Inexpensive Yet Amazing Ways to Give

Sometimes the need for charity can be so over whelming that there really does not seem to be much that we are able to do to help, and so we don't.

There are times when we simply do not think that we have anything to give but this is oh so not true. Nestled comfortably in our safe little world we sometimes forget that others are not nearly as fortunate as we. We have it within ourselves to give in many different ways. There are a multitude of inexpensive yet amazing methods by which we can give and compared to those who are less fortunate than ourselves, we do have so very much that we are able to share.

Many people today are just getting by so do not have ample monetary resources to gift to charity. Fortunately though, we all do have the ability to help in ways that still can mean so much to a person need. Giving comes from the heart. 

Give a Gift of Your Time 

By helping an elderly neighbour with his or her yard work for about fifteen minutes one to three days a week you can be the difference between that elderly person having the ability to remain in their home for the remainder of their life or their being forced to move into a care facility. Time is not always thought of as a means of giving but it is indeed a thoughtful gift for those in need. Many seniors are barely surviving on their pensions and hiring someone to do these tasks for them is not an option that they can afford. Government agencies don't often provide aide for shovelling snow in winter or mowing the grass in summer. For seniors and the disabled these household tasks can sometimes be very difficult to manage. 

Not everyone has a diploma in a specialized field and are able to donate their expertise to others but there are smaller acts of charity you can perform. If you find you have excess time on your hands please volunteer to read or play guitar to the residents at a local senior centre or care home. It can bring delight to an otherwise dreary day. 

Simply stopping by to say a quick hi and discuss how enjoyable a good book or movie was can bring a smile to even the sternest face. These inexpensive gifts of time can be up lifting to those who cannot get out and about as much as they used to. The smallest gestures can mean so much.

Ways to Give to Those Less Fortunate 

We have all had the experience of being in the department or grocery store alongside a mom with a group of very whiny kids. When the kids are bouncing up and down, fighting, crying mom is generally not having a very enjoyable shopping experience. She appears ready to strangle the entire lot of them. 

The noise can be almost enough to have us dropping our purchases and running but instead of standing their glowering at them it takes just a smile and a little laughter to break up the tension of their day. A smile is a very simple gift of kindness. Just a few moments of our time, a few seconds of our day to make another persons life so much easier. A smile is indeed a very inexpensive yet amazing gift to give. 

 A gift card to a local movie theatre, sporting event, swimming pool, or activity centre given to a mom of limited means can provide her kids with entertainment they may have otherwise been unable to afford. For those on a lower income it can mean that they are able to enjoy a few of the things that other kids often take for granted.

Many Have to Choose Between Rent Heat and Food

There are many ways to give that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Home baked cookies, cake, or buns is almost always a welcome gift so when baking do up a double batch with the intention of passing some to a neighbour or care centre. If you have a garden or fruit trees prepare a few extra preserves at harvest time and pass a food hamper to a single mother or senior. That little extra could dramatically reduce the amount of stress that person is feeling during the holiday season or for that matter at any time throughout the year. 

These simple gifts do matter and they can make a very big difference to the life of someone in need. It is the little things in life that truly can make the most difference in the life of another. If each of us give just a little extra something to those around us then what a difference we are able to enact. 

It can be the simplest gestures that bring the greatest comfort to another living creature, a simple smile, touch, or conversation with someone who is alone. A hot cup of coffee offered on a cold day, a meal to fill an empty stomach, or the gifting of a warm blanket for someone to curl up in at night. Giving to those less fortunate than ourselves does not have to be expensive yet it can make a large difference to those who receive our help. 

It doesn't take much to make a difference in another individuals life and it can mean just so much to those that we reach out to help. A warm toque, a knitted pair of mittens, or socks are gifts that can mean the difference between life and death to a homeless person. These individuals spend a lot more time out of doors than we do and the cold weather that they endure is a hardship that most of us cannot even begin to imagine. Their feet are often in shoes or boots for extended periods of time causing the socks to dampen and the feet to freeze in the cold winter air. Foot infections are commonplace. A simple gift of a warm pair of clean socks can mean so very much. For some a handmade scarf, toque, or pair of mittens to protect the fingers, face, and ears in the cold can be a blessing like we cannot begin to imagine. 

For those who can knit or crochet creating an extra gift doesn't take a lot of time and it can be done while a person sits and watches television in the evening. Donating this gift to a local shelter, Veteran's services, Church, or Salvation Army will insure that this gift gets to those who might need it most. This inexpensive item can make a phenomenal difference to another person's quality of life. Don't ever think that what you have to offer won't is not of importance because to someone it can, it is the little things in life that matter most. 
There are hundreds of ways to give. We just have to take the time to do it. A lottery ticket popped into the hands of a street person can be hope. Donating used toys, books or magazines to a local homeless shelter, senior centre or social service centre can bring hours of entertainment for those who visit there. Donating these same toys, books or magazines to a Goodwill store rather than discarding them in the trash can mean that meals or shelter can be provided for those who need them most. These inexpensive ways of giving can mean just so much to those who receive the benefits.

Give A Gift Of Kindness 

Animal shelters are often too short of hands to take much time petting, brushing, or walking the animals that are temporarily housed there. Spending time with the animals at your local shelter is an amazing way to give. A little love and a whole lot of caring for a neglected animal can turn an angry and resentful creature into a happy playful friend. Volunteering an hour a week doesn't take a lot of time out of our lives and it can make such a very large difference in theirs.

 A few bags of puppy or kitty treats donated to these same shelters can be the difference between these same pets just existing their lives or being truly able to enjoy and look forward to each new day. These inexpensive gifts can be such a pleasure for those who may not otherwise have received them. Give what you are able to even if it is just a kind word to your fellowman, a small bit of food for a feral animal, or a helping hand to someone in need. The gift of kindness exists within each of us.