If you have $50 to spend and really want to make sure your money has an impact, consider lending $50 through Kiva - or buying a $50 gift card to a friend of yours - so they can do the same - and learn more about Kiva in the process.
Kiva is not the same as charity, they are a non-profit that uses that money to give people in developing countries a micro-loan (to buy goats or raw materials for their crafts for instance). Think of it like a Kickstarter but for people of fewer resources and in developing countries who just need small loans to make their businesses work.
It’s capitalism meets giving and Kiva is at the forefront of this movement to empower people to help themselves. From Kiva:
Why we do what we do
We envision a world where all people - even in the most remote areas of the globe - hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others.
We believe providing safe, affordable access to capital to those in need helps people create better lives for themselves and their families.
I hesitate to put this in the charity category of this site because it’s about empowering people and not so much about giving a hand out like some charities do.
Either way, watch the video above, see if it resonates with you, and give Kiva a shot. You get to pick where your money goes and see the progress along the way. Once your loan is paid back you can do it again and again as many times as you wish.
I don’t think there’s many ways to spend $50 that feel as good as it does to make a micro-loan through Kiva.