Holy Budgeting

One of the downsides of being a generous giver is that it is easy to become overwhelmed by requests for donations. Groups that rely on donations know that the people most likely to give are the ones who have given before, and often organizations share their mailing lists with one another. For a person of generous nature with a real desire to help, the result is a heartbreaking number of requests and the horrified realization that there is so much more need in the world than your budget will ever be able to meet.

Sometimes, it’s enough to make us stop giving entirely. Other times, we end up picking and choosing almost at random, responding to the most heart-rending pleas and throwing away other envelopes unopened, wracked by guilt because we know those causes are good and worthy ones, too. Both are contrary to our goal of being cheerful givers. A better response is to plan your giving the way you plan your household budget.

Like budgeting, this type of giving begins by considering your resources and how you want to spend your money. If your household income is exhausted every month by simple necessities -- food, clothing, shelter, heat, gas for the car, medical expenses, tuition etc. -- your financial giving will be small, perhaps only a token pledge to your church or an offering of spare change to those in need. But you can and should still be a cheerful giver, expressing your gratitude to God by giving non-monetary items, such as your time and your prayers. Even on a very tight budget, you will always have something to give -- your presence by visiting an elderly neighbor or babysitting someone’s children, your artistic talent by making and sending note cards to people in your neighborhood and church, your faith by praying for those in any kind of need or trouble, or for your whole community … the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and compassion. (Nor are these gifts limited to those with few financial resources -- time and talent and prayer are equally precious when offered by those who can also afford to write checks to charities!)

For those whose income exceeds their basic needs, this first step is completed by deciding how much of your monthly income will be given away. The biblical recommendation is 10 percent of your income, but if that’s too much to start with, choose an amount that fits in your budget. Be generous: you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to give generously when you plan for it. Take the time to reflect with gratitude on what you have, and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the abundance you experience.

And then take a few minutes to think about what is near and dear to your heart. Is your church a source of strength and encouragement to you? Do you passionately believe no one should go to bed hungry? Are you deeply committed to the idea that every child should have access to healthy food and a chance for an education? Did you participate in a mission trip that highlighted for you how important it is for us to partner with those elsewhere in the world to build up communities? Do you want to address the needs of veterans, the homeless, immigrants, those afflicted with life-changing illnesses, people struggling with addiction, families that need support and help? Do you want to support the arts in your community?

Depending on how much you’ve set aside, choose one or more organizations working in the areas you are passionate about, and divide your monthly donation in whatever way you think best. Use www.charitynavigator.org to help you find charities doing particular kinds of work, and to choose the ones that will make the best use of your money. Make a monthly or quarterly pledge to each of these organizations, and ask them to bill you regularly. If something happens and you cannot fulfill your pledge, simply let them know that you are no longer able to give. They’ll be disappointed, but they’ll understand -- everyone experiences changes of fortune at times. You can also plan to offer an additional gift if you get a bonus or a raise!

There are several advantages to giving this way:

1. You can research organizations and choose the ones that are most effective with donations, so that more of your money goes to causes you care about. Sadly, not every charitable organization uses donations wisely or well. By taking time once a year to establish which charities you will support, you have an opportunity to determine who will do the best job of spending your money on serving others, and reject organizations that spend excessive amounts on administration or fundraising.
2. By making a regular monthly pledge, you let organizations plan their budgets for maximum impact. Knowing your gift is coming will help them make wise budget decisions and expand their programs when appropriate.
3. It’s easier to give generously in small amounts than in giant lump sums. Psychologically, it’s just easier to give cheerfully when you write a $50 check every month than it is to write a $600 check at the end of the year. Plus, it gives you a monthly occasion to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the abundance you have enjoyed.
4. When the inevitable solicitations from other charities arrive in the mail, you can discard them without guilt, knowing that you are already a cheerful giver and that you are giving in a way that honors the gifts God has given you. This generally works on phone solicitors as well: I simply say, “I know that your organization does good work, but I am sadly not able to give to every charity doing good work. I’ve already chosen several charities to support this year, and I’m not able to make any further donations at this time.”

Giving regularly is a spiritual discipline, an invitation to follow Jesus even in something as mundane as paying the bills. It also allows you to make wise decisions about how you will share your abundance with others, and to make gratitude an ingrained part of your daily life. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, St. Paul writes, and “holy budgeting” is a good way to be one!