Charity

I know I am supposed to give 10% of my income to charity. But I am currently in a mountain of credit card debt that accumulated when I was unemployed. The longer I go without paying it off in full, the more interest I am charged. Therefore, the wisest thing to do is to pay as much as I can until the balance is zero. This is likely to take several years. Am I still obligated to give tzedaka at this time if it’ll cause me to end up paying more interest?

If a person only has enough money in the bank to pay rent, should they still give maaser first? Or wait till they can pay it without it compromising other expenses?

Does paying for one's children for things like food, clothes, school etc count towards the 10% of charity?

I am scrupulous to give at least 10% of my income to tzedaka. There are a few local Jewish charities I like to support. I have been giving all my donations once a month on a single day in order to make things simple, plus I have some autopay donations. But I recently heard that one is supposed to give tzedaka daily except on Shabbat and Yom Tov. Is that really true? Or are the monthly donations sufficient?

Suppose a person claims they need money for a particular reason and you donate them money. Then you find out later they were deceptively lying and didn’t need the money. Have you still fulfilled the mitzvah of giving tzedaka?

This question revolves around the Second Tithe and Tithe for the Poor summarized in Deut 14:22-29. For the sake of clarity, let's assume we live in the Land. In Deut 14:22-27, the Torah indicates that every year of the 7-year shemittah cycle, we should observe the Feasts (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot) in the place G-d chooses i.e. Jerusalem if residing in the Land. Deut 14:28-29 is unclear on how one is to use their Festival (Second) Tithe and go to Jerusalem each year and how to distribute the Poor Tithe in Years 3 and 6. I've searched the Mishnah and other sources but could not find any real-world examples of how this was done and how we could use the principles for observing the Feasts and Tithing to the Poor in Years 3 and 6 today. To summarize the Question: During the Maaser Ani years, if the tithes were given to the poor, how did the pilgrims pay for their travel and eat when they went to Jerusalem? Or, is the Poor Tithe an additional tithe aka Third Tithe in Years 3 and 6? Any resources that would help explain how this was applied would be greatly appreciated as I am working on a Teaching on this subject.

There is a custom that some people have when they travel to take along a dollar bill with them that someone gave them and donate it to tzedaka upon their return. When you do that, are you required to give the exact same dollar bill that someone gave you before your trip? Or can you give any dollar?

If a Jewish organization approaches an individual begging for tzedaka to support their operations, but the one who has been approached does not agree with their philosophy or their practices and would rather give tzedaka to someone else who is a better match, are they required to give to that organization? I am asking because this happens to me all the time. I am constantly barraged with mailings, phone calls, and door knockings from Jewish organizations I am not comfortable giving to because what they stand for does not match my personal values. I do give a lot of tzedaka, but to those individuals, organizations, and causes I feel comfortable with.

Am i permitted to put my Maaser money into an investment account so that in 20 years I can use it to support my adult (and married) children stay in Yeshiva/Kollel?