Give Thanks Then Give Wisely

BBB offers five tips for giving wisely on #GivingTuesday Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN TexasThe busiest shopping weekend of the year is over Christmas wish lists are marked off and consumers are wrapping up those sweet bargains and placing them under the tree. The spirit of the holiday season is about giving and what better way to give than to give back to a local charity? Today is #GivingTuesday a national campaign that celebrates and supports giving during the holiday season. Since 2012 the Tuesday following the Thanksgiving shopping weekend is observed as #GivingTuesday. Better Business Bureau serving Central Coastal Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin urges donors to give wisely and support trustworthy charities in recognition of #GivingTuesday. Remember to first research charities to ensure your contributions are going to a trustworthy organization. BBB Wise Giving Alliance evaluates charities based on 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. BBB charity reports help donors make informed giving decisions. Your BBB shares these five tips to help donors make the most out of this holiday season:

1. Watch out for name similarities.When charities seek support for the same cause their names are often similar. Before you give be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
2. Avoid on-the-spot donation decisions from unfamiliar organizations.The holidays bring a higher frequency of donation requests outside public locations. Dont succumb to pressure to make an immediate giving decision. Responsible organizations will welcome your gift tomorrow as much as they do today.
3. Be wary of emotional appeals.Marketers have been known to exploit the holidays to make emotional pleas to donors. Always research to verify that your selected charity operates ethically.
4. Avoid charities that dont disclose.Although participation is voluntary charities that dont disclose any of the requested information to BBB WGA raise a critical red flag for donors. Visit Give.org to find out if your selected charity is nondisclosure.
5. Rely on standards-based evaluations.Charities can demonstrate they are trustworthy by agreeing to in-depth evaluations such as the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Get free access to charity reports at Give.org.

For the latest news and information follow us on watchyourbuck.com Facebook and Twitter. To check out a company and find trustworthy businesses visit bbb.org. Find other news story topics by visiting our Press Release News Center. ABOUT BBB®: For more than 100 years Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses brands and charities they can trust. In 2015 people turned to BBB more than 172 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 4.7 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11000 charities all available for free at bbb.org. BBB serving Central Coastal Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin which serves 105 counties in Texas has offices in Austin Waco Corpus Christi San Antonio Midland Bryan and Fort Worth. Your BBB is one of more than 100 local independent BBBs across the U.S. Canada and Mexico.