affiliated with). So you are able to make a donation without hurting your bank balance. You could even see this as guilt free shopping for yourself.

Donate your old phone to charity

Most people own a mobile phone today and due to the advances in technology, we are constantly offered upgrades. This means that there are a lot of old phones in cupboards and on shelves gathering dust. But now you can donate these old phones to charity. The phones are refurbished by the charity and then sold to other countries and the generated revenue is used to carry out the good work of the charity. Again this is a way of giving without spending a cent.

Take part in a charity run

Another way of giving back is to take part in an organised charity run. Several charitable institutions hold these events throughout the year. These events can range from a gentle stroll involving the whole family to a full on competitive marathon. All you need to do is gather together a few sponsors. The amount you raise can be a little or as much as you are able to collect as charities are very grateful for everything that they receive.

To find out what charities run these events simply enter the phrase running for charity in your search engine.

So now you know that you can indeed make a charitable contribution and make a difference without hurting your own bank balance. Do some clicking on the internet, get a charity credit card, donate our old mobile phone or take part in a charity run. Whatever you choose, know that you are making a difference.

How to Beat the UK Cost of Living Crisis

Many people in the UK are experiencing the biggest hike in fuel and food prices for decades, and all signs indicate that it's going to get much worse.

As a global recession menacingly looms on the horizon, we in the UK can expect to pay higher prices for consumable goods right across the board, together with a further slump in property values. On a brighter note, luxury goods like digital TVs are actually falling in price due to a decrease in demand.

However, the real worries are the forever upward spiralling costs of food, domestic gas, electricity and petrol. All of which have dramatically increased in price over the last 12 months.

Despite obscene profits, the companies who supply the general public with power and petrol continue to lay blame on so-say production and sourcing costs, citing these as the real causes for the dilemma. Despite this, many people now feel that these are nothing more than excuses in a feeble effort to obscure their sheer greed.

In these circumstances the public are completely powerless, and much like the battered motorist, we as fuel consumers are easy prey.

Now, all this price hiking and public fleecing is bad enough but when you take into account the derisory pay rises, which many public sector workers have been offered recently, you have before you an unhealthy recipe for civil unrest. But, although many people will speak out openly about these blatant injustices, many will just grin and bear it. It's the British way.

Well it all sounds like doom and gloom, and for many it is. But it doesn't have to be that way. All anyone needs to overcome all this misery is an extra income. And there's never been a better time to look at all the opportunities, especially those on the Internet.

Anyone with a computer, an Internet connection and a few hours to spare can earn an additional income from doing simple data entry work or participating in online surveys. There are also much more profitable sidelines like auctions, affiliate programs and setting up an online business.

All these income boosters can be operated from home, so there is no financial outlay other than a small initial investment in the information needed to get started. They can be operated on a part-time basis or full-time basis depending on the individual and the time they have to spare.

We all know there's no such thing as a "quick fix" or "get-rich-quick" system. However, these little income opportunities offer a way to help keep on top of those regular bills and see off some of those debts. And for those reasons only, at a time like this, it's worth taking a closer look at what's on offer.

5 Tips For a College Student's Budget

When you're in college, it's easy to get caught up in a busy lifestyle. With all of the studying, part-time jobs, hanging out with friends, and extra activities, it's easy to forget about a very important aspect of your life - your finances. Read on and discover some proven tips for a college student's budget.

1. Plan ahead. Figure out where your cash flow is coming from. Make a list of your income from parents, your student loan, or your part-time job. Then figure out what your monthly expenses will be. Include expenses for food, books, and other activities. Make sure that you have enough income to meet your expected expenses. Also, allow a little extra for emergencies. Once you have a budget, be disciplined and stick to it.

2. Save on food. When you were living with your parents, this is one expense that you didn't have to worry about. But in college, it will be one area that you'll need to watch. Be sure to use your food allowance and avoid eating out at fast food places, as this will most likely to ruin your budget. Pack your lunch and plan meals as much as possible.

3. Take full advantage of student discounts. Use your student ID's and memberships in organizations to get discounts in several establishments. Discounts can really add up over time.

4. Use cash as much as possible. If you already have money on your Student ID card, use it first. Avoid using your debit card when you have cash with you. Use your credit cards only in emergencies. More colleges students are leaving school with high credit card debt that will take years to pay off due to careless spending habits.

5. Keep yourself busy. Be sure to join clubs in your field of interest. Keeping busy will help you stay away from things that you spend money on when you get bored. You will be surprised at the amount of money you will save by spending less on items you don't need and following your student budget.

