mobile giving

January 4, 2011 12:16 PM

Unused pay-as-you-go cellphone minutes piling up - what to do with them?

I have a pay-as-you-go cellphone that I top up once a year. It's $100 for the whole year, and as I hardly ever use my phone, the minutes are piling up. I'm about to top up again, and I still have $100 on it.

I want to do some mobile giving, but to whom? I've already given some to the This American Life podcast and the Haiti relief effort; can the Hive suggest some other worthy recipients? I've browsed this list, but nothing really jumps out at me (aside from the Chile & Haiti relief efforts).

Thanks in advance!

posted by Koko to grab bag (5 answers total)

Isn't the idea to only pay when you need new minutes? Why not just refrain from adding more money to the phone and give the $100 directly to some worthy charity?
posted by Rallon at 12:40 PM on January 4, 2011

Smaller increments expire in 30 days, and as I'm not about to renew my minutes every month, I go for the $100 card that lasts a year. Shitty plan, I know.
posted by Koko at 12:47 PM on January 4, 2011

Hey now. I am on a similar plan. We are getting cell phone service for $8.34 a month, as long as you don't talk to much. What is so shitty about that?
posted by d4nj450n at 1:01 PM on January 4, 2011

I'd just rather pay for the minutes I'd actually use talking on the phone, and not have them expire every 30 days, and use the rest of the money for something else, is all.

Anyway, I'm not here to discuss my cell phone plan :)
posted by Koko at 1:17 PM on January 4, 2011

Looking at your profile, you live in Canada so I can see why you might want to pass up worthy US organizations like Share Our Strength and/or the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Along the same lines as Haiti relief what about donating to the Canadian Red Cross, UNICEF, or World Vision Canada?
posted by muddgirl at 1:43 PM on January 4, 2011