If you haven't read this article yet, you need to. Alternatively, listen to the speech at BYU Broadcasting.
http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=2441
What prompted this post? Intersting story. I have 101 points (each point is worth $1) on a corporate perks website. I wanted to convert those points to cash, but in order to do so, one must upgrade their account ($XX per year). I've had the points for months and occasionally browsed to see what I could buy online with them, but always finished thinking I would be better off just upgrading, transferring the points to PayPal, and walking off with the remainder.
Yesterday I went back to the site and saw that they were offering a free 14-day trial upgrade. I signed up and tried to transfer the points. It didn't work. I contacted the Customer Support. I got an email this morning telling me to try again. It worked.
So I saved the $XX upgrade fee (although there was still a $5 transfer fee.) Then I read the article about Haiti and donated the $XX I saved (I was willing to spend it anyway, so I might as well give it to people who need it more). As I was relating the whole saga to two co-workers, they told me I was very different (I think that's a nice way of saying weird).
I sent them the Why Giving Matters article and told them to read it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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3 comments:
Some call it Karma but I just think that things work out when you are doing something good. Perhaps you got the free trial upgrade so you could give more. Now perhaps you will find a sweet deal on a Arcteryx Theta hardshell jacket for $XX you were going to spend the money on.
Very interesting, however, I was a little disappointed with the myth buster excerpt. The biggest thing that keeps me from giving more is my concern of what happens to the money, which was not addressed in his article. There have been too many 20/20 specials of corrupt charity organizations that I'm a little scared to donate.
Legitimate concern. Some people are attempting to raise awareness to combat that - check out www.givewell.net.
One of the reasons I like Partners in Health is that I know more about them than any other charity. I've "met" the founder and leader, and I "trust" him. Books are incredible, aren't they?
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