Is it normal to donate to charity?

Money donations seem to one of the least effective forms of helping, though of course much more beneficial than not doing anything at all. Donating your time is more often than not to be the best way to help out, supplies and manpower directly effect the situation.

I have been lucky enough to be born into a situation where I will never have to worry about money, and with that I have never worked a paying day in my life. Instead I volunteer full time with PETA, WWF, NatGeo, Freethebears in Vietnam, LAPA, and other organizations. My bias is pretty clear.

I feel that charity's have sort of lost their luster with all the corruption that's been broadcasted nationwide, so I understand where you feel like you might be alone in your donations. And where you feel you are being humble by not "boasting" your actions, you're missing out on brining attention and support for your causes and organizations.

Sometimes people need a little reminder of the organizations out there, and sometimes people need a bit of guilt tripping for that extra push. America, for as long as I've been here, seems like a very charitable place, China, on the other hand, not so much.

Charities exist to pay comfortable salaries to their upper management staff.

I would donate if I thought the money would be well spent but I believe the majority of charities just steal the money as "administrative costs". Something like 95% of charitable donations go to the people running the charitiies.

If you want to make a difference in someones life give a homeless person enough for a six pack and a pack of smokes. At least then you'll know it's appreciated.

I donate carefully.

It makes more sense to just do good things for others, whatever cause you want to support, directly.

People with empathy donate. Look at whenever there's a RedCross fundraiser for a disaster or something like RedNoseDay.

The things I don't like to donate to at all has to do with some kiddie crap like when a bunch of school kids beg for money for some stupid trip they're taking. These kids usually are NOT poor. Nope. Maybe I'm just a jerk. I think, huh? Get a real job? Go ask your parents for money, lol. It just bugs me. If they're offering a service, okay. But I'm not just going to hand them money because they're holding colorful signs, surrounding my car, or planted in front of a store's doorway swarming everybody. Uh, no. These kiddies are begging for money from people that have actual jobs. They can all go get one too.

I will donate to some gofundme and kickstarter campaigns if the cause drags out the empathy from me, or if I simply want to support it. Anything with animals, omg, I fall prey for that. I donate. I just have to donate to that stuff.

It is normal. In fact more people should donate. Just make sure it is a good charity before you give.

Any charity with shops, advertising, glossy printed matter etc. has many layers of management creaming off most of the money.
Give to small local things so you know the money is going where it's supposed to.

Make sure you do your research carefully before donating to an organization

It is normal, if the donor money is used wisely and not kept for the leader's enrichment.

It's normal to donate. Just be careful to who you donate to so that way you know the money is being used right.

its normal and stupid, its better to find a stranger in need and help a stranger direct. buy a out of work man a sack lunch mid summer. you see them. giving money you made and letting other people decide winds up helping no one. if you are super rich buy a brilliant student that already excels a free college degree. they will never forget and one day return the favor to another.

You make me fucking sick!