Effective altruism is to offer your Help where it has the biggest effect. Here is an example from philosopher Peter Singer:

A guide dog for a blind person cost about 40 000 dollar. The dog will make a big impact on the life of the blind person that gets it. 20 to 50 dollars can cure a blind person suffering from glaucoma in a developing country. Where does the money make the biggest impact?

If you want to be effective in your altruism, think a bit about what the result of your different alternatives would be.