charity cards- worth it and who gets the money?

[JinglingHellsBells]

I always try to buy charity cards at a local store - usually cancer research - but over time have become a bit sceptical about how the money is used. I've seen so many things about their top CEOS getting huge salaries (and even more junior staff are sometimes paid more than average.)

I'm wondering this year if it's best to buy cards I like and just donate to a charity as a one-off at Christmas.

Anything bought from a charity will go towards advertising, wages, shop costs, legal issues etc. As well as the cause. It’s a business after all. If you don’t agree with how they do their wage structure that’s understandable. Personally I’d buy cards I liked and then gift a charity of my choice x amount. Instead of gifting to a national charity what about using the amount you would normally donate and either buy food for a food bank or buy gifts for kids in hospital/kids who wouldn’t get a gift normally (our local Tesco has a trolley for people to leave toys in, and a few local churches do similar)/or gift boxes for elderly people in hospice, do the homeless shoe boxes etc.

If it is a charity you wish to support, and you like the cards, then get them.

If you don't think there is a charity whose ratio of overheads to charitable spending is what you wish to support, then make an online delivery to a foodbank (then you can be sure it's being used on the frontline) or donate your time rather than your cash.