Donation 10% of wages

Firstly I don't donate anything like 10% of my wages, but the idea and the number seems to be used quite a lot. After bills, 10% of my wage seriously eats into my fun money but 10% of that is easily donated monthly.

While most people are generous when asked, or charity mugged at supermarkets/town centre, the majority do not have any regular on going donations or pick charities to support. I was wondering what people here thought.

I wonder if it might be due to the behaviour of charities (google chugging). I recently stopped my Amnesty International subscription to support other groups as I wasn't happy with the constant slick marketing and demands for more money. Being part of a charity I understand the need for donations, but my view was reinforced when the 'Sorry you're leaving us' letter was full of guilt about how '.. the cause for human rights is one voice less.' Sorry but that is BS and only puts me off rejoining later.

There is the view that many donations are used to promote the charity or wasted with very little reaching the supposed benefactor. I know people who pick one large and one small (local) charity to donate to, but this doesn't come close to 10% of their wages.

The 10% number is an ideal that says that if we all gave more, more could be done, but how could we convince more to donate?

To help Africa say, rather than donate money to organisations one could travel their and help the local economy as you'd spend far more over there having a great time than you ever might donate sat at home. Then isn't it better to promote the idea of travel to these places?