How to do more for charity in 2026 on a tight budget

If you made New Year’s resolutions for 2026, one of them may have been to support a charity. Many of us feel the need to “give something back”. The problem is, we don’t have very much to give. Or do we?

In this article we look at five ways that you can do more for charity in 2026 even if you are on a tight budget yourself.

Gift Aid your charity donations

Even if you don’t have much money to give to charity, every little helps. And if you are a UK tax payer, you can also Gift Aid any donations you make to charity, however small. Gift Aid is a UK government scheme which enables charities to claim back basic rate tax of 25p for every £1 you donate. This means that a donation of £10 would be worth £12.50 to the charity.

Gift Aid is simple to do. All you need to do is give money to the charity of your choice and either tell them you are a UK tax payer or complete a Gift Aid form on the charity’s website. The charity can then claim an additional 25% on any donations you make.

Donate unwanted clothes and household items

If you are not able to donate money, another great way to support a charity is to give good quality unwanted items to charity shops. Most shops accept a wide range of items, including clothing, accessories, shoes, children’s equipment and toys, books, CDs, DVDs, kitchenware and ornaments. Some larger stores also accept furniture and electrical items.

You can Gift Aid charity shop donations exactly the same way as money, and this means that for every item sold, the charity will get an extra 25% of the sale price. 

And don’t forget to buy stuff from charity shops too. This is a great way to support the charity and also save money for you and your family on everyday spending.

Organise or participate in a fundraising event

If you would like to do something more active to support a charity in 2026, how about participating in a fundraising event? Or perhaps even organising your own. 

Most major charities have a calendar of fundraising events for 2026, such as sponsored runs, walks or other activities. So check out the websites of charities you would like to support to see what opportunities are available. If you are a very active person you might also want to look at websites of challenge platforms such as Time Outdoors for challenges in the UK and Global Adventure Challenges for challenges abroad.

Another option is to organise your own fundraising event, for example a cake sale, quiz or music event. For further ideas check out sites such as Just Giving or contact your chosen charity directly for their advice.

Volunteer your time

One of the most valuable gifts you can give to any charity is your time. Whether you want to volunteer on a regular basis or just for a specific period of time, there will always be something that you can do.

Start by having a good think about the causes you feel strongly about, so that you can give your support to something that you can really identify with and help make a difference. Also consider how much time you can give, and what skills you have to offer. For example, if you are a professional such as an accountant, lawyer or teacher, do you want to offer those skills or would you prefer your volunteering to be something totally different.

Here are a few places to look for volunteering opportunities: 

• Word of mouth

One of the first things to do is ask around friends and family. If there is anyone who is either volunteering now or has done so in the past, they may be able to tell you more about their experiences and put you in touch with others who can help.

• Approaching a charity directly

If you have your mind set on a particular charity or organisation you would like to support, it may be worth contacting them directly to see what options there might be. You could either do this online, by phone or drop in to a local branch or charity shop if there is one. A direct approach may just unlock the right opportunity for you.

• Visit a local volunteer centre

Many areas have volunteer centres. These are local organisations that provide support to community organisations and advice about volunteering roles in the area. So they are a good place to start looking for volunteering opportunities in the local area. 

To help you find your nearest volunteer centre, NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) has created a map of volunteer centres here.

• Online volunteer databases

There are several websites that have databases of volunteering opportunities. These include:

• Do-IT : a database of over a million UK volunteering opportunities. 
• Charity Job : jobs in the voluntary sector, with both paid and voluntary roles.
• Reach : skill-based volunteer and trustee opportunities, both short and long-term.
• Vinspired : volunteering opportunities for young people aged between 14 and 30.
• Volunteering Matters : community volunteering projects needing all kinds of volunteering.

Practise Random Acts of Kindness

If you would like to help others but would prefer to do this privately and informally rather than getting involved in a specific charity, how about starting to practise Random Acts of Kindness on a regular basis? This is a way of giving that need not cost a penny.

Acts of Kindness are a wide variety of actions and interactions with others that may be small in themselves but which could really help someone either practically or by lifting their mood. Acts of Kindness can either be done for people you already know or for complete strangers.

A few examples of Acts of Kindness could be:

• Give a genuine compliment to a stranger, colleague, or friend;
• Offer to babysit for a friend;
• Leave a book in a public place for someone else to enjoy;
• Get in touch with an someone you have not seen for a while;
• Buy a coffee for the person behind you in the queue;
• Help someone with a pushchair or luggage;
• Leave an encouraging note on public transport;
• Offer to do shopping or errands for an elderly or busy neighbour;
• Deliver biscuits or cakes to local fire or police stations;
• Pick up litter in your street or local park;
• Make a meal for someone on their own.

But this list is just a start. We’re sure you can think of many more!

A good time to start trying out Acts of Kindness is on Random Acts of Kindness Day, which this year is Tuesday 17th February. This day has been running since 1995 and is based on the idea of spreading feelings of kindness and brightening up someone’s day. It’s an ideal opportunity for people to focus on the positive power of kindness and its ability to connect with and uplift others.

So why not take part in Random Acts of Kindness Day 2026? And if you like it, you could set yourself a challenge to achieve a certain number of Acts of Kindness during the rest of the year.

We hope that the above ideas help you to do more for charity and to help others in 2026, even if you are on a tight budget yourself.

Remember to visit us here again soon at Loans 2 Go for more hints and tips on family finances and everyday living.