By YOUNG MONEY Staff
25 June 2010

Young people seeing the plight of residents and animals in the Gulf Coast region as a result of the oil spill may want to lend a hand or donate money.

Before consumers slice away a piece of their home budget, the Better Business Bureau offered some tips on how they can best use their money. Art Taylor, CEO of the BBB's Wise Giving Alliance, said that many states have been affected by the disaster.

"However, the constraints in the cleanup effort limit what charities can do with your money or how you can volunteer," Taylor said.

Some pieces of advice offered by the BBB included:

- Being careful of giving funds to organizations with only a small amount of experience.
- Finding out if the donation can be limited to only Gulf-related efforts and whether the organization is acting as a go-between.
- Using the BBB to research companies that are offering to provide charitable efforts.

The Federal Trade Commission has also warned people to be careful when providing donations to the efforts in the Gulf, especially if people are going door-to-door or ask for particular personal information.