Finances & Money

I won the Amazon.com Gift Certificate from Plonkee Money!

Yep, I’m on a hot streak now. I won the contest at Plonkee Money to write about why donating to charity improves your own well-being. I won a £15 (yes, British money) Amazon gift certificate, which was converted to a $29.95 Amazon.com certificate in US Dollars. I’ll probably end up getting something pretty (or useful) for Clever Dudette (aka Stacie), rather than something for myself though.

Here was my winning entry. The winner was drawn randomly from all entrants:

I went to a large public institution in Pennsylvania, but I never send them any donations. I send a few hundred dollars per year to my wife’s alma mater, which is a small, private university in the poorest part of central Pennsylvania. They have excellent programs, and I really admire the values that they project to their students.

Additionally, I donate to some smaller radio stations in the area because I really enjoy their music. Also, and what is important to me, is they have a “family-friendly" policy, so I won’t hear anyone swearing or being crude. It’s nice to start and finish the work day on a high note, not by listening to crap and getting angry about it.

Lastly, and this is the hardest one for me, is we have a “cussing jar" where we must put money if we swear. We have cost levels and rules, and you can’t prepay (i.e. you can’t pay so that you can swear in the future). And we also tell guests in our home about the policy and make them pay if they swear. In the first 3 months, we collected $52 that we donated to the Gabriel Project to help mothers with crisis pregnancies. I think we’re probably up to about $40 now.

Thanks Plonkee!