Wellness Wednesday: How to Give Back on a Budget

With the holiday season in full swing, most of us are spending quality time with loved ones, exchanging gifts with friends, and enjoying delicious meals. This is also the perfect time to focus on gratitude and giving. What makes it even more magical, is knowing you do not need to spend a lot of money to make a big difference this holiday season. In fact, no money to gift during #GivingTuesday and the holidays? No worries. Here are our favorite free ways to give back during the holiday season.

1. Volunteer and Gift Your Time
   This is one of the greatest gifts you can offer to your community. Whether it is helping out with mentoring, administrative tasks, delivery, even planning, or just cleaning up, these are all BIG ways you can contribute to an organization in your community without spending a single dime out of your own wallet.
   
   
2. Use Amazon Smile
   After signing up with Amazon Smile and choosing your charity of your choice, a portion of everything you buy on Amazon will be donated to your charity every single time you shop. You just need to be use that you always use the smile.amazon.come URL instead of amazon.com. It's by far one of the easiest ways to give back.
   
   
3. Donate Your Credit Card Points
   These points are often forgotten about and can be used to donate to your favorite organization without grabbing for your wallet.
   
   
4. Start a Facebook Fundraiser
   It takes less than 5 minutes to set up and you can ask for just $5 and make the post public so that your friends can share it! Easy as pie!
   
   
5. Donate Your Clothes and Extra Bedding
   Giving your gently used or like-new clothes is a great way to clean out your closet and give back to your community. 
   
   
6. Donate Non-Perishable Foods
   When you donate food, you are literally helping families in our area put food on the table! 
   
   
7. Help Deliver Items to Those in Need
   Many organizations have large items that lack the manpower to help deliver them to those who need them. 
   
   
8. Give Blood
   No one likes needles but this is the most precious gift you can give to another person. This is the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life or even several lives!

What are your favorite ways to give during the holiday season? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!