Exercises: Charitable Giving and Record-Keeping

List three reasons people give money or time to charity. Write one short sentence for each reason.

Name two things you can look up to research whether a charity is trustworthy before donating, and say what each tells you.

Explain why a person should track their spending. Then name two ways to do it, such as a paper notebook or a mobile app.

Noah wants to donate $\$100$ to a charity. Describe three steps he should take to research the charity, and explain how he can tell what percent of donations goes to the cause and what percent goes to administration and fundraising.

Camila earns $\$400$ per month from a part-time job. She plans to spend 60% on needs and wants, save 25%, invest 10%, and give 5% to charity. Calculate the dollar amount for each category and check that the total equals her income.

Ethan uses a budgeting app that links to his bank account and categorizes his purchases automatically. List two advantages and two risks or limits of using this kind of fintech tool compared with a paper record.

A group of students receives a text message asking for a $\$25$ donation to a disaster-relief fund. The message uses a name similar to a well-known charity, pressures them to give "in the next hour," and asks for payment by gift card. Analyze whether it is likely legitimate, listing the evidence. Then outline a step-by-step process the students could follow to find and support a reputable charity instead.

Isabella tracks her money in a spreadsheet. In March she earned $\$520$, spent $\$310$, saved $\$120$, invested $\$40$, and gave $\$30$ to charity. Calculate how much money is unaccounted for and the percent of income she saved and invested combined. Then design a simple record-keeping system for her, choosing between a spreadsheet and an app, and justify your choice with at least two reasons, including how she could find the missing money.