10 Ways to Give Generously Without Breaking the Bank

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Children often display the true art of generosity. They put their efforts down on paper and present their masterpiece with a proud grin from ear to ear. They just know the receiver of their gift will squeal with delight and the art work will be displayed for all to see on the refrigerator. They value their efforts and they sincerely believe others should too.

As adults I think we hold a similar pattern in life by putting our hearts into things we are passionate about. But somewhere along the way we convince ourselves that money is tied to value, as if the amount something costs reveals how much worth and delight it will bring to one another.

Does a child’s picture colored with Crayola Crayons hold more value than a thoughtfully written note with Great Value Crayons? There is no comparison. You see it’s not in how much something costs, or what label it displays that impacts generosity, it’s the heart that sits behind the giving of the gift and the need of the receiver on the other end. The gift could be one dollar or one hundred dollars, but the one dollar gift might be a priceless gem in the hands of the receiver who truly needs it.

As you think of giving generously this season, don’t let the lack of money stress you out or cause you to fret over what you can’t do, but think of the things you can do. How can you give generously within your means this season?

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. II Corinthians 9:7(NASB)

Here is a list of 10 ways to give generously without breaking the bank:

1. Listen to a friend in need.

Sometimes a listening ear is the best gift you can give someone.

2. Give the gift of time.

Time is one of the most valuable things we have. Use it wisely.

3. Give the gift of encouragement.

Everyone is dealing with something. Remind them that you care.

4. Write a kind note.

Sit down and write out the note you’ve been meaning to write for a while.

5. Let someone know why they matter to you.

There is no better time of year to express your feelings to a person who has impacted your life.

6. Smile at people in public. It might brighten someone’s day.

This time of year can be difficult. The hustle and bustle makes some people hurried and bitter. Give the gift of a cheerful countenance.

7. Take cookies to a neighbor or co-worker.

By January everyone will be watching the scale and the calories. The time to give sweets is now.

8. If you have money to give, do it.

When God prompts your heart to share your wealth, trust and obey.

9. Cook a meal for a family with a new baby.

It’s hard for mama to keep the family fed when all she is doing is feeding a newborn. Cook a double portion of your family’s favorite meal and share the extra with someone who will truly appreciate a hot dinner that they didn’t have to prepare.

10. Take groceries to a family in need.

Find out if there is a family in your community who could use a little help and fill their pantry. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God used you to fulfill real needs for someone.

Things don’t really define generosity, nor does a dollar. What really matters is that we allow God to use us to fill needs when He prompts us. Be sensitive, be alert and ask God how you can generously help someone in need this year. Whatever ways you choose to display generosity, above all do it out of a heart of love, compassion and grace. God has given us so much and everything we have belongs to Him. How does He want you to give generously this season?

Share your ideas in the comments below! I would love to hear how you plan to use your resources, time and money to bless others! What would you add to the list of “10 Ways to Give Generously Without Breaking the Bank”? Is there one on the list that stood out to you that you are going to do?

Love & Blessings,

Micah

Here’s where I’m sharing this post this week.

About Micah Maddox

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  1. Great ideas Micah! We love to open up our home for “misfit” holidays like Thanksgiving. Our families live out of state, so sometimes we create our own with friends:) What a beautiful time of year to focus on generosity. Wonderful post today:)

    1. I love that idea! So many people face the holidays without “family”. I love that you create your own! What a wonderful way to be generous!

