Establish a personal funds test to supercharge your giving

María was a marketing manager who noticed she spent $50 every weekend on coffee, brunch, and streaming rentals. She felt proud of the half-a- million-dollar company charity match program and gave occasionally, but never consistently.

Diving into the data, she logged a week of her own receipts—hers was a flood of $20 lunch tacos, $15 Netflix add-on channel fees, and $12 late-night snack runs. She separated necessities (rent, utilities, groceries) from discretionary treats—then saw a sizable pool of “extras.”

Applying a simple formula, María resolved to donate half of her monthly extras—roughly $120—to two charities she cared about. Watching her charitable impact statements roll in, she realized she felt a fresh sense of purpose, and fellow managers began asking how she balanced generosity with her budget.

Behavioral economics research shows that visualizing spending as categories—green for needs, red for wants—shifts mindsets toward more intentional purchasing and can double charitable contributions without deep personal sacrifices.

You’ve separated needs from wants and uncovered exactly how much you spend on extras each week. Now pledge to give half of that sum—no more, no less—to causes you care about. Treat it like a recurring cost, just as fixed as rent or utilities. By making your giving systematic, you’ll see how small adjustments in your discretionary spending translate into real help for others. Start tracking and decide your first donation tonight.