I did my charities - I keep all the solicitations and go through them all at once (every quarter or so) and decide who to donate to. So when that type of mail comes in I throw it in a pile till I shuffle through it. I used to donate as the solicitations came through, but I found I was donating depending on my mood, and not how I felt about the non-profit or the cause. So now I try to be more systematic.

I donate to many causes, and some I have been supporting for years. Like Alley Cat Allies, http://www.alleycat.org/

I also sponsor all my friends who do walks/charity drives/etc. Regardless of cause, I support them 'cause I like activism and empathy.

I believe a lot in microlending and have thousands of Kiva loans - www.kiva.org My portfolio is worth about $8000, and I can withdraw it if I want. I might, if I need it later on in life, and its nice to know that other people got to use the capital in the meantime instead of the banks.

One of the best ROI is a donation I make monthly. I bring snacks to the VA hospital so they can give out food to vets who can't afford to eat. They used to sometimes steal and end up in jail, but since I've stared bringing snacks (4 years ago) it hasn't happened. I buy flats of noodle soups - 4 for $20 with my monthly purchase of paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels), cleaning, etc. K knows to buy them if he does the monthly run and he puts them in my trunk. So I just carry them to the building, get a tax write off, a hundred vets get fed, they don't go to jail. For about $20 bucks a month and 5 minutes extra of my time. And I get lots of kudos for being the snack lady. Such a win win situation.