    2. Meg, when we lived away from our families, we did the same thing. :)

  2. Love this list, Micah! What beautiful and thoughtful ways to give, even when we think our wallets won’t allow it. It really is simple, and yet too often, we try to make it complicated. Thank you for this reminder! #livefreeThursday

    1. Crystal, thanks for dropping by today! #livefreeThursday

  4. “Things don’t define generosity.” I love that! Something as simple as letting someone go before you in the grocery line can change the attitude of that person and our own! Going to keep your ideas in mind. Thanks for sharing, Cindy “livefreeThursday

    1. Love the grocery store reminder! Especially in our world of hurried people.

  5. Micah, awesome insight friend. You are encouraging my heart to give in so many ways and I love that! Thank you.

    1. Thanks so much, Kelly! Great to see you stopping by! I hope you have a great day!

  6. We have friends that have been close for years, and instead of giving gifts to each other, we plan a big get together at some point in the holiday season so that we can just enjoy the gift of each other’s presence. Too, the idea of giving to a family in need is so great, and it’s even more fun when done in community. Our Ladies group packs up Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and little ones for ladies in nursing homes, and then in December, we choose a family to bless with a little extra help with gifts, Christmas dinner, etc. It keeps us focused together on Christ in our celebration!
    Thanks, Micah, for doing the same!

    1. I love all of your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing them, Michele!

  7. Great tips Micah. It’s not abut the money it’s about the heart.
    Blessings,
    Christy

  8. I love your practical tips. The gift of time is such a great ideas. My kids love delivering cookies to others, we may make some cookies today!

    1. We love the cookie thing too! We recently took cookies to our fire stations! That was a big hit! We plan to do it again in December.

  9. Thank you so much for the post. I love the ideas and will definitely work on incorporating them into my daily life. Thank you for encouraging all of us to be more generous- love your mission! Visiting from the Faith and Fellowship party.

    1. Sarah, thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet encouragement!

  10. Kathleen Louise Burnett says:

    Micah, I love your ideas, especially the “smile at someone in public”. How little effort that takes, but like you say, it can make a big difference in how someone’s day is going.

    1. I like that one too! It’s interesting how many people struggle this time of year. We all need a smile!

  11. Thanks for the suggestions. I keep hearing the theme of listening to a friend in many posts I’m reading. I also love that you mentioned to give financially as the Lord enables because this is sometimes overlooked in frugal living posts.

    1. I have found the more I give, the less I need.

  12. Dear Micah, I buy books for people that I do not know but I get to know them later. It makes me smile and helps them out also. Great post. Your neighbor at Barbie Swihart Hernandez.

    1. Yes! Learning to focus on the things that are truly important. Thanks for reading!

  14. This is fantastic Micah!!! We’re going to be financially tight this year and I’ve already been letting it play on my mind. I am going to be holding onto this wisdom :)

    1. Sarah, I think I go through the same struggle every year! In my mind I want to give big extravagant gifts, but my desire to give usually extends beyond my budget. Learning to give without going beyond my means. I’m so glad this was helpful!

  15. This is so encouraging. Things are a bit tight for us this winter (like for Sarah above) so I need to hear this today. Last weekend I participated in a Thanksgiving outreach with my church. We bought Thanksgiving supplies and delivered them to needy families. It was a beautiful way to spend Saturday morning!

    1. That’s beautiful, Betsy! I love when the church is truly the hands and feet of Jesus. I’m thankful this was an encouragement! I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving!

    1. Thanks, Tayrina! I’m so glad you dropped by!

  18. Micah, I love your list, especially the one about smiling in public places. You’re right … a cheerful countenance IS a gift, and it’s one that blesses the giver as much as the receiver. Here’s one for you today: :-) Glad to be your neighbor at Purposeful Faith …

    1. You made me smile :-). Thank you!

  19. Sponsoring a child is a great way to make a big impact! Visiting from Words with Winter link up.

  20. Micah, I love your suggestions. In years when we’ve been tight financially, we’ve made gifts for our loved ones, which cost a whole lot less money. Sometimes, I’ll send a card to a friend, or I’ll drop a bouquet of flowers by a friend’s home who I know is struggling. And I don’t hang around for a “thank you.”

    Now, you’ve got me thinking . . . how fun would it be to do this for someone I don’t know, maybe on our street?

    Money truly cannot buy happiness. What we give from ourselves to others often means so much more than what we give from our wallets.

