Frugal Random Acts of Kindness

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

10 May 2008 05:53 AM

You don't need to hand out $100 bills to practice random acts of kindness (ROAK). In fact, sometimes the smallest or least expensive things can mean the most to someone, whether they are a friend, a neighbor or a stranger. It is amazing how a ROAK can really make someone's day and change a bad attitude to a good one.

Here are some random acts of kindness that you can practice while still leading a frugal lifestyle. Wouldn't it be great if we all decided to try and do once nice thing for someone every single day? Pretty soon, doing nice things would become a habit.

• There is the classic ROAK. Put a quarter in the meter for someone.
• Make a homemade treat and leave it in someone's mailbox.
• Make a healthy dinner and leave it on the doorstep of a single parent. Then ring the doorbell and hide.
• Bring your neighbor's garbage cans in from the road when you bring in yours.
• Shovel, sweep or rake a walk for a neighbor.
• Gather bunches of coupons that you won't use. Add them to a large manilla envelop and bring them to a frugal friend.
• If you have a membership to a museum or attraction, very often you will be allowed to bring a guest.
• Ask if you can use that extra pass for the person in line behind you.
• Pick up a small book or toy for a friend's child and leave it anonymously.
• Drop off your already read magazines or books to a neighbor who you know loves to read.
• Bring garden flowers to the hospital and ask the hospital staff to give to a patient who never receives visitors.
• Carry someone's groceries to the car.
• Blow up some inexpensive balloons and give them away to children at the park.
• Bring extra coupons along when you shop and hand them to the person in line behind you.
• Send a letter of appreciation to someone anonymously, telling them how much you value them being in the world.
• When you are out getting lunch or a treat, buy an extra cookie for the cashier.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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