Looking to involve my children in the giving season, I’m brainstorming ways to be impactful on a budget. Here are a few low/no-cost ways to make a difference with your kids’ help.
Don’t pay for the next person.
A popular way to be generous is paying for the next person’s order. Anyone in line to order food is there prepared to pay for it. Pay it forward with a generous tip to the employees. Same cost, but likely a bigger impact.
If you’re able to do so, walk your cart back to the store.
A small way to help employees and other customers is to keep the carts available inside. Especially a special cart, like a kids’ cart, is awesome when it’s found dry and ready inside the store.
Leave change in Gashapons.
Those coin-operated toy and candy machines in vestibules are a thrill that’s easy and cheap to enable. Many only cost a quarter, so for less than a dollar, a child’s day is made.
No utensils for to-go.
Eating take-out at home, utensils are an easy pass. Ask when ordering to omit utensils as it reduces waste and cost.
Write a thank you.
Some in our lives could use recognition – teachers, librarians, neighbors, family, etc. Gifting kid art and writing on the back is a personal way to appreciate others and rehome some artwork.
Pay with cash for small business purchases.
Every transaction costs businesses a fee, and sometimes, they offer a cash discount. When possible, save a business the cost of credit card transactions.
Many of these ideas are ways to include and model for our children an abundant mindset. I hope these inspire your own ideas of giving this season and beyond.
