Lots of people want to give but struggle to find the cash in their budgets. Worse, many non-profits insist on making their annual pleas during the holiday season when everyone is already strapped for cash. But how is anyone supposed to come up with an extra $100 for their favorite charity when they’re trying to figure out how to afford Thanksgiving dinner or presents for their kids? That’s why I advocate making smaller donations throughout the year.

A donation of just $8 a month works out to almost $100 a year. But can $8 a month make a difference? Yes, it can!

Below are some often overlooked dollar store donation hacks that really make a difference in the lives of others.

Birthday Bags for Foodbanks

This is my favorite way to donate, and I did it every month in 2023. Foodbanks receive lots of donations of canned and dried goods. But what I’ve never seen foodbanks distribute is cake mix.

Poor kids have birthdays, too. Unfortunately, the problem with many cake mixes is that the recipes often call for perishable items like milk or eggs, which might not be available from the foodbank. To combat this, I include a recipe for “Soda Pop Cake.” The recipe has just three ingredients: 1 box of cake mix, 1 can of soda, and 1 package of frosting.

It also brings out my creative side. I enjoy mixing and matching the cake mix with soda variety to deliver something fun and tasty. Matching frosting and decorations is also enjoyable. I try to come up with something different each month. Then I put all the items and a copy of the recipe in a festive birthday bag. That way, everything for one cake is included. It makes it easy for the foodbank volunteers to find the birthday items, too.

For this hack you need:

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 can of soda
• 1 container of frosting
• A cake pan
• Birthday candles
• Party favors or cake decorations
• 1 birthday bag
• Soda Pop Cake recipe

By purchasing most of the items from the dollar store, the cost per bag averages about $8.57, assuming Idaho sales tax.

Soda Pop Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 can of soda
• 1 container of frosting

Preparation

1. Combine cake mix with soda and stir until smooth.
2. Pour into greased baking dish
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 min. (Cooking time varies based on cake mix/soda combination.)
4. Allow to cool completely, then frost and enjoy!

Some of my favorite soda and cake parings are below:

• Coke/Pepsi/Cola + chocolate cake
• Sprite/7-up/Mountain Dew + yellow cake
• Sprite/7-up/Mountain Dew + lemon cake
• Cream Soda + white/vanilla cake
• Orange Soda + white/vanilla cake
• Grape Soda + white/vanilla cake
• Strawberry/Black Cherry Soda + Strawberry cake
• Root Beer + Spice Cake
• Ginger Ale + Carrot Cake
• Sierra Mist + Butter Pecan Cake

Feminine Hygiene Bags

Foodbanks are happy to accept more than just food when it comes to donations. However, this donation hack is just as welcome at schools and women’s shelters.

A study conducted by Harris Insights and Analytics found that 20% of girls between the ages of 13 and 19 can’t afford menstrual products. A full two-thirds of girls are stressed by lack of access to feminine hygiene products and 25% of girls have missed school because they didn’t have any tampons or pads.

Period poverty affects more than just girls. A separate study conducted between 2017 and 2018 found that almost 50% of the women surveyed could not afford to buy both feminine hygiene products and food and 33% of women missed work due to menstruation. When only evaluating low-income survey participants, the number of women unable to afford feminine hygiene products jumped to 64%.

For this hack you need:

• 1 package of tampons
• 1 package of pads
• 1 package of panty liners
• 1 package of moistened towelettes
• 1 bag

I prefer the clear bags because it’s easy for volunteers to see what’s inside. However, given the stigma surrounding menstruation, many teens and young girls would probably prefer a bag that isn’t see through.

By purchasing all these items from the dollar store, the cost per bag averages about $6.63, assuming Idaho sales tax.

Wash and Ready Bag

This is another good one for foodbanks, schools, and shelters. Lots of places will help with food assistance, but few stop to think about personal hygiene. All the products in this bag are absolutely necessary and none of them can be purchased with food stamps, snap benefits, or WIC.

For this hack you need:

• 1 bottle of shampoo
• 1 bar of soap
• 1 stick of deodorant
• 1 package of toothpaste
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 bag

Again, I prefer the clear bags because it’s easy for volunteers to see what’s inside. And, by purchasing all these items from the dollar store, the cost per bag averages about $7.95, assuming Idaho sales tax.

The final way to increase your annual giving is to simply donate your used grocery bags to the local foodbank. When families come wanting food, they need some way to carry that food home. So, next time you get groceries, use paper instead of plastic. This cost your nothing, does a good deed, and reduces waste because all your bags will be used at least twice.

I hope this gives you some budget friendly ideas for increasing your charitable donations through the year. Also, if anyone has other ideas they’d like to share, please do so in the comments.