Little Known Ways To Pay It Forward

This year has absolutely, positively FLOWN by! I can distinctly remember decorating my house last year for fall. I remember everything I baked and the conversations I held with family and friends.  The new year is creeping upon us, but luckily we still have a few major holidays to enjoy before we ring in the New Year.

The holiday season is right in front of us, and this is the time of year when people really jump into the spirit of giving.  We give treats to all the little Halloween trick-or-treaters and give thanks on Thanksgiving for all that we have been blessed with along with all that we are grateful for. During Christmas, we celebrate the time of giving. This giving can consist of giving gifts, acts of service, or the gift of life we were given so many years ago through a tiny baby being born.

When I first started giving I honestly didn’t want to get rid of my stuff, but I saw what an impact it was and how it could potentially help others.  My eyes were open for a greater cause, and since then I have come a very long way.  I’ll give just about anything to anyone who needs it.  This year, I challenge you to give and pay it forward. Give your time to a church or soup kitchen. You can volunteer at a school or at the Red Cross.  If you are iffy on volunteering your time at a place, then maybe you can volunteer your time at a friend’s house babysitting their children for a few hours or pet sitting.

Most years, different locations on base will have coat drive boxes out to donate your old coats.  Many years, you may also see pre-made bags you can buy for a few dollars that are given to a local cause.  Believe it or not, there are 100’s of military families in need.  You can buy candy from the Commissary and donate it to churches or malls for their annual Trunk-Or-Treat events.  There are so many ways to give if you take the time to look around.

Let’s pay it forward and be kind to one another, help our neighbor (regardless of their situation) and really take the steps to make giving (or paying it forward) apart of our daily lives.

Other Ways to Give and Pay It Forward:

• Donate Blood
• Participate in Toy Drives
• Donate Coats/Clothes
• Volunteer at Hospitals, Group Homes, Churches, Schools, etc.
• Give Time for Community Clean-ups, Park Restorations or to Your Neighbors
• Buy Food for the Needy
• Help with Babysitting or Pet Sitting
• Purchasing Someone Else’s Dinner/Food While Eating Out
• Donating Breast Milk
• Donations to Charities
• Pay Some or All of Someone’s Groceries Standing near You
• So Many More Opportunities

We hope you have a heart for giving this year and every year. There are so many ways to pay it forward, so start your giving during this season.

Find Out More with My Military Savings and Military Life & Family!