donate

How to Select a Charity to Donate to After a Natural Disaster

Christa Avampato — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:31:10 +0000

With the hurricane season we're having, there's no shortage of nonprofit organizations you can support with your dollars and time to aid people in need. But how do you know which organizations have the most impact and do the most good with the resources they have? Here's how to find the most reliable charities of which to donate. (See also: Why Donating Money Is the Best Thing You Can Do After a Natural Disaster)

1. Utilize charity assessment tools

There are a number of sites that evaluate nonprofit programs and provide you with information on their efficiency and efficacy. Charity Navigator, GiveWell, and Guidestar all evaluate nonprofit donations. One of their main metrics tells you the percentage of donations that goes to programs, and the percentage that goes to administration costs. While this metric is important, it's not the whole story, and comes with a very large caveat: for a charity to do its work, it must have administrative costs and overhead. Without talented people, a nonprofit can't do its best work, and like all employers, a nonprofit must compensate its employees for their skills. Use this metric as one input to your donation decision, but don't let it make the whole decision for you.

2. Check news stories

Before donating to a charity, check out the latest news stories on a particular charity with a simple Google search. You will likely find stories that highlight the work the organization is doing through its programs and hopefully you'll also discover some firsthand testimonials about the organization's impact. If there have been any recent scandals or shady activities, you'll find them here, too.

3. Review testimonials

Before making a donation, take a look at the organization's website to get a sense of their programs and staff. There is often a press section that showcases recent news releases with the latest news coming from the organization. It's also a good idea to check out the leadership team to determine if you feel they are good stewards of your gift. It's also worth taking a look at their board, major donors, and supporters, if they highlight them.

Have they recently won a large grant or formed a reputable partnership? If so, it's another data point that can show someone has scrutinized their work and deemed it valuable. Like the administrative cost percentage, these grants and partnerships don't tell the whole story, but they are another point of reference to help your decision-making process. (See also: The 5 Charitable Donations That Do the Most Good)

4. Scan through social media channels

One great gift of social media is that it gives individuals and organizations a way to connect with supporters and beneficiaries of their work directly. Poke around on their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds to see their work in action and find out who supports them.

5. Think local

While the big international nonprofits often get the most attention when disaster strikes, local nonprofits can often be just as effective, if not more so. That's because they have such close relationships with people on the ground. For example, the local food banks in Texas and Florida have been able to mobilize quickly in areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. After Harvey, I made a gift to the San Antonio Food Bank because they were the closest food bank to the areas in and around Houston that were hit hard by the storm.

This same giving strategy can be applied to international work. After the massive earthquake that struck Haiti, I donated to Partners in Health because their dedication to Haiti over many years has allowed them to have a tremendous impact on the health and wellbeing of the Haitian people.

If you're more comfortable giving to a large organization such as the Red Cross, and the Salvation Army, make sure they have a chapter in the geographic location where you want to help and tag your gift to go to that specific relief program. Local hospitals and health centers are on the front lines, and are often the first places that local people turn to in the wake of a disaster.

6. Consider who you want to help

Many nonprofits have a mission that designates who they help and the causes that matter most to them. This can be children, animals, environmental protection, or education, to name just a few.

In the case of the recent hurricanes in the U.S., local chapters of the Humane Society and the ASPCA are helping to rehome pets that were left behind by their families. Save the Children has expanded its services and started new programs in key Texas locations in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Natural disasters often destroy or damage housing. Charities such as Habitat for Humanity can make use of your financial contributions as part of the rebuilding efforts.

7. Support sustained efforts

Given the speed of our news cycle, there is a swell of concern immediately after a disaster, and then that concern fades over time. One of the best ways to contribute to sustaining support is to consider a gift to an institution that continually works in the area. Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, and local schools, places of worship, and community centers are key sources for sustained support in impacted communities.

When disaster strikes, it takes a large, collective effort to help people reconstruct their lives. Your donation and support is critical, and a thoughtful gift can make all the difference.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Christa Avampato of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Moving? 3 Things to Take, and 3 Things to Leave Behind

Annie Mueller — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 08:30:16 +0000

You're packing up and getting ready to move into your new place. Of course your furniture and personal belongings go with you. But what about items that are yours, but also seem like part of the house you're leaving behind? Here's a helpful list to guide you through what you should take and what you should leave.

