‘Tis the Season for This Type of Online Spending

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People who donate to charity online are most likely to do so near the end of the year, according to data from Adobe Digital Index.

The data for 2014 show that Americans donate more online in November and December.

The number of donations is actually highest in December. Charitable gifts made by clicking on “Donate Now” buttons tend to ramp up on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which social media has dubbed #GivingTuesday.

Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst at Adobe Digital Index, explains:

“We’re finding that #GivingTuesday really kicks off the broader giving season, even though donation amounts are bigger in November.”

The season for clicking on “Donate Now” buttons hits another spike on Christmas Eve before culminating on New Year’s Eve.

Despite the fact that December 2014 recorded more donations than any other month, the ADI data show the average charitable donation actually peaked in November, at $120.

December followed at $114, and April recorded the third-highest amount, at $86.

Average charitable donations hit a low of $71 in January.

While online donations are growing at a double-digit rate each year, they still comprise a small percentage of all donations, MarketWatch reports.

Una Osili, director of research at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, estimates that 5 percent to 6 percent of all donations by dollar amount were made online in 2014.

If you are considering a charitable donation, regardless of whether you’d make it online, be sure to first check out “6 Tips to Donate to Charity the Smart Way” and “15 Ways to Ensure Your Donated Dollars Will Make a Difference.”

When do you tend to give to charity? Let us know in our Forums. It’s a place where you can swap questions and answers on money-related matters, life hacks and ingenious ways to save.

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