My experience going from donating 60% to 10% of my income

Link post

Hi, I’m sharing this blog post I wrote with Giving What We Can about my experience earning to give. I hope it’s helpful to others trying to figure out how much to donate.

tl;dr:

  • A few existential crises prompted me to recalibrate: moving unexpectedly, realizing I had wanted kids, the 2024 election and climate change, homophobia in my personal life, and career anxiety.

  • Julia Wise’s writings and Susan Wolf’s essay “Moral Saints” greatly helped me.

  • I found a more sustainable balance by shifting from a framework of “each starfish matters” (maximization) to “help the starfish I can,” which better recognizes my limits.

  • I’m still excited about effective giving, the 10% Pledge, and especially effective volunteering!

Feel free to ask me any questions, DM me, or email me at ericarellano [at] me.com!

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