The layaway of giving

Here's the deal. You can give to charity. It's not that difficult.

I'm not going to enumerate the reasons, because we all know the reasons why giving matters. All you have to do is look around you and think of all of the friends, former co-worker and family who have been hit hard by the Great Recession to know the reasons why. Everyone needs a hand now and then, and this is now and then.

Especially as the holidays approach.

Here's my special plan for the next month and half. Charity layaway.

Step 1: Put aside $20 immediately (or whatever you can spare, but $20 really seems doable). Then save $20 a paycheck from now until Dec. 17. That's probably three paychecks worth.

Step 2: Take that $80 and spend it wisely on what you want to donate. Or just give it as cash to a good local charity. Cash is always appreciated. Why do I say local? Well, I'm all for giving it to major charities and international charities too. But, I figure if charity starts at home, so does giving. If you give to a local charity, then you know it goes to the people in your community.

That's it. That's Charity layaway. Save it up in small bits and when you have a good amount, hand it over.

Here's what I do with mine during the holidays.
I save up my $80 and then I look out for a good sale on sports equiptment. I buy as much sports equiptment as I can and then I give it to The Spark of Love campaign. The way I figure it, you buy a bag of baseballs or several basketballs and everyone of those starts a game. That involves several children playing with the same toy over and over again. That's bang for your buck and you helped a kid get off the couch and get some exercise.

Here's some nice local charities:
Spark of Love and many others
https://www.calfund.org/page.aspx?pid=622

Los Angeles Missions
https://semdonate.losangelesmission.org/losangelesmission/main.php/micro_sites/showpage?id=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=california%20%2Bcharity&utm_campaign=landingpagetest

Foodbank of Southern California
http://www.foodbankofsocal.org/index.php

There are many more. But all of these help in our areas. Go search for one of your own.