I always feel guilty that I can’t give to charity more than I do. But, honestly, our budget is slimmed down to the bare essentials. Still, I feel that I should be giving something. After all, I know that there are those struggling to simply provide the very basic needs of survival for their family.
Here a few little ways you can give without emptying your pockets:
1. Local supermarkets often have a display at each cash register where you can add $1, $3, or $5 to your grocery bill as a donation to a charity. It it a bit more manageable to give in these small increments often, as opposed to one large lump sum.
2. Take advantage of food collections at workplaces, schools, and even the supermarket. One or two cans, boxes, or bags of non-perishable foods will make a huge difference for a needy family and not make a big difference to your wallet.
3. Christmas hampers. With a bunch of donations, they add up to a happier holiday for many less fortunate children.
4. Take advantage of donation matching. Many organizations have programs where they will match what you donate, making your donation go farther.
5. You can also set up a reoccurring payment in your bill pay program as a donation. Set up a payment to send a donation of $5 every week, bi-weekly, or even monthly. Whatever you feel your budget will permit. If you ever fall short, just reschedule or cancel the payment for that period. I do this with our local children’s hospital. Remember every littl bit counts.
6. Donating your time. Volunteer to help a neighbor, cheer up hospital patients, or help out at a local charity organization.
7. Donate all your unwanted items and clothing to a family in need. We just did this with the remains from our garage sale. These items are always highly valued by the not so fortunate.
If you really put your mind to it, you can come up with a variety of ways to donate. Remember, donating more often in smaller increments is a lot less noticeable than dishing out a large lump sum. And, donating your time is sometimes more appreciated than money, since organizations may really need the manpower to be successful. In today’s fast paced society, time is a valuable gift to give!
Miss T has written 579 articles on this blog. Hi, I am Miss T and I am the owner and head writer of PrairieEcoThrifter. Each and every day I am working to live a money savvy, healthy, and green life.While you're here, consider signing up for the RSS feed or email subscription . Both deliver the latest articles directly to you everyday. Have a Twitter , Facebook, Reddit, Stumble Upon, or Digg account? Then follow me for all of the latest posts or to send any comments or questions.
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