Remittances to Nepal

Remittances in developing countries have become an important part of economic development. In some countries, they are considered a lifeline for the economy. This source of foreign income has been rapidly growing each year. Migrants have been transferring money for years in Nepal often times through unofficial channels. Today with the many different options available, the flow of remittances has seen a steady upward incline. It is believed that in 2005, unrecorded remittances accounted for 50 percent of transfers to Nepal.

Formal remittances between the agents are monitored periodically in Nepal. Informal remittances are often settled through goods trading. This barter method of transferring money makes it convenient and eliminates the fees charged by the sending and receiving agents. It is difficult to determine the actual number of remittance transactions done in this barter method since most do not keep accurate or any records of the transactions.

How do remittances help?

Remittances provide direct aid to families from the migrants who send them. Families are able to increase their standard of living and, for some families, this may be their only means of support. Remittances may also be used to provide loans to individuals or fund businesses.

Minimizing the transaction costs would put more money in the households of the recipients, and into the economy. The cost of remittance service does not depend on the amount being sent. Often times it includes labor charges, house rent, technology network charges, etc. The underground or unofficial agents can charge whatever they like.

There has been greater competition among the banks and money transfer operators (MTOs), which is bringing down the cost of a transaction. Because of the increased competition, the unofficial agents have been forced to lower their rates in order to stay competitive.

Diminishing export markets and difficult economic situations have labeled Nepal one of the poorest countries in South Asia, but between 1995 and 2004, poverty declined from 42 to 31 percent. This is mainly because of increased work migration resulting in increased remittances. In fact, the proportion of households receiving remittances has increased from 24 percent in 1995 to 32 percent in 2004. Remittances have grown at 30% per year from 3 percent in 1995 to 15% in 2004. Official statistics show that $1 billion dollars comes into Nepal from remittances each year and this does not include remittances sent using unofficial agents.

Be a Smart Shopper Using the Latest Financial Offerings - The Credit Cards

Credit cards are given once an account has been approved by the credit provider, after which cardholders can use it to make purchases at shops accepting that card. When a purchase is made, the credit card user agrees to pay back the issuer. The person having credit card shows his will to pay by signing a receipt with a record of the card details and indicating the sum to be paid or by entering a personal identification number (PIN). Also, many merchants now accept verbal authorizations via telephone and electronic authorization using the internet, known as a 'Card/Card holder Not Present' (CNP) transaction. Electronic checking mechanism permits the vendors to check if the card is valid and the credit card customer has enough credit to cover the purchase in a few seconds, permitting the check to happen at time of purchase. Data from the card is obtained from a magnetic stripe which is called PIN, and more technically is an EMV card. Other types of verification systems are used by e-Commerce merchants to determine if the user's account is valid and able to accept the charge.

It involves the cardholders providing additional information, such as the security code printed at the back of the card, or the address of the cardholders. Credit card issuers usually exempt interest charges if the balance is paid in full every month, but normally it charges full interest on the entire outstanding balance since the date of each purchase if the entire sum is not paid.

The credit card interest rates have different types of interest rates starting from 7 to 35% depending largely upon the bank's risk evaluation methods and the borrower's credit background. Europe has much higher interest rates, about 50% over that of most developing nations, which average about 200%. In Brazil bank-issued Visa or Master card to a new account holder can have annual interest as high as 240% even though inflation seems under control at around 6% per annum.

RBI has made life convenient for credit card users. It has come up with a host of criteria for financial institutions and other companies that manufacture cards. The new instruction says that banks should not charge excessive credit card interest rates and must define a rate of interest. RBI also wants banks to have a system to provide credit card customers their monthly statement.

Financial institutions are warned against sending statements after a gap of a few years and demanding payments. RBI has slammed the practice of issuing unsolicited credit cards and has regulated stringent penalties on banks indulging in any mal-practices.

Let us take a look at the best credit cards in India which differ from bank to bank and some of them are visa card,master card, domestic, international, gold credit card, classic credit card,platinum credit card, sterling silver card etc. Many people feel that ICICI has the best credit cards with range of Signature Credit Card, Ascent American, Express card and ICICI bank Titanium Credit Card.

Thus it is clear that credit cards are the latest fashion tools in the word of finance and economics. Their arrival has infused a new spirit in the otherwise boring areas of retailing and shopping. Their arrival has facilitated the business to a very large extent.