It’s not too late to give to your church or favorite charity. About a third of all charitable giving happens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. But how can you make a donation when you’re strapped for cash?
During record inflation – when you’re struggling to make ends meet – how can you give back to others? After meeting your basic needs and holiday expenses, there may be little left for giving.
Monetary giving is a rewarding part of personal finance. But you don’t have to neglect important needs if money is tight. There are many ways to help other people, even during hard times.
Here are 10 giving ideas to spark your creativity.
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Creative Holiday Giving
With Giving Tuesday only days away, it’s a good time to consider how you can help others. Many people need your help, especially during the holiday season. Here are 10 good ways to give back, even when times are hard.
1. Volunteer Your Time
Benjamin Franklin said “time is money.” And some charities need manpower more than money. Your time is one of the greatest gifts you can give an organization. Here are some way you can give your time:
- Perform administrative tasks.
- Promote the cause on social media.
- Organize a fundraising event.
- Provide hands-on delivery.
- Mentor some of the staff.
- Sit on the board of directors.
Organizations NEED your time. Especially administrative work, marketing work, legal work, and event planning. Your contributions might even change your own life for the better.
2. Volunteer Your Skills
Your talent and skills are irreplacable, and they’re often overlooked. Offering your skills to an organization adds a personal touch to giving back.
If you’re adept in math, science, or literature, you could tutor school children. If you’re a good money manager, offer your financial literacy to debtors or veterans (see Tip #8). Offer computer help to an elderly person. Teach a dance class to your neighbors.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” said Martin Luther King. The possibilities are endless, so put your skills to work. Visit Catchafire to match your skills to a relevant cause.
3. Create an Online Fundraiser
Online fundraisers are an easy way to channel your social media skills for good. If you’re a Facebook user, for example, you can create a fundraiser to support a nonprofit or cause you care about. Then, promote it to friends who might have extra money to give.
Learn more about Facebook fundraisers here. And for more tips on social media fundraising, read this post from Donorbox.
4. Give While You Search or Shop
What if you could raise money for your favorite charity just by searching the web? With Goodsearch, you can! This Yahoo-powered search engine donates half its advertising revenue – about a penny per search – to the charity of your choice.
Goodshop is the shopfunding arm of Goodsearch. This online shop donates a percentage of your purchases to your chosen cause. When you want to give back but you’re low on cash, these online tools are a great option.
5. Donate Food or Serve Meals
Now is a good time to clean out your kitchen pantry and cupboards. Look for canned goods and other non-perishable foods to donate to your community food bank or food drive.
Annual food drives are a holiday tradition for many churches, schools, and businesses. While cash is always appreciated, most food pantries welcome healthy staples. Canned vegetables, tuna fish, peanut butter, rice, dried beans, and condiments are some ideas.
Volunteering at a soup kitchen is another good way to give back during the holidays. A few years ago, Mitch and I served turkey-and-dressing plates at a Texas homeless shelter – and shared Christmas dinner with the residents. It was one of our most memorable holidays.
6. Donate Clothes and Supplies
Goodwill and The Salvation Army are good places to donate your used clothes. Also, look for local charity drives that collect blankets and coats. Don’t forget about hats, caps, scarves, gloves, and other winter apparel.
What can you do if your town doesn’t have a donation station? Or if you don’t have clothes to donate this year? Start your own holiday clothing drive at your church, school, or business.
7. Donate Your Blood
Blood is in high demand throughout the year, but donations are down during the holidays. What better time to give the gift of life than at Christmas?
Donation centers work with churches, schools, and businesses to host holiday blood drives. Giving your blood can save a life – and costs you nothing that can’t replenish. Find a donor center, visit the American Red Cross, or look for a Big Red Bus.
8. Share Your Financial Literacy
If you are managing your personal debt, you could help someone else manage theirs. Not by giving money, but by helping them create a budget or use a debt snowball calculator.
Dave Ramsay talks about the debt snowball method on his website. He also helps readers get out of debt – and stay out of debt – with Financial Peace and Financial Peace Revisited.
Another way to share your financial literacy: help a military veteran complete the paperwork for medical or disability benefits. My husband is a disabled veteran, and his success came when he fought for his benefits – with a little help from another veteran.
9. Make Smaller Monthly Gifts
Inflation is hitting us hard, so it might be difficult to contribute a yearly donation to your favorite charity. Instead of giving a large, one-time donation, make smaller monthly donations. Decide on a gift amount and set up automatic monthly charges to your bank account.
Although $5 or $10 gifts seem too little to make a difference, they add up over time. By the end of the year, you will have given more money than the average year-end donation.
10. Pray for People
You probably know people with problems. Do you pray for them? A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine probed the power of prayer. The conclusion? Prayer works. But you already knew that.
Prayer is the ultimate conversation with God. It’s a direct line of communication between you and your Creator – and an opportunity to intercede on behalf of others. It’s one way you can give back that won’t cost you a dime.
The Grace of Giving
When you donate to charity, you make a real difference in people’s lives. And when you give something without expecting something in return, you experience blessing. Giving helps you excel at the grace of giving.
There’s also a tax advantage to donating your money, goods, or time – IF the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deems it a qualified charitable organization. Donate on or before December 31 to reap the benefits at tax time.
That’s a tangible (and welcome) gift for YOU when times are hard. ◻️
Related Posts
- Black Friday: What Is It, and How Can It Save You Money?
- Cyber Monday: What Is It, and How Can It Save You Money?
- Giving Tuesday: What Is It, and How Can You Help Others?
Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How will you take part in Giving Tuesday this year? What is your favorite way to give back during the holiday season?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or say just hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “10 Good Ways to Give Back, Even When Times Are Hard.” A version of this post appeared on HubPages in 2014. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Photo Sources
- Cacaroot, Daniel Tadevosyan / Getty Images | Canva | License
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