I haven’t donated any money to Barack Obama.

I almost did it during the primaries — several times. I was excited by him and I wanted him to win. But I didn’t donate.

Then I got disillusioned with him in the spring, and I was glad I hadn’t donated.

Now once again I’m wondering if I should donate. But I’m resistant.

The reason I haven’t donated is because I’m very careful with my money. I think for a long time before spending anything. And I decided that while my 25 or 50 bucks might be useful to the Obama campaign, they’d be much more useful to me. The Obama campaign has a few million dollars. I don’t.

The thing is, if everyone felt that way, nobody would donate. I know this is one of those philosophy problems that has a name, but I can’t remember what it is. Game theory?

I guess if I want to help a political campaign, the best thing to do would be to volunteer. My local Democratic organization is doing some field trips to New Jersey and Pennsylvania this fall. New York isn’t a swing state, and New Jersey isn’t really either, but Pennsylvania is. Maybe I could do some good if I volunteered in Pennsylvania.

It’s easier to just go to the Obama website and click on “Donate.” But then my dollars are getting amassed with millions of other dollars, and I don’t know what my particular dollars are doing. If I volunteer — helping to register voters, or make phone calls, for instance — then I can actually see the results.

So maybe I’ll volunteer.