Kiva loans are a unique gift to give to yourself

I first invested in a entrepreneur through a Kiva loan in June 2009. I've given three Kiva loans and a gift certificate so far and intend to do more. Three of the loans have been paid back in full and the third is 39% repaid. I just reinvest the proceeds and share microfinance again and again.

Shopping for just the right entrepreneur to support was exciting. The first time I did it I was surfing the internet just itching to buy something. Can't remember why now but I had that capitalist desire and I was wrestling with it. In the end I “lost” but the thing I purchased didn't add to my pile of stuff and it surely made someone on another continent smile. It was definitely $25 well spent.

Being a Kiva global financier is one of the ways I satisfy my travel lust.

I'm not much of a tourist but I love the idea of knowing people in other countries. I'd like to visit many places but I don't fly and tourism always seems like people going to the zoo to watch other people like they are “other”.

Visiting another country (or city) without actually meeting locals, doing fun local activities and eating in restaurants that you can only find in that place is just wrong. Well maybe not always, but it is usually, at it's best, only the half right thing.

Competition to go good

Every Kiva investor gets an online account where they can, at a glance, see everything about their loans. There is detailed bookkeeping of the loans and the repayments.

There's even impetus for people who like to be competive while they do good. It's called the “my impact” section. It compares you to other Kiva supporters. My three loans are low compared to other givers and I haven't successfully invited as many people to join as others. But I am ahead of the curve on giving Kiva gift certificates. I think they're a unique gift, especially for people who seem to have too much of everything.

Feed that shopping fever

Once (or even before really) you can officially say you are a global financier you can shop at the Kiva online store. Not only can you share microfinance through gift certificates, you can also buy Kiva totes, bags, calendars, mugs, and other gifts.

Part of my plan is to use the Kiva microloan giving experience as a learning tool. I believe that microfinance is a useful tool that can help people currently in poverty here in the United States as well as those in other countries. The dynamics here in the U.S. are a bit different but the concept is the same. Learn more about microfinance here.

The loans also serve as a tithe venue for me. I love the idea of giving away 10% or more of everything. Warren Buffet and I have that in common. I don't go to church so a few years back I started thinking of other ways to tithe. So I started a list of organizations I thought were worthy of support. Sporatically, I give – the process has helped me be more conscious of how I earn and spend money. Conscious spending is a very important activity that we in capitalist countries need to do a lot more of.