Here on the podcast we’re always on the lookout for the biggest bang for our buck. Picture this: you, in the grocery store aisle, pondering the cosmic significance of toilet paper prices and whether the fancy stuff is going to be worth it! Or maybe you’re weighing a couple job offers: you’re not just negotiating salary, you’re out there considering the 401k match, turning job hunting into a strategic sport! We’re all about optimizing our lives for maximum value, but are we extending this same strategic approach to the dollars we give to charity? Maybe… or maybe not! That’s why we’ve roped in the philanthropic virtuoso, Elie Hassenfeld, co-founder of GiveWell, a nonprofit committed to finding charities that perform life-saving and life-improving work without breaking the bank. It’s financial optimization meets world-saving wisdom. Listen as we discuss the founding of GiveWell, the ways some charities have fallen short, SBF and his impact on effective altruism, Elie’s rule of thumbs for how much to give, if it’s OK to give locally even if it doesn’t have the biggest impact, and plenty more!

Additional links:

• GiveWell – You can use the site to simply research the highest impact charities, or you can give directly via GiveWell where 100% of donations are granted to charity.

• Charity research – Ensure that the money that you’re giving away is going to organizations that align with your values. Research and vet non-profits at sites like CharityNavigator.org, CharityWatch.org, & GreatNonProfits.org
  • We’ve also written a full post on how to give away your money (and why it’ll actually make you richer!)

• Credit Card Tool – Looking for the right credit card for you? Then check out our new credit card tool that’ll help you to easily filter through all the cards based on your preferred airline, whether or not they have an annual fee, or simply by the cashback offer! Just toggle the sliders and you’ll know which card to consider.

• Newsletter – Don’t forget to sign up for the best personal finance newsletter in all the land! It’s completely free and something we create to help you along your journey to financial freedom. It drops every Tuesday morning and you can always unsubscribe if you don’t dig it!

During this episode we enjoyed a Chonk-ibal by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!