    1. PS—I found you over at Holly Barrett’s blog. So nice to “meet” you. :)

      1. So nice to meet you too! Thanks for coming over!!

    2. So true! You go girl! I would love to hear what you end up deciding to do!

  21. Lovely post with fantastic ideas, where we live we have a shoebox program where we fill shoe boxes with gifts for children who may be deprived at this time of year and family boxes which contain essentials such as toothpaste, canned food, socks etc for families who struggle financially during the holiday period. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring post.

    1. Yes! I love the shoeboxes. Such a great way to help children and families in need!

  22. Micah,

    Great list…Encouraging others with a note or soup or food is one way…and donating to groups, we care about….wish we could do more…but like you said: “What really matters is that we allow God to use us to fill needs when He prompts us.”

    1. Yes. We can’t go wrong following God’s directions.

  23. Great ideas! Thank you for sharing this helpful list on the Art of Home-Making Mondays!

    ~ Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth ~

    1. Thanks for providing the linkup! Have a great week!

  24. What a great list of ways that we can give Micah! Most of us think that giving means money and that can be difficult to do, but when I think back on times when I’ve had needs in my life it wasn’t the gift of money that most impacted me but rather, the gift of time and encouraging words. Thanks for the reminder and blessings to you dear lady!
    Patti

    1. Yes, time and encouraging words are so important and make a huge impact! I’m so glad you chimed in Patti!

  25. I love #6–smile at people in public. I often forget how I appear to others when I am out and about. And with four kids in tow, I’m sure I look serious or stressed. Taking a moment to relax my face and smile will help my outlook and others as well.

    1. I think of this often. I usually have 3 kids in tow and I know I can easily let the stress of life get to my face. I’m learning to smile more, little by little.

  26. Great ideas! I especially like the caution about bringing gifts of sweets before January ;).

  27. Love reading this post, thank you so much for sharing! Pinning it!

  28. Thank you so much for this encouragement! There is a family in our community (and attends our church sometimes) who is struggling. I’ll be definitely helping them out this week.
    Sarah (www.sarahefrazer.com)

  29. I love how most of these are FREE, but filled with love! Thanks for this inspiration to be more generous this season.

    1. Yes! Giving is about so much more than money!

  30. The very best “givings” are the free ones – the ones we give from our hearts. You listed them, our time, a soft answer, just answering the call when we see a name on caller i.d. that brings a groan to our lips, a card for the cost of a stamp – money is easier but it’s not the best!

    1. I love the “answering a call”. Oh the phone has gotten to such a quiet place. Only typed words. How kind it would be if we answered those calls even when we don’t feel like it. What a great addition to the list!

  31. hollythewoo says:

    I absolutely love this post!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us at Grace & Truth! These are excellent ideas and I’d love to share them with my readers so I’m going to feature this post for our next round at Grace & Truth. Be sure to stop by on Friday and grab your “I’ve Been Featured” button for this post! Thank you, Micah!

    1. Thank you so much! That sounds great!

  32. I’ve started waiting until after the Christmas season to send out handmade mid-winter cards – it helps me to be creative on those long gray days and people really seem to appreciate the thought.

    1. Great idea to brighten up a dreary winter day!

  33. Wonderful ideas Micah! Thank you for sharing. I love every single one of them I plan to implement those that I can ASAP! I am hoping to post a similar post next month once my prayer series is complete. I think this time of year is giving of yourself not necessarily your pocketbook. If it’s from the heart ,, that’s the best gift we can gift. just like our heavenly father. Thanks again for sharing. I love the inspiration you provided this Friday morning. Have a wonderful weekend and God bless you and yours!

  34. Great post! I love all the practical, everyday ideas. Thanks for sharing!

  35. I remember you bringing extra food my way, several times, and some evenings, it was exactly what I needed. I’m definitely not a natural giver, and will be working on that this year! Love and miss you friend!
    Thank you

    1. Love you, Sarah! Wish I was still just down the street! Have a great day, girl! I miss you!!

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