1. Take your appliances

Unless your home sale contract specifically includes an appliance, all of your appliances belong to you. The only exception is the oven, as some lenders require that an oven be installed before they will approve a home loan. But all other appliances — washer, dryer, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, ice maker, and so on — are yours to take unless stipulated otherwise.

2. Leave behind hardware and fixtures

Here's a general rule of thumb: If it would damage the house to remove it, leave it behind. If taking down the wall-mount for the TV will leave damaged paint and holes in the wall, leave it up for the next occupants.

Another guideline is to leave behind any installed items that are necessary for the house to properly function. For example, don't remove the water softener that connects the water pipes and leave the next occupants with disconnected plumbing. (This happened to us with our first home purchase!) Unless you have permission from the buyers to take items essential to the basic functions of the house, they should stay where they are. (See also: 5 Money Moves to Make Before Moving Out on Your Own)

3. Take your sentimental or valuable decor

As a general rule, items like light fixtures and cabinetry hardware should stay with the home. However, if you've hung a chandelier that is a family heirloom over the dining table, you don't have to leave it behind. You can take the decorative items or fixtures that have particular value to you, sentimental or otherwise. Specify in your contract which fixtures will go with you so there's no confusion.

4. Leave behind custom-made items

Those window treatments you had made to perfectly fit the front windows should stay with the windows. Likewise, if you've had shelves, shutters, blinds, or other items built or installed to match a precise space in your old home, let them stay. These custom-made items are often built into the house in a way that would damage or detract from its value if removed.

5. Take your outdoor furniture

If you have an outdoor dining set and a grill on the patio, a swing in the front yard, and a bench in the garden, those belong to you. Pack them up and take them along. Lawn equipment, such as a lawn mower or trimmer, hoses or rakes, should move with you, too. You can also take any houseplants, and outdoor plants in smaller, free-standing pots. (See also: 6 Surprising Ways a Houseplant Can Save You Money)

6. Leave behind the landscaping

Don't move potted plants large enough to function as a landscape feature: for example, that giant ceramic pot filled with annuals that takes up half of the front flower bed. Certainly don't dig up plants to move with you, no matter how much you love them. If you can't bear to leave your grandmother's peony bush behind (I understand the pain), take a clipping or get permission from the next occupants to dig it up. (See also: 6 Ways to Improve Your Curb Appeal for Next to Nothing)

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Annie Mueller of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Things You Won't Ever Use Again and Should Throw Out Today

Linsey Knerl — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 15:00:08 +0000

I'm a frugal person. I also love to upcycle. So how should you handle items in your home that you aren't using now, but are worried may come in handy someday? While it's a good idea to make a personal assessment of most every item in your home, there are some items you shouldn't waste your time considering. (See also: 10 Useful Items You Should Never Throw Out)

Here is a list of 12 old things you can safely part with, minus the regret.

1. Outdated Clothing

Imagine my surprise when I saw some very 80's looking shirts hanging up at a local Target store; they brought me back to a time when I wore very similar items! The fact that clothing goes in cycles is not reason enough to keep them around, however. In addition to the fit being an issue (can you really wear the same clothes you did 30 years ago? Should you?), there are modern details that most vintage-inspired pieces depend on to be trendy. Your acid wash jeans, for example, may have too much of a "mom fit" to qualify for cutting edge today. Donate, sell, or toss.

2. Cables, Cords, and Wires for Old Electronics

I was just as surprised as you when the government made digital TV a thing, and people started buying up rabbit ears to get their local news. This was an anomaly, however, and most of the accessories you used for your television in the 90's are seriously defunct. Toss out that RF modulator and coaxial cable adapter. Even Goodwill won't want them.

3. Toys That Take Specialized "Cartridges"

Brands like Leapfrog and VTech are notorious for releasing the hot new toys each holiday, complete with a line of games and upgrades that only work with that year's new thing. Unless you have the complete collection with enough entertainment hours to keep someone happy for awhile, most kids don't want to try to round up the matching components for 2009's doorbuster deal.

4. Underwear or Lingerie That Might Fit Someday

Unless you recently had a baby and are certain you may squeeze back in within the next 10 months, ditch the dainties from a skinnier you and buy something that you feel comfy in. If you do, indeed, drop the pounds, you can celebrate with a nighty or briefs that reflect your new physique. Think of it as a celebration!

