Spending A Little Means A Lot....

With my own charity event fast approaching (This Saturday!!), I decided for this WWWednesday post to promote 5 websites where you can give small sums of money to do cool stuff.

I know everyone's money is tight and expendable income (if any) is next to none. That's where these sites come in. You can donate a little, and help make a big difference in someone's life (or a lot of people's lives!)

#5 - Kickstarter

Kickstarter.com is that show Shark Tank, but on the internet. Remember that show? People put together their business presentation, and investors decided whether or not to help fund their dream. Kickstarter is exactly like that. Regular people put together a presentation on what they want to do with YOUR money, and you choose whether or not to support them (financially). The really cool thing is most of these projects have perks for their backers at different levels, for instance, this project below is for a vegan magazine (Great....you're starting to influence me, Maggie!). For just a $1 donation, you get your name and website link on thier "backer" page of their website! Not a bad investment to get your name in front of a targeted market segment.....just sayin'

#4 - Kiva

Kiva.org is a microloan site, which means you donate $25 to a specific person or group, and they REPAY you. The goal here is to keep loaning the $25 to help as many people as you want to. Very cool website helping both the less fortunate AND the entrepreneurs mostly in third world countries. Oh yeah, and they have a better repayment rate than the ENTIRE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY.

Since Kiva was founded in 2005:

• 630,692 Kiva lenders
• $249 million in loans
• 98.87% Repayment rate

Not bad, peeps. Learn more here.

#3 - Donors Choose

I believe that children are our future. Teach them well, and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.......

Donorschoose.org is a website where teachers around the country upload the projects they would like to do with their classes, and people can donate to fund those projects. Let's face it, for all the awesome they are, teachers don't really get what they need. Creative, motivated teachers need help from outside sources. I know a lot of teachers that spend thier own money on supplies for thier classes. Guys, they don't make a fortune, and that dedication needs to be recognized. 

Here's a project from a local high school (my kids' school didn't have any), if you care to donate!

#2 - Razoo

I'd never even heard of this site before today, but it runs along the same lines of the others, except non-profits and other foundations can set up and accept donations on razoo.com. They do take 2.9% as a "processing fee", which is shitty, but hey, they're trying to do some good.

#1 - Extra Life and the Most Awesome Fundraiser Ever

You guys thought you were going to get out of this without me plugging my charity? How long have you guys been reading my blog? ;) Extra life allows non-athletic introvert geeks such as myself feel important by providing them with a reason to play video games for 24 hours straight. What's that you say? Why should I donate money to play video games? Because your donations help the Children's Miracle Network, which does a lot of good for a ton of sick kids. So, on that note.....help me out by donating here to benefit Phoenix Children's Hospital!!!!!!!!

Yeah.....3 days to get me to $500. Let's do it, folks.