Why do charities ask for precisely $19 a month?

Shriner’s Hospital, Covenant House, Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the ASPCA. 

All of them — and probably more — use their television commercials to ask for a very specific, and odd, amount — $19 a month.

Every wonder why?

I did.

In the old days, like three years ago, I would call some marketing prof at a local university, or an advertising exec.

These days, I asked Gemini AI, and got my answer.

The decision to donate is far less about pure logic and much more about emotion and cognitive biases. Charities invest heavily in understanding this psychology to craft the most effective appeals.

The $19 amount is rooted in marketing and donor behavior:

1. The Psychological Sweet Spot (The "Left Digit Effect")

• Perceived Affordability: Just like stores price items at $19.99 instead of $20.00 — as do all gas stations — the number $19 is perceived by the brain as significantly cheaper and more affordable than $20. It stays in the "teens," which feels like a lower price bracket.  It seems affordable, yet meaningful.

• Highest Successful Ask: Research has shown that $19 is often the highest dollar amount that the largest number of people are willing to commit to monthly. It hits a sweet spot: it's enough to be meaningful to the charity but not so high as to trigger "budget alarm bells" for the donor.  

2. Difficulty in Mental Math

• Hiding the Annual Total: A round number like $20 a month is easy for a donor to calculate: that's $240 a year. This annual figure might seem substantial and discourage a sign-up.  

• Making it Less Obvious: By asking for $19 (which equals $228 annually), the number is less intuitive, and people are more likely to focus on the modest monthly amount instead of quickly calculating the total yearly commitment.  It does not seem abstract nor arbitrary.

3. Possible Administrative/Tax Consideration

• Receipt Threshold: Some people theorize that an annual contribution of  $228 ( $19 times 12 months) is kept below the $250 threshold for which the IRS requires a charity to provide a receipt for tax purposes. However, many experts believe this is not the primary motivation, as charities often want to send receipts anyway to report on the gift and ask for a renewal or an additional donation.  

So $19 is chosen because years of testing have proven it yields the most successful results by being psychologically appealing and easy to commit to.