5 Ways to Give Back, Differently

* This article was originally published on April 3, 2019. It has been updated for 2020.

Supporting great charitable causes brings a certain type of joy. Whether donating from your time, treasure, or talent, making an impact for the greater good while sacrificing your own resources is an aspect of the human experience that is both fulfilling and humbling all at once. And better yet, there are also ways to give back without having to make the same sort of resource sacrifice you otherwise would. It’s a win-win-win, with unique means to the same end: support of a worthwhile cause. If you’ve been looking for ways to give more back, this list is for you:

1. Surf the web. There are quite a few websites and browser extensions that will donate to your favorite causes just because you do the stuff you’re already doing daily on your computer. A couple of examples are Tab for A Cause and Goodsearch, which will make donations every time you open a new browser tab or search the web, respectively.

2. No gifts, please. Planning a party? Be it a housewarming, birthday, or even just a common dinner party, people like to bring gifts to their hosts or guests of honor. And I can’t remember the last time “no gifts, please” really stopped anyone, either. Next time, ask your guests to make donations to your or their favorite charity instead of bringing that lovely picture frame or overpriced bottle of wine.

3. Shop. You may already be familiar with rewards programs that allow you to accumulate airline miles or other rewards when you use your enrolled credit or debit card. Well, sites like Goodshop — from the makers of Goodsearch — and Shopkick will let you do something similar for charity. When you shop at certain stores with your enrolled card, you’ll be giving back to your favorite causes, too. Amazon fan? Amazon Smile lets you donate 0.5% of your purchases to the charity of your choice at no cost to you. It might not sound like much, but we all know how those Prime purchases can add up.

4. Advocate via social media. By now you’ve probably seen a friend or influencer advocate and raise funds for their favorite cause on one of your social media feeds. Heck, Facebook has purpose-built a tool for anyone to do specifically that. Join in and promote the organizations you believe in to not only raise awareness for the causes but to also help raise funds.

5. Exercise. Need that additional motivation to get it in gear? Charity Miles is a smartphone app that lets you move your caboose for a cause. Ride your bike or take a jog or a nice long walk, and you’ll earn anywhere from 10¢ to 25¢ per mile moved.

Just like diligently saving for your future, every little bit you donate matters — and it all adds up. Whether you choose to give a little or a lot, it goes a long way toward supporting the causes and charities you believe in. So get clicking, party planning, shopping, exercising, or just sharing on social media. You might even consider benefiting a charity of your choice while you’re at it!