10 Ways For Frugal People to Be Charitable

It can be argued that one of the things that separates frugal people from stingy people is that frugal people have a tendency toward giving back and being charitable. Being generous to the less fortunate, like many other things, can be done frugally and creatively – it’s its importance cannot be stressed enough. Here are some ways to give on a budget:

  1. Food Pantries: an easy way to collect pantry goods for charitable causes is to take advantage of ‘buy one, get one’ deals when you don’t need more than one of the item. Just donate the “free” one to a pantry collection point.
  2. Garden Overflow: if you’ve got more growing in your garden than you’ll need for yourself, don’t hold on to it:

    Last year, we grew so many green beans, we were sick of them by the time the last rows were ready to pick. I gave them away in bags and baskets at church, to neighbors, and to one woman who was having a tag sale a few doors down from me. She was so pleased that she let me choose some items for free as a thank you.

  3. Search Engines: simply use a search engine like GoodSearch.com. For every search or purchase you make through them, they’ll donate to your chosen charity.
  4. Time: this is the most precious and essentially free thing you can give:

    Yes, time is money. And it’s in short supply for young mothers, the elderly, and volunteer groups. Commit one or two free hours a week to helping out. Rides to a doctor’s appointment, sitting with a 2-year-old and coloring while Mom shops, or taking a shift at the community center are worth their weight in gold to those with such need.

Check out more ideas over at Money Talks News’ 10 Ways to Be Charitable on a Budget.