How to Give Back on a Budget

Donate a part of your purchases to a good cause.

AmazonSmile is a simple way to give back as you shop. When you use AmazonSmile to make your purchases, 0.5% of your purchase price is donated to a charity of your choice.

Make someone smile. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the madness of the holiday season. Sometimes you find yourself forgetting what this time is all about, which at its core is giving back. Writing to soldiers overseas or military veterans is an easy way to do so. Operation Gratitude’s letter writing program makes this simple— for more information, visit the organization’s website.

You can even download a “thank you for your service” letter template here!

Help out around your community.

Grab a friend and spend a couple spare hours picking up trash in spots where you know debris tends to pile up. This can instantly make the area more inviting and full of holiday cheer! Another way to help your local community is by volunteering to teach English to non-native speakers.

Download charitable apps.

Interested in giving back while staying active? Try an app like Charity Miles, which donates money to charity for every mile of activity that you log. Choose from the organization’s list of over 40 charity partners and get moving! You can also join a team through the app for an extra motivational boost.