One of the strangest things about life abroad is the way the calendar changes. This weekend was not a Memorial Day Weekend for us. We went to work on Monday per usual. No grilling. No parades. No debut of white shoes or shorts. No pool parties. When I looked at my Facebook friends’ status updates and pictures from the USA, it was downright disorienting!
On the contrary, for my husband and I this weekend was tax weekend. April 15 passed us by with nary a glance at the mailbox. Instead, this Sunday we sat down to do our Portuguese taxes. I will spare you tales of bureaucracy run amok and receipts painstakingly entered in one by one. What I want to share is something I found so refreshing– the way in which Portuguese taxpayers can contribute to their favorite charity, without paying a single penny.
No, this isn’t about deductions, and it isn’t about adding $3 for the environment. The system allows you to direct .5% of your yearly taxes to the charity of your choice. Of course in Portugal, there is a good chance that your taxes were going to be going to support some charities anyhow– the socialist safety net is a strong one. Nonetheless, I think it is a great way to acknowledge an organization which does work you love.
If you are doing taxes in Portugal, here is a list of organizations you can support, and their NIPC codes.
For us, we chose Banco Alimentar, the Food Bank of Portugal. Times are tough here (austerity measures, anyone?), and people are having a harder and harder time getting food on their table. Grocery prices are shockingly high to my American eyes! We are eaters of modest tastes (with no children around raiding our cupboards) and it costs upwards of $700 per month with almost no dining out. With unemployment going up and the average wage decreasing, the work that Banco Alimentar is doing is more important than ever.
If you are not doing any Portuguese taxes, but would still like to support this fantastic organization, here is a link to the campaign advertised in the video: Alimente Esta Ideia, or “Feed This Idea”. Have some fun! Go shopping Portuguese style, and the food in your basket will turn into a donation to support this great cause. You will even learn the Portugeuse words for milk, tuna, sausage, olive oil, sugar, and vegetable oil. Pretty nifty!
