Build a site a user can go to activate their credit card to automatically "round up" every transaction to the nearest dollar -- the extra change automatically gets donated to their charity/school/whatever of their choice. So if you buy something for $24.85, you're automatically billed for $25.00, and that $0.15 gets donated to a pre-determined charity or gets dumped into an account for you to distribute later. Easy for people to stomach a donation of this kind and it could really add up if it catches on -- especially if you get enterprises involved -- corporate credit cards, etc.
I'm thinking that for Joe Consumer, you'd likely need another incentive to get things jumpstarted -- i.e. convince an airline to give away airline miles for every dollar donated, etc. And of course, a user could set whatever donation rules they want -- i.e., "only round up if the change is $0.20 or less", or donate a max of $2.00 per month, etc...-- JT, Aug 31 2000 Working Assets credit card http://www.workingf...ices/creditcard.cfmDonates a small fraction of each transaction to charities of your choice. I think there's a Linux card in the works, too. [rmutt, Aug 31 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] it could be similar to paypal, where you have an account. You could, for instance have it setup so that:
1. you round up if the change is $.20 or less 2. 50% is donated to X organization, 50% is saved in an account 3. the saved portion could actually draw interest 4. you could also decide at any time to withdraw from the money in your account, or donate it to a specific cause....
...basically add some more management features.
you could partner with stores so that you "Pay with RoundUp.com" ... much like you can "Pay with PayPal"-- pixel, Aug 31 2000 I like this idea.
You could also send out stickers to go on the credit cards of participants, both as a form of advertising and as a subtle form of peer pressure to encourage non-participants to sign up.-- beauxeault, Aug 31 2000 There's a new card that rounds up your purchases and puts the extra change into your savings. Don't remember what it's called, though. Another idea "borrowed" from the HB.-- Shadow Phoenix, Oct 25 2007 random, halfbakery