A-Little-Less-Guilt-Free Shopping!: Help Animals While You Shop

I can't believe it myself, but the holidays are approaching quickly! Halloween is almost here, Thanksgiving isn't far behind, and then it's a mad rush to get your Hanukkah and Christmas shopping done! Whether you're an early shopper or just want to get yourself an early present, there are some great options for a-little-less-guilty purchases that will benefit our furry little friends!

Starting from the more expensive and working my way down...

If you're looking to splurge on a new purse or wallet, Samantha Thavasa is donating 25% of purchases to the American Humane Association's Second Change Fund from October 13 through October 20, 2011. This AHA fund helps animal welfare organizations pay for veterinary services of animals rescued from abusive and negligent situations.

Some of my favorite/animal-related purses for purchase:

 

If you can't afford to spend quite so much on a purse, have no worries! There are so many more ways to help animals while shopping. One of my favorites is by downloading the iGive button (you must sign up first), which makes it easy to click when purchasing from a participating iGive website. (Using the old way of signing in to iGive before shopping doesn't work as well for me, and probably most people, because I forget to sign in first!) You choose the organization you want your donation to benefit, and when you shop on certain sites, a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to that organization. Ta-da! So easy, and the animals will love you for it.

Most animal welfare organizations now have online stores, where you can buy animal-related products whose proceeds benefit the organizations. I'll do a more comprehensive "Holiday Wish List" from these sites a little closer to the holiday season... But for those of you who like to order Hanukkah/Christmas cards before all the good ones are gone, remember to order them from these sites as well! Most of the national animal welfare organizations have Christmas cards that are super cute and thoughtful, made from recycled paper, and benefit the organization you purchase it from.

The last of my latest favorite animal purchases are... stamps! There are the Adopt a Rescue Animal stamps, Holiday Animal Postage stamps, Save Vanishing Animals stamps, and Owny the Postal Dog forever stamps. Just a small reminder for people to keep the welfare of animals and wildlife in their thoughts as they go about their busy daily tasks.