5. Old Makeup

Once opened, cosmetics last for less time than you think. Give it a toss if it's been longer than six months since you bought it. Sooner if it smells or is truly out of season.

6. Old Paint

It's possible to blend similar paints together for a cheap coverup for a single wall or outside shed. Most people don't aspire to do this, and if paint has been exposed to extremely hot or freezing temps, the paint won't be good anyway. Be sure to dispose of it according to the rules and regs for your area to avoid any hazardous consequences to the environment. This includes cans of spray paint and spray foam, which lose their propellant over time.

7. Old CRT Monitors and Televisions

These clunkers suck energy and take up precious desk space. Considering that a decent LED monitor can cost under $100, it's best to set these dinosaurs out on the curb.

8. Spices

Not sure when you'll ever use ground lemongrass? If you have opened spices that don't fit your cooking style, you might want to give them a sniff — and throw out the odorless ones. Dried spices that have been stored around your stove, and have been exposed to high temps, should be the first to go.

9. Textbooks

Professors can be prickly about letting college students use older editions of textbooks, especially for those which are updated often (like law books.) Skip the odds of getting misinformation — or a bad grade — and opt to borrow or rent the most revised edition.

And if you've been keeping your college textbooks around since you graduated — why? If you haven't cracked them open again yet, you aren't going to.

10. Medicines

If your OTC meds don't have an expiration date, have been opened, and don't come with any memory of when you last used them, dispose of them responsibly. If they came with an Rx toss them as soon as your prescription expired.

11. Canned Goods

Follow the same rules for canned food as you would for meds. No date? Don't bother keeping it around.

12. Kitchen Appliance Piecemeal

That blender without a lid? Coffee machine that requires expensive pods you can't seem to find in the store anymore? Both are just taking up precious kitchen counter real estate and should be gotten rid of. If an appliance is missing vital parts, just scrap them; otherwise, your local used store can likely sell donations of a complete unit.

Tossing stuff is hard, especially if you have fond memories of using it. If you don't remember the last time you put it to good use, or you really don't care for it much, anyway, you can add even more useless items to your "toss it" box!

What are you keeping around that you know you should toss? Please share in comments!

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Ask the Readers: How Do You Give to Charity?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:48:07 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Lynda, @E_Stimpert, and Kandace Coupons for winning this week's contest!

With the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, charity and giving is on the forefront of everyone's minds. When tragedy strikes, it is important for people to come together and help those in need. However, sometimes people can't afford to donate money and give in other ways instead.

How do you donate to charity? Do you donate money or time? Do you have a certain charity you like to give to? Will you donate to help the victims in Japan?

Tell us how you donate to charity and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Enter 1 of 3 Ways:

Post your answer in the comments below, or
Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, then "Like" the update mentioning this giveaway (you can comment, as well — but you don't have to for entry), or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, March 14th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after March 14th on the original post and via Twitter. Winners will also be contacted via email, Facebook, and Twitter Direct Message.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us how you give to charity and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

This article is from Ashley Jacobs of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Donate a Car to Charity

Bob Lotich — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:00:10 +0000

I just love tax time, don't you? I mean, getting to count up all those receipts, fill out those boring forms, and talk to accountants: What could be more fun? Well, there is one good thing about this time of year — getting a refund check back from the government.

For most of us, getting a tax refund usually involves having deductions that reduce our taxable income...and if you have a car parked in the driveway that isn't worth much, it could become a nice tax deduction for you. If that isn't enough, you also get the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping support a charity that is likely in desperate need of your donation (as many are these days). Even though we are past the point of deducting a car in 2010, it is always good to be planning ahead for when you are filing your taxes next year!

Tax Rules for Donating A Car

There have been some changes to the tax rules for donating a car. In previous years, people were able to write off the car for the fair market value of the vehicle. But people were claiming a lot more money than their cars were worth, so the process had to change. Due to the fraudulent behavior, the government was losing great amount of money, and you know Uncle Sam doesn't like that!

