Our candid perspectives on common concerns about money, relationships, timing, and uncertainty.
Taking the 10% Pledge is a big decision, and it’s natural to have questions before committing. Many people who are drawn to effective giving are careful, reflective, and balancing complex responsibilities around money, family, relationships, and identity.
We’ve spent time listening to the concerns people raise most often before taking the 10% Pledge. Below, we share our perspectives on ten of them, not to dismiss hesitation, but to engage with it. These reflections are grounded in our lived experience and the experiences of pledgers.
You don’t need to agree with everything here to find it useful. Our hope is simply that these perspectives help you think more clearly about what the 10% Pledge could mean for you.
What if taking the 10% Pledge comes at the cost of (or delays) other life objectives? Buying a house? Having kids?
Making a 10% Pledge is a significant commitment, and for many people it does involve real sacrifices. These can include slower progress towards financial goals, reduced flexibility, or harder choices about how and when to take on new responsibilities. In some cases, those trade-offs are especially sharp because certain life goals, such as having children, supporting family members, or pursuing some forms of education, are time-bound rather than indefinitely deferrable.
We don’t think there is a single right answer for everyone.
Most of us are balancing several important priorities at once: financial security, family, personal ambitions, and the desire to help others. For those who do choose to take a pledge, it often enables a more deliberate approach to trade-offs, making giving a considered part of a wider life plan rather than something that only happens if resources remain.
We don’t believe giving should undermine financial stability or crowd out essential or time-sensitive life goals. Many people choose to wait until they’ve built a basic safety net, navigated major transitions, or passed through particularly expensive life stages before committing. Others adjust how they give during periods where demands on their income are temporarily higher.
Like any long-term commitment, the 10% Pledge involves ongoing rebalancing and is intended to be calculated over a lifetime, rather than every year. Life circumstances change, and giving can change with them.
My partner isn’t really onboard with this, and we make financial decisions together.
If you take financial decisions together, we don’t want a giving pledge to put pressure on your relationship. Giving should strengthen your shared values, rather than create conflict. Some couples choose to take the Trial Pledge together, others begin small, review it together, and adjust.
We also offer family donor advisory conversations, which are a safe space where both partners can ask questions, raise concerns, and learn about the approach, with no pressure. If this is something that might be interesting for you, email community@givingwhatwecan.org
Will my friends think I’m weird?
It’s true that most people don’t give away 10% of their income. So in that sense, it isn’t normal, but unusual doesn’t mean wrong. Some people may find it inspiring, others may find it uncomfortable, or assume it wouldn’t be possible for them. That reaction is out of your control.
The pledge is a personal commitment; you don’t have to talk about it publicly (though we love it when pledgers do). And you’re not alone, more than 10,000 people worldwide have already taken the 10% Pledge, we think they’re all pretty cool.
What if I’m not currently earning an income?
That’s okay - 10% of zero is zero.
The 10% Pledge is a lifetime pledge, meaning you pledge to give 10% of what you earn over the course of your life, not necessarily meeting a target every single year.
We think that it is within the “spirit” of the Pledge to try to give 1% of your spending money, so whatever is left after rent/mortgage etc. That approach can build the habit of giving before you earn.
Shouldn’t the pledge be for billionaires?
It absolutely should be (and probably at more than 10%)! Elon Musk could do a 99% pledge and still live an extraordinary life. The existence of extreme wealth doesn’t take away your agency to make a positive impact in the world by supporting effective programmes.
As a movement, we’re already donating ~$50M per year to amazing charities doing incredible things. If a million people take the 10% Pledge we’ll be one of, if not the biggest philanthropic organisation in the world. Join us and be part of it.
Isn’t effective tax policy really the answer?
We, and many pledgers, would support higher, more effective taxation to fund the most effective causes.
Taking the 10% Pledge is a concrete action that’s within our control today and helps develop a norm that more resources should be directed towards the world’s most pressing problems, whether through taxation or voluntary donations.
What if I don’t feel ready to make a lifetime decision until I’ve really analysed every aspect of it?
The 10% Pledge is a meaningful decision, and questions about how to do the most good deserve serious reflection.
At the same time, it’s worth recognising that no amount of analysis can remove all uncertainty from life decisions.
Sometimes it’s helpful to complement analysis with lived experience, and that’s why we recommend some people take a trial pledge to get that experience.
If you’re feeling unsure about which causes or cause areas to support, you can read about our recommended charities or get personalised donation advice.
What if I disagree with some Effective Altruism (EA) causes or cause areas, or they don’t resonate with me?
The pledge is a personal commitment to support the organisations you believe can make the most positive difference in the world. We expect people to support causes that align with them, whether that’s for humans, animals, future lives or something else.
If there are non-traditional EA causes that you believe are the most effective ways to create the change you want to see, then supporting them is fully aligned with the pledge.
I’m overwhelmed (politics, work, family etc.), is this just another obligation?
There is a lot going on in the world right now.
We’ve heard from many pledgers that taking action through the pledge has given them some peace of mind. They can now rest with the idea that they are contributing significantly to making the world a better, less overwhelming place, and don’t need to reconsider it every day.
The mechanics can also be very simple. You can set up a recurring donation to a fund and let a team of experts guide your giving where it’s guaranteed to make the most impact.
I’m already donating 10% why would I pledge?
If you’re already giving at this level, that’s amazing, and taking a pledge is an opportunity for even more impact by building a social norm.
By committing publicly, you help others follow suit. When people see others like them taking part, it becomes easier to imagine doing it themselves.
And by joining openly, you strengthen the wider movement, increasing its visibility, credibility, and influence.