A Time to Give: Paying it forward and loving it

This post is linked to the weekly Meme hosted by Jennifer at Saving and Giving.  The Meme is not about bragging but a way for everyone to share their ideas to others about sharing, giving and being generous.

Knowing how someone in need feels gives you a whole new outlook on things because you can understand and relate to their situation entirely.  Having been on the receiving end of donations before I truly believe that what comes around goes around which is why try to donate as much as I can by using coupons & stockpiling.

One of the most rewarding things about my stockpile is that at anytime I can fill bags up full of stuff to donate to someone in need.  After phoning a friend one evening and noticing that her phone was disconnected that is just what  I did recently.  Why?  Because I know that when money is tight that the phone is one of the first things you can let go.  I also know that the other thing shaved or ignored is the food and personal care budget.

I greeted my friend with bags of items that I picked up for free with my coupons and she responded like I had given her a handful of cash.  The bags were filled with many things like in the picture below. Toothpaste, dental floss, body wash, bandaids, neosporin, chapstick, deodorant and more.  And the plus side was that she actually needed several of the items in the bags which brought added warmth to my heart.

Here's some ideas for where you may be able to donate:

          –Churches

          –Food Banks

          –Nursing Homes

          –Senior Citizen Centers

          –Homeless shelters

          –Salvation Army

          –American Red Cross

          –Friends and family

          –Gift Baskets

* The picture is of a housewarming basket. I didn’t actually photograph the donation in this post.

Coupons have really changed my life entirely and my whole outlook on donating, recycling and many more things.  I never knew something as simple as a $.25 coupon could make me a better person but it has. I have received help in the past and truly appreciated it and I plan to pay it forward for as long a I can.

For lots of ideas for sharing and giving, be sure to check out A Time to Give hosted by Saving and Giving each Thursday.  And, If you have any questions about A Time to Give , please feel free to contact Jennifer directly at savingandgiving AT gmail DOT com.

Labels: Donations, Meme

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