Under the new system, if you state that the car or vehicle is worth more than $500, you also need to record how much money the charity you chose sold it for (when I last donated a car to charity, the charity sent me a notice in the mail with this info). So if the charity sells your car for $1,000, then you can deduct $1,000. If they sell it for $1,500, then you can deduct that amount from your taxes.

Things to Have Ready

In order to donate your car, you have to take care of a few things. You need to be sure that you have the car title. If you don't have a copy of the title, you can get a duplicate by contacting the DMV. You also have to make sure the car registration is up to date. If you have not driven the car for several years, the registration is probably not valid.

Choosing the Charity

The charity has to be a 501(c)(3) registered charity recognized by the IRS. The IRS website has a page where you can search for charities in your area. Once you choose your charity, contact them, and let them know you want to donate your car. If the charity is near where you live, you can drive the car there yourself. Or if you live farther away from where the charity is located, you can have somebody come out and pick it up for you. I suggest checking out Charity Navigator to find out a little bit more about the efficiency of your charity before donating your old clunker.

Transferring Ownership

Whether you drive the car in yourself or have the car picked up, you'll need to sign over the title of the car to the charity. On the paperwork, write the word "gift" where it says to enter the sales price. Make sure you receive a copy of your receipt for the donation of the car. The receipt is absolutely necessary to get your tax deduction.

Though it may sound obvious, make sure you clean out the car. Empty the trunk, glove box, and any other compartments in the car, because once she is gone, you probably won't see her again! Also, unless your state laws dictate otherwise, remove your license plates when you hand them over — the last thing you want is for them to get into the wrong hands and you find that you have an warrant out for your arrest because someone used your plates when they robbed a bank.

Have you ever donated a car to charity? What was your experience?

Guest Post Blurb:

This guest post is by Bob Lotich of ChristianPF.com, a website that approaches financial topics using timeless Biblical principles. Read more from ChristianPF.com:

This article is from Bob Lotich of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Get Rid of Your Junk

Andrea Karim — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:32:53 +0000

Ed's post about moving and getting rid of stuff got me thinking about my clutter. Are you barely able to breathe in your cluttered household? Have tons of stuff that you need to get rid of?

A few weeks ago, I took a seminar called "Commanding Your Clutter" at a local community college. Here's what I learned about collecting, hoarding, shopping, and finally, letting go of all that junk.

Why people hold onto things

I paid so much for it! Yes, but are you getting your money's worth from it? No? Sell it.

I have sentimental attachment to it. This is my biggest problem. See step 4 below.

Someone else will be angry if I sell it/give it away. Our teacher told us that the best way to do this is to contact people by letter or by phone and let them know that although you love them, and appreciate the thought that went into the gift that they gave you, you simply don't have room for it anymore. You ask if they would like it back, or if they have any input as to what you should do with it. This can be a difficult proposition, but many people appreciate the honesty. The other option is to get rid of it and just tell them that you broke it if they ever ask.

My children will eventually want it. ASK your children if they will eventually want it, and keep asking them. See if they want it now. I have this monstrous set of big, fake plastic grapes glued to a piece of driftwood that I LOVED as a child. They were my grandmother's. I used to think that they were magic. Now, I can't think of anything to do with them, short of launching them into the ocean using a homemade trebuchet.

But this is an heirloom! Sez you. If you think you have something of heirloom quality, get it appraised and store it properly. Many of the things that you consider heirloom quality might not be. This is (again) where taking a picture of the object, labeling it, and storing it in an album would be appropriate.

It'll be worth so much money some day! This might be true. But if you're like the 40 Year Old Virgin, consider paring down. If collectibles are getting in the way of your everyday living, selling some of them off now will save you years of annoyance, which is worth a bit of money. You can invest that money and watch it grow, and it will grow faster than the value of the baseball card/action figure/porcelain doll, without a doubt.

Tactics for getting rid of stuff

1. Start small, with one closet or one corner of a room. Our teacher told us to use an egg timer and to work in 15 minute intervals, but that doesn't work for me — I'm better off tackling everything at one go. However, if you are looking at a huge project that can take days, our teacher suggested that organizing for 45 minutes (with 15 minutes of cleanup), one day a week was the only way to get it done while maintaining your sanity.

2. Procure three empty boxes, and label them Keep, Undecided, and Toss. Divide your junk into these boxes, and empty them frequently (in the garbage or at Goodwill, or in your Yard Sale pile). I actually use Keep, Donate, and Toss, because I like to make my decisions straight away.

