10 Easy Ways to Give to Others
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I watched a newsclip last week about Oprah’s Favorite Things segment of her television program. I’ve never watched the Oprah show, but evidently, once a year, O gives a ton of stuff to everyone present. The segment topic is always a surprise and the show’s audience doesn’t know until it starts that they’ll need a semi to take their loot home.
In theory, it sounds nice, but to watch these people bowing down, jumping up and down, and otherwise having conniptions, actually scared me.
We have become a culture of stuff.
This should not surprise me. I, myself, am guilty of my fair share of “retail therapy.” Even if I’m “getting a good deal,” I’m acquiring stuff. And stuff can enslave us.
My husband, on the other hand, is a true giver. His generosity puts me to shame. And I’m hoping some of it will rub off on me eventually.
Others around me have also been great examples of giving. If you’ve been following the Thirty Day Giving Challenge, you know that there is no shortage of ways that we can give to others.
So, this year, I’m hoping to be a little more open handed in my giving — and a lot less like Ebenezer Scrooge.
Here are 10 easy ways I’ve thought of to give to others:
1. Pass on the gift card to someone who needs it more.
2. Prepare shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
3. Pay for the order ahead or behind me in line at the drive-thru.
4. Take cookies to my neighbors, even if I don’t know them.
5. Walk out to the garbage collectors with “to go” cups of coffee.
6. Treat someone outside of my household to a big ticket item.
7. Donate a stack of brand new, not ratty, overused books.
8. Take a box of groceries to the local food pantry.
9. Randomly give a $20 bill to a tired looking mom.
10. Give an extra big tip next time we eat out.
I must confess that I’m chicken to do many of these things. They take stepping out of my comfort zone. They take extra effort. They take guts.
But, God has given me much. And why should I not give, too?
I try to donate as much as I can through my couponing and deal seeking. Currently I send most of the men-related personal care items to soldier’s in my husband’s platoon (they are deployed). He said some of the single soldiers do not get very many boxes, so they really enjoy getting to dig through the boxes. Even though these items are things they can buy over there, I get much of it for free or pennies, so I like to pass on my savings.
I love the coffee idea for the garbage truck drivers, I think I will try this with hot chocolate.
Thank you for some wonderful tips!
Coffee for the plow drivers is always a good one if you can catch them – a lot of times you will see them taking a short break in a parking lot.
We do the “adopt a family” tags – they are usually fairly easy items to purchase – this year my daughter selected two items I would never have selected due to price, but after considering it, I thought why not and its been fun to try and get these items using sales (DS game and a particular DVD).
I also need to give to my paper carrier – I seem to always forget that one in the hustle and bustle but I so appreciate my delivered paper (early in the am no less) and I know tips are what really makes it worthwhile (having had a paper route as a kid!)
If your city has toll plaza’s pay for the car (or two) behind you…I have a Smart Tag but have gone through the Full Service line before & paid cash for the car behind…I even had one man wave at me as he passed. The toll was only a $.50 toll, not like the NJ Turnpike or anything, but I felt like a million bucks!!
It’s like that saying “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.” It may not cost alot, or anything, but YOU feel SOOOOO good, & so blessed!
@Tiffany,
Lovely.. Just what I was going to suggest.. Also, offering to babysit a new mom’s bundle of joy while she gets pampered. Bake a batch of cookies or a cake for the homeless or visit the orphange. We used to do that each year for birthdays and holidays as kids and am planning to do the same starting this year with my toddler. Sad that I stopped doing it when I grew up:-(
Another one.. suprise someone with something they really want. I just had that happen to me (thanks, Jessica!) 🙂
How about adopting a military family for the holidays? Home Front Hearts is trying to make the holidays happen for military families struggling just to survive. Only 1% of our country (and their families) serve – regardless of how we feel about our current conflicts, I think we all have a responsibility to care for these families who sacrifice so very much.
I like the idea of coffee to the collectors. I received $20 from a lady one day in the grocery store! What a blessing! Cookies to the neighbors including ones we don’t know. Baking with a purpose. I like it!
Thanks for the lists. Thinking I need to make my own!
I am a really good tipper most of the time 🙂 But I always miss the deadlines for those collection drives this time of year. I have found it easier to drop stuff off at my church bc I can do it at any time. The struggle for me is homeless people. I have always wanted to pack up a few lunch sacks for them and drop them off under the freeway where they congregate, but honestly I am scared.
@elizabeth,
Bring a friend, friends, or your husband & go in the daytime…you may even ask your local Police Dept. if they would accompany you.
That’s such an awesome idea!!
My girlfriend & her family did that recently in a local town, where they collected blankets & coats (it gets cold here in Va.) & socks & handed out fliers to some of the homeless with a date & time that her family would be down there to hand items out. That may be an idea for you, as it would bring them to an area that you & your friends would feel more comfortable (rather then under a bridge).
What a blessing!
My husband tends to be much more generous than me, just like your husband, and that has rubbed off on me a bit over the years.
I think we frugal people can tend to struggle with generosity…we hold on to our money TOO tightly!
This is a fabulous list! I love the idea of #5- what a thoughtful surprise and it doesn’t take a big budget to make it happen. 🙂 Of course, at our house the garbage guys come at 5am (when it’s pitch black)… which means my hubby would insist on going out there instead of me. (Have I ever mentioned he’s a worrier about me? ;)) Thanks for the great ideas.
Thank you so much for mentioning these things! I know it’s hard to remember all of the things that we “should” be doing. One of our grocery stores here (Hannaford) makes sending a box of groceries to a food pantry really easy. They have boxes all made up and you can purchase them for $10 and then they will send it to the pantry for you. People are always surprised to hear that I purchase a few of these every season. I guess most people think that 1 is enough! I also participate in the food drive through the kids school and send in bag fulls of the item that each classroom is collecting. I find that it’s sometimes the small ways that people can help, really add up. I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and that your holiday season continues the same way!
Great ideas. Thanks.