Guest post by Kelly of Kelly Cox At Home:
Giving to others is a joy. Often I hear people say that they can’t afford to give, but I think that we can all give something. In fact, you can do this without spending money!
Ever thought of that idea?
Here are a few ways to give (joyfully!) and not blow your budget in the process.
1. Your Time
We can all give of our time. I know it’s precious and we have busy schedules; however, all the more reason to give some of it up to someone else!
Can you help a friend move? (We were the thankful recipients of this gift not too long ago!) Do you have the time to pick up a shut-in and drive them to an appointment? How about visit an elderly person in a nursing home?
There are SO many ways to give of your time. I can assure you that the person you assist and bless will find it worth the weight in gold.
2. Garden Veggies
If you garden, consider sharing your veggies with neighbors, family and friends. What an amazing way to bless others!
Recently, my husband came home from work and had a bag full of vegetables that a coworker had given him. I was thrilled, and this small gesture meant so much to us.
3. Coupon Gifts
I use coupons for food, toiletries, makeup and just about anything else. One thing I learned as I began to coupon is that I get a lot of freebies. YAY! I think it’s fun to give some of these things away to our friends and family. Consider giving a “coupon present” to someone, full of products that they can use in their home. I bet it makes them smile!
Further, my husband and I have been able to give more to food pantries and other programs through our church because of coupons. We’ve had fun as we incorporate this into our giving and stewardship goals.
4. Hand-me-downs
I am a huge fan of hand-me-downs. In fact, I have a friend that has passed along so much to me over the years. She’s blessed me with jewelry, clothes and even baby items that she no longer needed. She has a giving heart, and I’ve been the happy recipient of all sorts of things that could be used in our home.
Never underestimate that you may have something that would bless someone else.
5. Meals
The gift of food is a big blessing. Consider taking a meal to a new mom or a family that lost a loved one. In fact, if you are tight on money, you could make a 9×13 pan and split it into two 8×8 pans. Your family could eat that evening and so could another.
Get creative and find ways to bless others with a meal during their time of need.
What a joy to give!
Please, never feel that a tight budget means that you can’t share, give and bless.
We are on a continuous journey to give and be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. After all, “it is more blessed to give than receive.”
Kelly is a Christ follower, blessed wife and a lover of all things home. She blogs over at Kelly Cox At Home about her journey at home and passion for debt-free living. She hopes to encourage others in that goal, while sharing tips on how to manage and enjoy all things that make up HOME!
Jodi says
Don’t forget about donating blood and/or platelets! I try to do that frequently. Hey, you get free snacks, some quiet time and there is even a rewards points program where you can earn point to cash in for gift cards and other items. (I live in NY, not sure if this varies by state or not?)
I am sure many of us couponers donate food that we get for free with coupons. This week I bought $96 worth of food for only $25–and half of the groceries went to the local food pantry. BTW, they mentioned that they really need school supplies. Keep that in mind for those of you stocking up on cheap school supplies! Buy extra to donate!
Karen says
Giving has been so important to my husband and me over the past seven years. The entire time, we’ve been underemployed but it is so important to us to give. I love all the ideas. Something we’ve have done for many years now is round up our electric bill to the nearest dollar. It’s costs us .99 or less each month, and it joins the tens of thousands of others’ donations. The program really makes a difference in our community.
Crissy S. says
I also give via coupon freebies. However, one of my favorite ways to give is via coupons themselves. I send unused coupons to Troopons.
When I taught, our special needs students practiced cutting and sorting using the coupons. Then I shipped them to Troopons.
Jessica says
I crochet. Just yesterday I got 4 HUGE boxes of yarn for a total of $20. Some wool, some specialty, some acrylic. The acrylic will be used to make hats & scarves for the homeless. I crochet as a stress reliever and I do it every day, and there are really only so many hats my own family needs 🙂 I also make cat nap blankets for the no-kill shelter and animal nests for the Ohio Wildlife Center’s animal rescue hospital – orphaned baby bunnies, squirrels, birds and owls need the nests to stay warm. When I find great bargains like that, it makes giving more affordable.
Lea Stormhammer says
I always see yarn at the local thrift stores but, as you said too, my family only needs so many hats, sweaters, etc. Thanks for some great ideas for turning that bargain yarn into something special and helpful!
Lea
Katie Hall says
I try to help whenever I can. I’m on tight budget all the time . Recently I made donuts as a thank you gift .
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Kelly Cox says
I couldn’t get the link to work. I will try it again after church! Donuts are a great gift idea.
The Jewish Lady says
I also love to give! Here is a huge list of free & low cost ways to bless others: http://thejewishlady.com/free-low-cost-ways-bless-others/
Kelly Cox says
Thanks for this list! Love these ideas! 🙂
The Jewish Lady says
I also love to give! Here is a huge list of free & low cost ways to bless others: thejewishlady.com/free-low-cost-ways-bless-others/
claire says
I get hand me downs for my youngest off a friend. My daughter loves going through the bags when they arrive. I get an extra item while shopping for the food bank. I dont notice it on my shopping bill and when i get a carrier bag full i drop it at the foodbank. I hope in this small way i’m helping others the way i get helped.
Florence says
I have found it easier to give when I put giving as part of the monthly budget. That way I don’t forget nor do I feel guilty for not giving more than I can afford. A zero based budget ISO helpful.
Florence says
ISO should read “is so”. I have no idea why spellcheck changed it. LOL!
Kelly Cox says
Great idea to actually include it in your budget. I had not thought of doing it that way but think it’s a way to do it, budget for it and not forget!
Ellen says
I absolutely think giving should be part of the budget. In fact, I would encourage anyone who’s serious about consistent financial giving to look at their income, choose a percentage to give, and then build the budget from there. Ideally the percentage can increase as income increases. When giving has priority in the budget, it’s amazing how everything else really can fall into place.
Lucy says
My Mum (54) died unexpectedly a month ago and so we made an emergency trip back to England from the US to visit her before she passed. Of course it was a totally necessary trip, but a very unexpected expense (family covered our airfares, but my husband missed two weeks of work). We have been abundantly blessed finding money left under our door, with offers from friends and family to watch our 19 month old (I’m 37 weeks pregnant so this is a huge blessing), we have also been brought many meals and fresh garden produce among other things. Being on another continent from my family during this time is especially hard, but all the ways our friends and my husbands extended family have shown us support has really helped me feel less alone and so loved during this time. Before this I really underestimated the impact that giving (especially in ways other than cash) can have on someone else, but having now been in that receiving position myself and seeing how much it has blessed us I am going to be looking for many more ways that we can bless others.
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama says
I loved the reminder that giving hand-me-downs and garden produce to others is a form of giving. I often get discouraged because our budget right now doesn’t allow for a lot of monetary giving. However, we do share in other ways. So, thanks for the encouragement!
Kelly Cox says
You’re welcome! We are always trying to get creative in this area and so I thought I’d share a few thoughts. I’m loving the lists in the comments below of other ideas!