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Giving is something we all want to do. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to help those in need, but I do often hear others say, that they wish they had more to give. Well, I would like to encourage you today with 5 Affordable Ways To Give! I think this post is really important because I think our perspective of giving is a little skewed. We seem to believe that the only way we can make a difference is with large sums of money, but that is not the case, and honestly pretty unlikely that the majority of us reading this post would have insane amounts of money to give away. Let’s rethink what it means to give. Imagine giving one child, immunizations. It’s not a lot, and you are not “saving the children”, but instead you are saving one child. One child who may have died from a deadly disease. Do you think that child is worth saving? Do you feel like you made a difference? Well, you should, to one child you made all the difference. Giving doesn’t have to be extravagant to make a difference. It just has to be intentional. If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to give, what little you have, so I hope this post both encourages you and gives you some creative ideas, so you can make a difference in someone’s life.
5 Affordable Ways To Give:
1. Earning Money To Give:
At this point in my life, most of the money I earned has a bill on the other side that is waiting to be paid. My money is usually spent before it gets to my bank account. Because I know I want to be able to give, I try to come up with creative ways to earn extra money. I may throw a yard sale to get rid of things we never use, or work with the kids to hold a car wash or bake sale. Anything I can do to earn money for a charity or even one person that needs it, is worth the time and effort. This week, I am sending off some of our fall clothing to ThredUp. I don’t know how much we will earn, but whatever I bring in will be going to my favorite charity Amazima Ministries.
2. Changing Christmas:
Christmas as a Christian is all about giving. God gave us his son, and we in turn give those we love gifts. Christmas is also a time to receive gifts, and this year, I don’t want to receive a gift for myself, but for someone who needs much more than I do. That’s why this year I will be asking my family to only purchase gifts for me from these gift catalogs: World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, and Heifer International. You see, instead of receiving an awesome new camera lens, or more clothes and shoes, I would love to be able to use my gift to provide goats, clean water, or an education to children and families that are hurting financially in a way I could never understand.
3. Intentional Shopping:
Intentional shopping, is when you purchase the things you would already purchase but you do so in a way that will help others. I get a seasonal flu shot every year, and this year instead of getting my shot at my doctors office, I decided to go to Walgreens. Walgreens is currently running a campaign called Get A Shot, Give A Shot, and as the name suggests, when I got my shot, I also gave a shot to someone else, someone who needs the shot much more than I do. This may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but I promise you, it will be a big deal to the child who receives the immunizations you gave.
Measles, Tetanus, Polio, Hib, Hep B, Yellow Fever, Diphtheria… how would you feel if I told you that today we will be placing your children in a holding cell, while exposing them to each one of these viruses? You would probably not feel very comfortable with that idea, but you would most likely have nothing to worry about. After all, your child has probably been vaccinated, they are most likely well-fed and have a sufficient amount of vitamins flowing through their tiny bodies. Now what if I told you that one child dies EVERY.20.SECONDS from a disease like this, that can be prevented with the proper vaccine? Thankfully we can help these children. Children who die because their bodies are too weak to even try to do battle with these diseases. Children that should be given a shot at life, and with one shot, you can do just that!
Visit your local Walgreens to Give A Shot!
Just a note: Walgreens accepts insurance, but is no longer a Tricare provider so I paid about $30 out of pocket for my shot, which was affordable and worth every penny!
4. Donating & Buying From Thrift Shops:
I love to pop tags more than Macklemore, because every purchase and donation you make is a chance to change someone else’s life. Do you know what your donations and purchases provide? If you donate to thrift shops like the Salvation Army, you are giving other people a second chance at life. The Salvation army uses your donations and the money they earn from them to provide counseling, work programs, food, and so much more to people in your neighborhood that need a second chance at life. Take a look at the Not Wasted video above, and you’ll see exactly what I mean! Don’t throw away the things you see as trash, because they truly may become treasures to the person who benefits from your donation.
5. Give Your Time:
Nothing is more valuable than your time. When you give your time to local food pantries, homeless shelters, Habitat for Humanity, and women’s shelters you are giving more than you may ever know. Building a home, sorting food, chatting with a homeless man, or listening to a woman share her pain, can change a life, or save a life. Getting involved in your communities programs is easier than ever, and it won’t cost you a dime.
While I was browsing some of my favorite blogs the other day, I found an awesome post about teaching kids how to make a difference, and I thought it would be a perfect addition to this post, so don’t forget to check it out!