However if you really want to help in the long term, follow this two step plan.

Step 1 - Get a top cashback card

Cashback cards are very similar beasts to charity cards, but instead of paying a charity, they give you the money directly from the money you spend on them.

The big difference is cashback cards pay out a much bigger whack. So when you spend you earn a greater reward.

Thus you can give some or all of it to charity.

Yet there’s a golden rule for charity or cashback cards. Only pick a card for its rewards if you’ll pay it off in full every month, preferably by direct debit, so that you are never charged a penny in interest.

Otherwise the amount you are charged in interest will massively dwarf the cashback gain.

Once you’ve got the card, use it for all your normal spending, instead of debit cards, cash or cheque; that way you’ll build up the cashback.

There’s also the additional benefit of Section 75 protection, on any goods over £100. This only applies with credit cards (including charity and cashback), and is where the credit card company is jointly liable with the retailer. Should the retailer goes bust, you can get recompense from the card company instead. See www.moneysavingexpert.com/section75

Step 2 - Donate the cashback via Gift Aid

If you donate money to a UK charity, provided you’re a UK tax payer, the form will have a Gift Aid option to tick.

This means that the charity can claim the tax you paid on the money when it was earned, back from the government.

With the basic rate of tax at 20%, and the government currently adding a bit extra on top, it means the charity gets £1.28 for every £1 you donate.

If you are a higher rate taxpayer, then you can declare the donation on your tax return, which means you’ll get even more back on top, then keep it for yourself or donate to the charity.

Which are the top cash- back cards? Currently, the American Express Platinum pays new cardholders a massive 5% cashback for the first three months, up to £2000 spent, with tiered rates of up to 1.5% after that.

Yet this requires a minimum income of £20,000 and Amex isn’t universally spendable.

So as a back up, next best are cards from Abbey, which gives 3%, but only on food and petrol shopping for six months, and the Leeds Building Society card.

You can find full details on the best cashback cards at www.moneysavingexpert.com/cashbackcards

How much will the charity get?

The difference is massive. If you spent £1,000 using a charity credit card, the charity would earn £2.50.

Spend it on an Amex card in those first three months and you would earn £50.

Then donate that to charity using Gift Aid and the charity gets an extra £14 on top, meaning you’re donating £64 rather than £2.50.

That’s an increase of over 25 times the amount ­ a massive difference.

However, having been hardline up to here, if you’re feeling too lazy to do the work, don’t just ditch the charity card full stop. Better you use that (paid off in full) than not give anything at all.