Re: Giving Zakat-ul-Fitr Early is More Useful
There are varying reports about this and the scholars of sunnah have discussed this a lot. Some say it is ok so long as it is after 15th of Ramadhan. I gave food worth our family due to a person who runs a charity and goes physcially to distribute it to nearby deserving communities. It was in the first Ashrah. I though that was practical since it allowed truly deserving people to receive my Zakatul fitr.