The holidays will be here before you know it and for many of us, that is a time to give.  I know how hard it is to give to charity though when you feel like you are barely making ends meet.  The thing you will find though, is that being able to give makes you feel like a million bucks!  That doesn’t mean to have to give all of your money, there are things that you can do to give that don’t have anything to do with cash.

Volunteer

There are countless volunteer opportunities available out there.  You can volunteer at women’s shelters, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, animal shelters, etc.  In my local area we have parks and bridges that tend to have many homeless people, several times per year volunteers gather and hand out dinner.

Donate to Food Shelters

Go through your cabinets and see if you food that you can donate to your local food shelters.  This is such a good way for couponers to give to charity because many of us have a good stockpile and what better way to put it to use?!

Donate to a Coat Drive

Go through your kids clothes and donate any coats that may not fit them anymore.  I hate the idea that there are kids on the streets that are cold and suffering.  If I can be the difference in whether or not they are able to stay warm, I am happy to donate.

Donate Extra Blankets

Similar to coat drives, you occasionally see blanket drives as well. If you don’t see any blanket drives happening, don’t be afraid to hand out blankets to homeless people on the street.  After the holidays I always pick up fleece throws on clearance (usually less than $3) and use those for charitable giving.

Let your Kids Donate Their Toys

Make sure you get your kids involved and have them donate their toys that they no longer use.  They will feel great knowing that they are helping kids have fun!

Giving feels good.  Don’t be afraid that you can’t do enough, because any amount is appreciated!