3. Resist the urge to look through the photo albums and year books during the first round. If you think that the info contained therein will be valuable down the road, put them in the Keep box and deal with them at a later date.

4. Deciding what to get rid of is hard, but it must be done. Our teacher told us the story of a man she had helped on a big cleaning project. He was hanging on to things like a plastic bag from a bookstore in Paris that he felt reminded him of his college travels. The bag, he said, had a special place in his memory.

Fine, she said. Let's get a nice frame for it and hang it on the wall. The man looked at her like she was nuts. You don't frame and hang a plastic bag.

No? Well, let's take a picture of it, then frame that picture. Again, the man stared at her like she had lost it. It finally dawned on him that the bag wasn't the source of his memories, but merely a souvenir, and a junky one at that. Toss it, he said.

Our teacher recommended that we use this rule for each item that we hem and haw over:

1. Would you want to frame and display it?

Yes = Keep.
No = See step 2.

2. Would you want to take a picture of it?

Yes = Take picture, get rid of item.
No = Get rid of item.

If you can take a picture of something that you want to remember, but can't use, do so. Put it in an album with a label. But let it go if it's taking up too much space.

But what should I do with it?

You don't have too many choices, but there are a few to consider:

Throw it in the garbage.
Put it outside with a FREE sign. Better yet, put a $50 sign on it and watch how fast it gets stolen.
Give it away to a friend or family member, or to a complete stranger through Freecycle.
Recycle it (computers, TVs).
Call a junk tower to take it away.
Sell it online.
Trade it online.
Sell it in the newspaper.
Take it to Goodwill or similar charity.

Me, I've stopped trying to sell stuff. Donation is the key to getting rid of what I don't need. The amount of money I can make for selling my junk on eBay or Craigslist rarely makes up for the amount of time that goes into arranging the sale.

Yard sales are a great way to make money, and 'tis the season right now. Get Rich Slowly (via The Simple Dollar) has some great tips for a successful yard sale.

You'll probably be surprised how much stress is relieved by parting with your junk. I was really taken aback this morning when I was able to walk from my bedroom to the bathroom without looking like I was doing the Filipino tinikling all the way there.

It can be hard to part with things, but in the long run, it's worth letting go. When they say that you can't take it with you, they aren't kidding.

Of course, part of the trick to maintaining a clutter-free zone in your home and life is not to accumulate MORE crap. I'll be blogging more about that tomorrow.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Andrea Karim of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Ask the readers: What charities do you give to?

Troy Hadley — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:41:04 +0000

My last post on giving made me think a bit about... well, giving. My train of thought, fortunately, is easy to track.

I give a good deal of money to charity every year, enough so that the monetary amount actually affects my tax returns (in a good way). I was just thinking about all of the places that I give to, and since some people started posting other charities in the last blog post, I thought I'd just out and out ask: who do you give to?

Because I'm really dig critters, be they fuzzy or bald, small or huge, I give to the following organizations on a regular basis:

Rolling Dog Ranch and Sanctuary is a great place and fantastic organization where disabled animals go to live out their days, or even find new homes! Warning! If you like animals, or have a functioning heart, do not visit this site until you are somewhere in which you can wipe away tears. Not that I'm the crying type, no sir. I'm pounding my chest in an aggressive manner as we speak. No, I'm worried about you sissy types who cry easily... especially if you read the story about Spirit ...the ... wonderdog (breaks down sobbing).

The Elephant Sanctuary is well-known, and damn, if elephants just aren't as cool as can be.

The Humane Society of the United States is activist enough for me to feel like they're really DOING something, but without being obnoxious, like PETA. I recently signed their plegde to boycott Canadian seafood until Canada stops clubbing baby seals like it's some kind of freaking hobby.

People

When I feel like helping humans, I give to Kiva.org, Operation Smile, and Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans Frontieres).

Who do YOU give to?

(Picture by Jo Philips)

This article is from Troy Hadley of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Writing for Money on the Interwebs

Troy Hadley — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 06:04:33 +0000

A while back, a girlfriend of mine forced me to watch a chick flick that she felt I would find inspiring. It was called The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio.

