Since my blogging beginnings, I have always been very outspoken about my disdain for bloggers who hold out their hat, as if they were homeless, and beg for donations.
Blogging is a choice. Many of the problems you SHOULD be donating to are not. Not to mention, expensive hosting and bandwidth costs are pretty much a thing of the past.
Now there’s a sorta middle ground. TipJoy, a new Y Combinator startup, makes it painlessly easy to leave a “tip” for bloggers. While I am against the practice, this tool gives bloggers the option to donate all of their “tips” to charity, making it tolerable.
When you leave a tip for a blogger, it is added to your tab. What makes TipJoy unique is that you have time to change your mind. Make a payment when you feel like it, or simply take back your pledge.
A tip can be made to any e-mail address or URL. Payments are made through Paypal. Another cash-out option is to select an Amazon gift card in lieu of donating the money.
TipJoy keeps 2% on paid debts and tips start as low as 10 cents.