10 Good Causes You Can Support for Free
As individuals, we’re often faced with the challenge of balancing our financial responsibilities with our desire to make a positive impact and support good causes. While it’s wonderful to be able to donate money to charitable causes, it’s not always feasible for every budget. From raising awareness to lending your voice, there are lots of ways to do good without donating money.
Whether you’re passionate about environmental conservation, social justice, or animal rights, there’s a cause out there waiting for your support. Here’s a list of ways you can help your local community, national charities and the planet that require no money, very little time and hardly any effort.
Support Good Causes for Free
10 Good Causes You Can Support for Free
Give blood
By giving blood you could save or improve up to three lives! You can give blood every 12-16 weeks and can donate platelets every 2 weeks. Find your local donor centre and sign up for an appointment. The process takes less than 15 minutes, so can be done in your work break or in your spare time.
Become an organ donor
You can register to donate your organs to give someone in need a second chance. Once registered make sure your family know about your wish. There are lots of people with life-threatening illnesses who could benefit from your organs when you no longer need them and it’s just one of the positive things you can do that won’t cost you a penny!
Switch to an ethical bank
As well as supporting good causes you can make a conscious effort to not support businesses and banks that do bad. Mainstream banks are one of these, most invest in fossil fuels and nuclear weapons (to name a few).
You can make sure that your money isn’t being used to invest in war, exploitation and non-renewable energy by switching to ethical banking. Ethical banks have environmentally and socially conscious rules and policies in place to take positive action on a number of causes (e.g. investing in renewable energy research, supporting eco-friendly start-up businesses, and helping poorer communities by financing affordable housing).
Volunteer your time
Find a volunteering opportunity in your local area and support a great cause. Tons of charities could benefit from your time. You could offer specific skills, such as marketing or IT, or working in a charity shop.
Look for opportunities to promote a charity or organise a one-off fundraising event like a coffee morning or a dress-up day at work. Even a few hours a week can make a big difference.
Help your neighbours
Do you have an elderly neighbour who might be in need of help around the house? You could offer to do a bit of gardening for them or pick up some groceries, just inviting them over for a cup of tea could make a huge difference to their lives. Age UK can help you find isolated, housebound older people through its Good Neighbour Schemes.
Donate unwanted items
Clutter-free living is not only good for your wallet, but it can also be beneficial for the environment and charitable causes. Consider donating gently used items to local thrift stores or charities. The simplest ways of giving to charity without parting with cash is to donate your unwanted possessions. When you’re next spring cleaning, collect some items to donate to your local charity shop.
Donate to foodbanks
There are dozens of freebies that you can collect to donate to your local foodbanks. You can get tons of free nappies, baby wipes, food and drinks if you know where to look and what apps to download.
Download tab for a cause
Raise money for charity with every browser tab you open! With each new tab you open you could be building libraries, planting trees, sending emergency aid, and more. Download the Tab for a Cause browser extension, open a new tab and start donating to your preferred good causes and charities.
Switch to a renewable energy provider
Octopus is 100% renewable when it comes to electricity! Octopus invest in renewable energy such as anaerobic digestion (organic farm waste is used to generate gas). They are cheaper than the big six (British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Npower, Scottish Power, and SSE). Octopus will also credit your account with £50 if you switch through an existing customer referral link!
Donating your cashback to good causes
Cashback really is a great way to earn some extra money! You go about your usual shopping either through a cashback website or by paying with a cashback card and then you get a % of the money you spend back! I’ve saved £100’s by claiming cashback every time I shop online and this can be donated to some great causes.
Educate yourself and others
Finally, take the time to educate yourself about various social and environmental issues. Share what you learn with others and encourage them to get involved in making a positive impact.
There are many online campaigns and petitions that you can participate in to support good causes. Sign up for email newsletters or follow organizations on social media to stay informed about upcoming campaigns and actions.
You really can make a difference and do good without spending a penny by volunteering your time, spreading awareness on social media, donating your skills, and more. I’d love to know what good causes you’re supporting below!