Now, I think Julianne Moore is a good actress (and I have a thing for redheads) so this didn't take that much arm-twisting. And it wasn't an altogether bad movie. But what I remember most, rather than actual plot or characters, is the idea that people used to be able to make money writing jingles and entering them in national contests.

Specifically, women used to do this. At least, according to the movie. The premise of the movie is that, back in the 1950s, companies didn't want to spend money on advertising, so they would hold contests in which housewives (who had lots of pent-up energy and creativity to burn) would submit jingles for specific products. The best ones would earn cash or some pretty serious prizes.

Julianne Moore's character, a mother of something like 8 kids (or was it 11?), keeps herself sane and her family afloat by winning these contests, seeing as how her husband, played by Woody Harrelson, is pretty useless when it comes to breadwinning. Oh, and he's a drunk.

Also interesting, from a modern perspective, is how much advertising has changed since the 1950s, and how the pendulum swings between ads that are created by advertising firms (who get paid millions of dollars to create campaigns), and customers, who are asked to enter advertising contests and win... well, not millions, exactly. There's a trend these days in which customers are encouraged to express their creativity in the form of product ads - some of this works out pretty well, some of it, not so well.

The cause of this re-emerging trend is probably laziness on the part of advertisers, and cheapness on the part of companies, but the end result, we have yet to see, since having the tools to create our OWN media is still a relatively new and fresh idea.

But I really, really liked the idea of sitting around and writing things at home, and getting paid for it. Kind of like what I do for Wise Bread, but, you know, with actual cash returns. I love writing as a money-making idea.

I've been looking around the web for writing gigs and contests that actually pay you if you win, and here's the list I cam up with. I thought some of you might be interested in it. Please note that not all writing contests are legit. I can't personally vouch for the ones below, but I've regularly read and even written for some of them, so I think most of them are OK. I personally don't enter contests with an entry fee unless I know someone involved with the organization (and then I enter under a pseudonymn).

Also, there might be some overlap between the contest lists.

Anyway, without further ado:

Common Ties holds frequent non-fiction, themed writing contests. Pay is varied, but the best stories can win hundreds.

Demockeracy holds contests for Onion-like satire. Winners get $50, which isn't a lot, but if you are good with satire, probably easy.

Helium is a bit like a giant blog, where you can write and get your writing rated, and suppsedly earn money. Helium is always peppering craigslist with ads, but I've never met anyone who has written for them.

About.com has a list of fiction writing contests organized by due date.

There's another all-around good-sized list at the Open Directory Project. Writers' Cafe has another set of deadline-based contests.

Willamette Writers hold a contest with many categories every year. Grand prize is $300, and second place is $150.

Firstwriter.com has a list of free and non-free writing contests from around the world.

If you've got the time, and you like to rhyme (oh yeah, I'm that good), Winning Writers will show you some free poetry contests (registration required).

It ain't free, but we're free to be you and me (and write some song lyrics and send them in to the ISC).

Hazel Street would like you to use one of their posted photos as a theme for your poem or short story ($5 entry fee). They also have a list of lists if you scroll down the screen a bit.

Amazon Shorts lets you compete to get published.

I used to read Reader's Digest at my grandma's place during the summer, and wondered if they really gave away all that money to people who sent in cliched and tired old jokes. They do.

Freelancewriting.com has catalogued a nice list of contests, too - I particularly like the idea of a "Migraine and Headache Poetry Contest", even though it doesn't have a real monetary prize.

This contest makes me want to be a Christian woman, because I could win a signed picture of Candace Cameron in addition to prize money.

Insight Magazine also appears to have a faith-themed contest.

Poets and Writers online has everything, from jobs to contests, on their calendar. An alphabetical list is to be had here.

Heck, Google has a directory for writing contests. I don't know how many of those are PAYING contests.

Humorpress requires an entry fee, and their cheesy web site makes them seem suspect, but I've heard (online, so it might not be true) that they aren't bad.

Whim's Place only asks $5 for an entry fee, and first prize is $250!

Contests for Moms actually reeks a bit of the aforementioned Julianne Moore movie, but includes Helium and lists free contests with a wide variety of prizes.

Has anyone else entered writing contests that they really enjoyed and want to share with Wise Bread readers?

This article is from Troy Hadley of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: