Good deeds and frugality

[Thevail]

Thanks to all of you.. I'm becoming a veritable master of frugality! (and a hearty Thank You to you all for that)

But I started thinking about why I wanted to be frugal in the first place. Well, to have more money right?! But why do I want more money? Oh, all the usual reasons, pay off the house etc. etc., but what if money were no object. What if (gasp) I actually achieved my goal! Would I continue to be frugal then?

I decided that I probably would, paying one penny more for something than I absolutely have to drives me insane, and I can't see that changing.
But if I have everything I need and enough money to do some traveling, and I'm debt free... then what?

So I started thinking of all the things I would do, and you know what... they're all "good deeds".

So I've decided to see how many ways there are to do a good deed for free!

I have a lot of nice clothing (mostly purchased on clearance and thrift stores etc.), so every once in a while I have to go through them and sort out a pile to get rid of. And Dd is still growing so we have to do the same thing for her.

For my free good deed, I'm taking them to a neighboring smaller town which doesn't have very good employment (kinda economically depressed area) and donating them to the thrift store there instead of at my local one. Their thrift store can be kinda sad.

What else can frugal people do as a good deed that's free?

[lotsadebt]

Well, I have one that I have been thinking about that is not exactly free. But it is because of my frugal ways that I can do this.

There is a lady from our church who had supported the parish school's fund raising drives. She recently got laid off, her husband can't work due to health reasons. She always went out of her way to help us. She always said,"Well as long as it's going for the kids!"

She has told me she no gets food from the parish foodbank. She now also volunteers there, Paying it forward.

So.. I know I have at leas $25 in my change jar. I want to send her anonymously a $25 gift card to a grocery store. I will not miss the money at all. I will be smiling and dancing on my way to the post office.

[ml2620]

Oh, good one Thevail! Don't forget to get your tax deduction slip when you drop them off! I'm reading "Your Money or Your Life" right now and they talk about these very things.

There was an odd woman on the train this morning, with a really strong, strange, terrified look in her eyes, a funny walk and strange outfit not appropriate for our weather today. She hopped on the train and realized she didn't have enough money, so I gave her the balance.

At any other point in my life, I would have thought "druggie" and stayed out of it, but after hearing so many stories of hard times and courage, I'm learning to give people the benefit of the doubt.

[rowdy35]

my husband loves to buy man stuff ~ tools, etc. He is pretty wasteful.

he takes good usable stuff to the landfill and it's an argument if I want to list something on freecycle.

we put in a veggie garden on Monday and we had a bunch of railroad ties that we didn't want that were left over from the previous home owners. I said "let me put them on Freecycle". Well, he hemmed and hawed that no one would want them, etc. I listed them anyway and got about 5 responses ! They were taken yesterday by someone who needed them. Someone will put them to good use.

He was amazed and happy that he doesn't have to take them to the dump (they are very heavy). So a lesson was learned by my husband and someone benefitted from our trash.

it was a happy moment for me !

[MommyBliss]

I like to make things for people. I've met a lot of people on the Internet and made some sweet friends. I know quite a few who are going through hard times, so I like to make them jewelry and send it their way. A dear friend of mine needs to buy her son a new blanket, so I'm doing a quilt for him instead. The Lord has blessed our family and I want to share those blessings.

[Incognito]

I've had lots of extra coupons lately, so I prepared a lunch-bag full of them, and left them in an economically-disadvantaged apartment complex lobby, with a note "Free Coupons--help yourself".

[sunshine]

I do a lot of crochet, knit, quilting for charity. Most of my supplies are gotten free on freecycle or from coworkers that know I use yarn, etc.

I alway give my extra garden produce to the senior citizens in our town's housing. I divide up the food into 12 fairly equal bags and leave on the door knobs of the housing units (we only have 12 units). Some weeks it's salad makings, some times it's fruit. . . I've gotten "caught" a few times, so it's not a secret who leaves it anymore, but I still don't like to hand it over in person.

[Sassyclass]

I love this post. I have 2 glucose meters that I got for free after using coupons and rebate. I work with a guy whose wife works for the Welfare Department. I will see if she can use these to give out to anyone who needs them.

