As a counterpoint, you can do an absolutely absurd amount of good with this kind of money. With a salary of 250k, you could donate 150k to charity, and still be quite well off.<p>I like to go by effectiveness estimates from www.givewell.org. One of the charities they approve of is GiveDirectly (www.givedirectly.org), which makes direct cash transfers to people living in extreme poverty. They feel confident in the claim that the average person receiving money from GiveDirectly lives on the equivalent of about $0.66 (U.S) per day[1]. GiveDirectly has an organizational overhead of about 15%.<p>Another charity they like, the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), distributes anti-malarial bednets. The nets cost something in the ballpark of $5-6 to make and distribute[2], including organizational overhead. They make a much more tentative estimate that each $2,800 sent to the AMF results in about one life saved[3] (of a child under 5).<p>So, by donating 150k, you could plausibly:<p>1) Double the yearly income of about <i>531 people</i><p>(66c * 365 = $240)<p>($150,000 * 0.85 (efficiency) &#x2F; $240) = 531<p>2) More tentatively, save the lives of about <i>53 children.</i><p>($150,000 &#x2F; $2,800) = 53.6<p>GiveDirectly Estimate Source:<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;give-directly#GrantStructure" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;give-dir...</a><p>AMF Estimate Sources:<p>[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;amf#CostperLLINdistributed" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;amf#Cost...</a><p>[3] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;amf#Costperlifesaved" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.givewell.org&#x2F;International&#x2F;top-charities&#x2F;amf#Cost...</a><p>*Edit: Formatting corrections