Giving to charities may seem harder to do during tight economic times when consumers find themselves squeezing their dollars just to pay for necessities.

But — locally and nationally — we found some ways to donate that won't empty your wallet.

Give something that you don't want any more. Find the organization that needs that circular saw you don't use. At the Honolulu Theatre for Youth, managing director Louise King Lanzilotti said the organization keeps a wish list and appreciates gifts such as power tools, walkie-talkies and other items.

And Lanzilotti encourages people to feel comfortable making even a small cash donation if that's all they can afford this year.

"Five dollars helps one kid go to a school show," she said. "The majority of our donations are under $100. They add up."

At Manoa Valley Theatre, development manager Paula Jorgensen said the arts locally and nationwide are feeling the pinch of a down economy.

"There's been a real steady decline overall," Jorgensen said. "It's the first thing you cut off if you need funds to survive."

She said small cash donations do help and the theater also has benefited from specific donations, from clothes and props to more substantial items.

Jorgensen said Dr. Hingson Chun of Straub Heart Center donated a defibrillator a few years ago and continues to pay to maintain the life-saving device.

"Because my specialty is cardiac electrophysiology, and I treat patients with life-threatening rhythm disturbances, it is perfect resonance," Chun said.

Other people donate their time. At Honolulu Theatre for Youth, volunteers who can work during the week are needed as ushers for shows for schoolchildren, Lanzilotti said. Volunteers can see the shows for free and help out.

For others who want to help out on a small scale, try "buy two, give one." If your office, school, credit union, church or organization is collecting food donations, pick up some duplicate items when you go shopping.

Chances are the people needing food assistance this year will appreciate a jar of peanut butter, can of Spam or a package of snacks.

While many segments of the U.S. economy have been hard hit, none will feel the pain more than charities this holiday season, according to the Hawai'i Better Business Bureau.

As more potential donors are focusing hard on keeping food on the table and a roof overhead, charitable giving is often the first thing cut from a family budget. The BBB's Wise Giving Alliance is offering advice on keeping the spirit of giving alive this holiday season.

Goodwill Industries reports that as personal finances shrink, more people are buying donated clothes at its stores. Sales benefit its programs to provide job training. Not all thrift stores equally benefit the charities whose names are associated with them.

For more information about giving to charity thrift shops, plus information about related tax deductions, donors can go to www.bbb.org/charity.

Many charity Web sites feature "advocate" as well as "donate" buttons. Those charities are telling donors that their advocacy can help advance policies and practices that will contribute to their missions. Charities can't promote political candidates but they can urge or lobby for public policies that further charitable causes. Donors may be asked to contact their representative in relation to certain legislation.

The Federal Trade Commission offers some additional guidelines on a checklist:

• Be wary of charities that spring up overnight in connection with current events or natural disasters.

• Ask for written information about the charity, including the name, address and telephone number. A legitimate charity or fundraiser will send you information about the charity's mission, how your donation will be used and proof that your contribution is tax deductible.

• Contact the state office that regulates charitable organizations and charitable solicitations to see if the charity or fundraiser must be registered. If so, check to make sure that the company you're talking to is registered. The Hawai'i attorney general's department lists charity information at http://hawaii.gov/ag/charities. For a list of other states' offices, visit the National Association of State Charity Officials at www.nasconet.org/agencies.

• Don't be shy about asking who wants your money. Some charities hire professional fundraisers for large-scale mailings, telephone drives and other solicitations, and then use a portion of the donations to pay the fundraiser's fees. If you're solicited for a donation, ask if the caller is a paid fundraiser, who they work for, and the percentage of your donation that will go to the charity and to the fundraiser.

• Call the charity. Find out if the organization is aware of the solicitation and has authorized the use of its name.

• Check with local recipients. If a charity tells you that your dollars will support a local organization, like a fire department, police department or hospital, call the organization to verify the claim.

• Watch out for similar sounding names. Some phony charities use names that closely resemble those of legitimate organizations.

• Know the difference between "tax exempt" and "tax deductible." Tax exempt means the organization doesn't have to pay taxes. Tax deductible means you can deduct your contribution on your federal income tax return. Even if an organization is tax exempt, your contribution may not be tax deductible.

• Do not give cash donations. Cash can be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it's best to pay by check — made payable to the charity. If you're thinking about giving online, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure").