Did you tithe while saving for FIRE?

[retiringby50]

My weakness is I really like to make sure that she has enough because when we were growing up, I know she never shop for herself...her money is basically household money spent on food. We get new clothes probably twice a year....now that I can afford it, I think it's time to spoil her. By the way, she's 62, great health.

Not weakness, it's love. That's really sweet of you and great that she's still able to enjoy. My mom didn't live long enough for me to do any of that, even though she had the money to spare. We were still so young and hardly making enough to pay the mortgage.

 

[sunshine]

I tithe 10% to the church, then give about 4-6% to charity. Feels good to be able to help and to "give back".

When I was starting out I was broke. Moved into the spare room at friends house, mooched meals, etc. Never took government assistance. Once I started to "make it on my own" it became part of my lifestyle to help others. Over the years I have taken in 6 young people and helped them to get their finances back on track. Don't regret any of it and feel all the richer for it.

 

[Purron]

My DH and I have always given a lot to charity, both in the form of cash donations and through volunteer work. We managaged to save enough to be about to retire very soon in our early 50s. I believe it actually helped our ER plans in a couple of ways. First of all, when w*ork seemed unbearable, we had the joy derived from our volunteer activities to sustain us. This allowed us to remain balanced and view w*ork not as the center of our lives, but as one part that helped support more important goals. Secondly, now that we are nearing retirement, our volunteer activities will keep us active and engaged in the community.

 

[Puzzley]

I chose "less than 10%" because over our lives, I'm sure it's averaged less than 10%, however, it's over 10% now as we near retirement. We give to the church, and to a few other chosen organizations. We also donate our time to worthy causes, and that will increase when we RE. I'm sure it's affected our retirement assets some, but we have no regrets. My personal satisfaction in giving outweighs any reduction in retirement assets.....

 

[Getting short]

I too said not a penny, because to me, tithe means giving to religious organizations. I do however give to several charities and NPO's every year.

 

[retiringby50]

I tithe 10% to the church, then give about 4-6% to charity. Feels good to be able to help and to "give back".

This is where/how I hope to be. In the thread w/the poll, I indicated that I'm at 4% to church, but when I add in the cash donations made to other organizations, it's probably around 7%, but in any case... it's just so hard to give up that entire 10%, which is what I've always been taught.

 

[haha]

A lot of very generous people on this thread. Congratulations!

Ha

 

[Caoineag]

I don't do traditional giving but I do try to kind of pass on the good fortune. My latest project was sponsoring my friend to move states so she could get a job in her field. It was expensive but well worth it. That well exceeded 10% of my yearly income but she has the job and is living on her own now. I don't know how selfless that was though, I was rather tired of seeing all my friends fail when I had succeeded on my first try...

I also do the material good donations but that is more of a waste not, want not kind of thing.

 

[fisherman]

Depending upon your denomination a tithe can be more or less than 10% based upon interpretation but it is generally considered to be at least 10%. Whatever your denomination, for me, it was all about the spirit of the gift. We always gave what we could and felt lead to give. I hope to be able to continue to spread the blessing as we have so richly been blessed. My understanding of the scriptures is to give as we are called since we all have different gifts from which to praise.

 

[youbet]

Whatever your denomination, for me, it was all about the spirit of the gift. We always gave what we could and felt lead to give.

There ya go.......

As I mentioned in another post on a related thread, when DW and I were more active in chruch, we were members of a congregation which had many tradepersons, contractors, craftpersons, etc. Our cash flow wasn't very impressive, but our building was expanded several times at low cost with volunteer help and superbly maintained. Then, the building was used for a number of purposes to benefit the community. We also did a lot of work at a sister church in the inner city.

I understood why the church hierarchy in the offices downtown wanted more cash. They were, of course, those worthless white collar types (at least that's how we pictured them!) and had to be excused because their experience in the world was so limited. I agreed with some of it, didn't agree with other parts. But, fund raising wasn't our thing and we did it our way........ And felt good about it!

 

[AltaRed]

I said 'not a penny' as well, because I would never give a dime to organized religion. But I have given to selected charitable organizaions* regularly for decades, and more irregularly to my alma mater building and scholarship fund.

* locally focused on service organizations helping families (women's shelter mostly) in distress and the homeless.

 

[gandalf42]

I would never give a dime to organized religion.

How about disorganized religion?

 

[Zipper]

We do have our share of "religious nuts" in Canada but overall we are a secular society.

Case in point, religious talk by Canadian politicians is a "kiss of death".

On the other hand, an Atheist in America is "dead on arrival" in politics.

 

[kumquat]

I said 'not a penny' as well, because I would never give a dime to organized religion.

I'm with you, not a penny.

Don't know how it works in USA but I think, in Canada, they (Edit add churches) should be subject to corporate and property tax as well, also money donated to churches should not be deductable as 'charity'.

 

[Cattusbabe]

Less than 10% for me also. We gave little or nothing when we could not afford it. The priority was getting our financial house in order and not needing charity. After we got our act together we did give and once we FIRED we continue to give. It is an item in our budget.

 

[In-control]

I give my time and talent freely. I am careful with the $ I give as I have seen much of it wasted. I give $ in the form of goods, i.e. food for the local food bank, then volunteer there.