Cat

[norcalmommy]

My friends and I take veggies from our gardens to the local food closet. We are in a small town and the food closet is run by a church and they have an outreach center. They love to get the produce. They hold several free meals each week, so they put it to use.

[frugalfranny]

Great post.

I try to take at least one or two loads of clothes to the women's shelter in my area. They can always use work type clothes and kids clothes so I am not much help there but they need everything.

I will have TONS of extra produce this year and will take it to the food bank. One of them will even come pick it up.

I usually put my extra rhubarb on CL as not sure the food shelter could/would use it.....some people don't know what to do with it and it takes a lot of sugar (money) no matter what you do....so....CL it is.

[Monner 1]

Whenever I clean out the attic, closets, etc. I bring it to the thrift store that uses the money from sales for mental health. I figure it helps two ways, one people get things they need at a real low price and two the money then goes to help mental health programs. If I am in line at the grocery store and someone is short a couple dollars and I hear it I give it to them. I put some stuff out by the end of my driveway and put free on it. It doesn't last long. I just hope it goes to someone that needs it and not somebody that will resell it at their garage sale, especially if they are not in a time of need. There are many things all of us can do to help and every little bit of help adds up. It makes a person feel good to a help another human being that is down on their luck.

Monner

[Judi Dial]

We give our old glasses to our opticiian, who works with the Lions Club to get them to disadvantaged folks. There are various places that will take your old cell phones as well.

A few months back, when we thought I may have cancer, I starting gifting people I know with materials they can use: a friend who scrapbooks got embellishments, a friend who knits for charity got yarn, etc. Not only did I have "less stuff" at the end of this, but I know that the materials would be put to good use.

When my father died, we gave magazines to our local jr high/grade school. News magazines, not professional science magazines, etc. The school library took what they wanted and the rest I think went to the art department. Check with your local schools and/or art program.

DH had a lot of film given to him. A woman nearby was starting a photography class for kids and had cameras donated, but didnt' know if they were light tight. DH gave her 12 rolls or so of film to test the cameras.

Judi

[Momto2Boyz]

I have to admit...that all of my random acts of kindness are just that...random. I do things I think are right, as I see things happening around me.

Like last week, I was leaving the gym and I was driving down a 2 lane road. I stopped at a light behind a car. When the light turned green, our lane didn't move. After a few minutes, the car in front of me when around the car in front of it. I did the same and as I did, I saw a very distraught looking woman on her cell phone with a child in the back. It took me a minute to realize that she was stuck.

So, I hemmed and hawed and ultimately, I had to go back. I parked on the side and when the light changed to red and cars stopped, I ran over to her window and asked if she needed help. She said that she had called her husband, he didn't answer and she didn't know what else to do.

So, I asked her if I could help her get her car off the road, out of the middle of the intersection. She looked at me like I was nutso! I think she was thinking, how is this woman gonna do that. Well, it was a nice day, and everyone at the light had their windows open. So I stood in between the two lanes and yelled at the cars (in a totally non-crazy way, I assure you). I simply yelled that this woman's car had broken down, she is having a terrible day, and I could use some help in pushing her to the side of the road.

When the light turned green, I had about 4 cars park and help. We were able to get her out of the intersection, and as we did, her hubby called and said he'd be there in about 10 minutes.

One of the guys who helped push her car, said to me "Wow, you really took on a challange there, by getting people to help her." I stared at him blankly and said not really...I knew there were at least a few good people in the world who may not think to a stranded mother on their own, but will certainly step up if asked. I said, sometimes all it takes is for someone to ask!

So that is my random story for the week!

DH is better about that stuff than I am. He puts together computers and gives them away to people who need them. He is a garbage man, and so he pulls the monitors, towers, cords, etc. out of the garbage. I think he's put together 7 in the last year. Then he donated them to day cares, and random people who needed them!

[shoiji]

My stockpile is pretty good right now. When I can get toothpaste, deoderant, etc., for free with a coupon, I check expiration dates and give to someone that will pass it along to someone who needs it. This helps me keep current with what I have in the stockpile. Also, feels good knowing it will go to someone that could use it.

[Marks_Helpmeet]

This thread made me smile this morning...and I needed to smile as I'm home sick today - couldn't even go to church...

Thanks for the postings here!!!