Ask the Readers: FREE and Inexpensive Ways to Give

As November nears and the 30-Day Giving Challenge starts to get us all thinking about ways that we can give each day, I wanted to share a handful of free ways to give. This list is certainly not exhaustive. It’s just my little way of kick-starting your imagination.

Check out my ideas and then chime in with yours. Together, we can start planning our giving strategies for the 30-Day Giving Challenge… and hopefully continue to give year-round!

Clear the Clutter

I don’t know about you, but we have too much stuff! I’m on a mission to clear it out, and I’ve been trying to use our excess to bless someone else. Take a look at what you might want to get rid of, and see who might be able to use it. Maybe it’s a homeless shelter or city mission. Some cities have places where women who are trying to find work can get free or very inexpensive professional clothing. What a great place to donate those dress pants that you no longer wear! Women’s shelters can use toys and games for the kids that come with their moms. While it’s quick and easy to drop off clothes, toys, and housewares to Goodwill or the Salvation Army (which are both great places to donate!), there might be other worthy causes right in your back yard.

Freebies and Deals

If you’re a bargain shopper, odds are good that you often see items that you can get free with a coupon. Or maybe you love to request free samples but find yourself not using them. We keep a grocery bag in our kitchen, and we regularly toss in the freebies that we’re not going to use. When the bag gets full, we drop it off for the food pantry. They take food items AND personal care items.

You could also make up a gift bag or basket of freebies and deliver it to a new mom or a friend who needs a pick-me-up.

A Word of Encouragment

This one doesn’t cost a dime, but it’s priceless. Keep your eyes open throughout the day, and you’ll be surprised at how many opportunities you have to encourage someone. Not only does this warm the heart of the person you’re encouraging, it’s also a great way to maintain your positive attitude. I know that I can easily fall into my busy routine and not pay attention to the people around me the way that I should. I have to make a conscious effort to remember what’s important.

Baking for Giving

We make a loaf of homemade bread for each of our neighbors at Christmastime, but maybe this is a habit that shouldn’t be reserved for Christmas. If we’re baking a batch of cookies, why not double it and drop some off to a neighbor? It’s fun to give goodies on an ordinary day… just because!

A Phone Call

In our world of email and Facebook, we sometimes miss the personal contact that comes when we pick up the phone. Do you have a friend or family member you could call just to let them know you were thinking about them? I try to do this with my grandma every so often. She’s always so surprised because she knows her grandchildren live busy lives. It’s nice to hear the smile in her voice when I take a few minutes to call her.

I hope this list gets you thinking about ways that you can give without breaking the bank. I’m sure you all have some excellent ideas! Will you share them? Leave them in the comments section, and we can all learn from each other and spark each other’s creativity!

This post is linked to:
:: Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family
:: Frugal Friday hosted by Life As MOM
:: Thrifty Thursday hosted by Coupon Teacher