Shopping, meals and holidays are just some of the items we put on our credit cards. But credit card spending does not have to be selfish. Credit card holders can use their credit cards to support worthwhile causes such as charities.
There are several ways of doing this. Credit card owners can donate to different charities using their credit cards or they can choose a charity credit card to give their chosen charity a donation every time they spend.
How Charity Cards Work
Most charity cards donate in two ways. The first is a lump sum donation given to a charity when someone first takes out a charity card. Additional lump sums may be donated if people keep the card or continue to spend on the credit card.
The second method is to donate a percentage of the money spent by the cardholder to the chosen charity. This can range from 0.25% to 1% of the amount spent, depending on the deal and the card chosen.
Giving To Cancer Charities
Cancer is a major killer in industrialised nations and so it is hardly surprising that a number of charities have launched their own credit cards to help their charity efforts. Many of these are supported by large banks.
Cancer Research UK is the UK's largest cancer charity. The organisation's credit card is supported by Halifax and works like other Halifax cards. There is no annual fee and the card offers a low balance transfer fee for six months. Halifax donates 0.25% of money spent on the card to Cancer Research UK.
Another cancer charity has raised £1,000,000 with its charity card. The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity Card is sponsored by MBNA. The purchase donation is the same as that offered by the Cancer Research credit card. However, MBNA also offers an additional donation for online applications.
Other Ways Of Giving To Charity
Charity credit cards work well for those who spend regularly on their credit cards. A donation rate of 0.25% means that 25 pence of every £100 spent goes to the charity. Some people may find that donating the proceeds of a cash back credit card (which gives more than 0.5% of annual spending in a lump sum each year) may be another good way to help a charity.
Shopping Around
As with other credit cards it is worth looking around for the best credit card deals for charity cards. Many charity cards offer 0% balance transfer rates and purchase rates for fixed periods. Some offer low standard interest rates as well.
There are many websites that offer comparisons of credit cards and charity credit cards. The sites look at balance transfer and purchase rates, introductory offers, standard interest rates and other incentives for credit card buyers. Shopping around allows people to get the best deal for themselves and still contribute to a good cause.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Rodents
By: roxi97 | 08-07-2008
What is the cutest and nicest rodent ever?
Engaged and Confused
By: george | 07-07-2008
My fiancee and I are having alot of trouble lately. I really love her and want to talk to her as much as possible, be with her as much as possible, and see her as much as possible but she doesn't feel the same way. She is content not seeing me for extended periods of time and its getting worse. She also is very un-emotional and physically distant from me. I feel like I am giving everything that I can to this relationship to show her that I love her but she is nothing but annoyed and calloused to me. I am strongly considering breaking off the engagement because I simply dont think that I can continue to pour myself into a cup with a hole in it. Can someone please help me with some words of advice???
Ronald Reagan Birthday Card
By: bevers | 07-07-2008
how much is a birthday card from Ronald Reagan worth to our uncle.
I met this guy online and we talked for 2 hours ...
By: Sarah | 06-07-2008
I met this guy online and we talked for 2 hours, but he said that he loves me. I mena I'm all for true love. Just the why we talk to eachother makes us happy. we haven't even seen what eachother looks like!? He lives in Australia... What do you think this is? I mean it can't be lust or love o.o hes turning 19 soon. I really do feel like a really like him, maybe not love yet. Any point of views? Or suggestions? All help its thankful for.
Your Opinions on this Lost Love
By: Scarecrow | 06-07-2008
ok, to start off, my girlfriend and I have been dating for about 6 [and 1/2] months and we finally broke up. I fell in love with her the first time i saw her [literally]. But the problem was she didnt love me back. Hence, i spent countless hours and won her heart. She loved me [as far as i can tell]. the first five months were splended. But in that five months, i realized that she was quite immature [she was actually rather younger than me...]. But i loved her way to much to let her imatureity affect our relationship. And it wasnt like she was retarded either... But after the 6th month, she stopped spending time with me. She would hang around with her friends all the time. I mean, she I'm cool if she hangs around with her friends some of the time... but she completely stopped speding time with me. But she talked to me normally and hugged me and all of the other bf and gf shit. i started hinting her that i needed a little more attention. I'm pretty sure she figured it out. But never the less, she kept on ignoring me. In the early months of our relationship, she used to be attached to me quite tight. But now, all of a sudden, i became invisible to her. I kinda got that hint that she wasnt interested in me anymore. And i thought the best thing i can do to make her happy was to let her go. And i did. I broke up with her the nicest way i could. I told her that we should go our seperate ways. I also told her that she's a beautiful girl and she would have no trouble finding another indavidual who would love her to death. I start moving on and flirt with other girls. But then again she calls me, crying on the phone, saying she wants to get back with me. Normally i would say "no" but i really really love her and cant live when there's tears in her eyes. But nothing changed. Even though we were boyfriend and girlfriends, she still kept on ignoring me. she would spend a shitload of time with her friends and 0seconds with me. I thought this time, i'd just try to talk to her about it. She nodded. And at the end of the week in which her and i got back together, she said she wants to break up with me. I hugged her and said goodbye. I'm pretty sure she got back with me the second time only to break my heart. But i didnt bring it up to her. I just wanted her to be happy. If she becomes happy from my broken heart, then so be it. But now, she wants to be "friends". Thats rather hard for me to accpet. I stopped talking to her. And one day she even asks me "do you like hate me or something..?". I said "no". I dont hate her. But i dont think if she loved me in the first place, she'd break my heart and play with me. Do you all think i made the right decisions? Is there something else i shoudl've done to make the relationship last longer? Is all of this shit my fault? P.S. - I tried my best to treat her really well. I bought her flowers [the reddest of all red roses....]. I Wrote sweet love notes and dropped them in her locker. I bought her stuffed animals. I gave her all sorts of things to let her know how much she means to me.
I love my best friend.
By: sarebear07 | 06-07-2008
I am in love with my best friend of five years. We are both 19 and he is dating a 16 year old. He says he loves her and doesn't know I love him. Do I not say anything or somehow tell him? What do I do?
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