Your Good Deeds don’t have to break the bank. In fact, most of the best acts of kindness are free! Here’s a few ideas to get you started.
- If you’ve discovered a great little restaurant or store, spread the word.
- Let go of an old grudge.
- Help wrap gifts during the holidays.
- On a random weekend, surprise your loved ones with breakfast in bed.
- When you come across a buy one, get one free deal, donate the free product to someone in need.
- Compliment a stranger.
- Volunteer to do someone’s grocery shopping for them every two weeks.
- Leave your server a very generous tip.
- Feed parking meters that are about to expire.
- Pick up a large bag of cat or dog food to donate to a local animal shelter.
- Write a note of appreciation to your mail carrier.
- Give a lottery ticket to a stranger
- Put together a writing kit with stationery, envelopes and stamps, pen and give to hospital/nursing home.
- Put change in candy and vending machines – or tape a couple of dollars to the machine.
- Buy a phone card and give to a homeless shelter for them to give to someone.
- Take flowers to a hospital ward and give them to someone who hasn’t had any visitors.
- Drop a few coins in an area where children play so they can find them.
- Let someone merge in front of you during rush hour.
- Many small, local nonprofits have “wish lists” of items they are currently looking for or always need. Provide 3 of those items.
- Bring baked goods to your local police or fire station to say thank you.
- Finish a punch card (for a restaurant, car wash, etc.) and give the “free” one to someone else.
- Walk for something that is important to you.
- Give a fast food gift card to someone who is homeless.
- Put out a bird feeder to feed the birds.
- Leave a note or a dollar in a library book for somebody else.
- Donate books to the library.
- While in a restaurant, pay for the meals at another table.
- Weed someone’s garden.
- Make arrangements to pay for a stranger’s gas, water, telephone, or electric bill.
- Rake someone’s yard.
- Go to the dry cleaners. Pay for someone’s dry cleaning.
- Create care packages for the homeless.
- Pay for movie tickets for a family while at the movie theater.
- Stop by a street vendor and give the proprietor a $20.00 bill. Tell the proprietor to give free merchandise to the next several customers until the $20.00 is consumed.
- Buy car wash certificates to keep in your car to use through out the year. Each time you go, give the attendant two tickets, one for you, and one for the car behind you.
- Knit something for a friend, family member, or a cause.
- Attend an event important to your loved one.
- Mow a neighbor’s lawn.
- Collect coats to donate.
- Send a care package to a loved one.
- Offer someone a piece of gum.
- Make aromatherapy for someone.
- Say “bless you” when someone sneezes.
- Leave coupons at the grocery store by leaving the coupon next to the product that it is for.
- Straighten things up on store shelves while you browse.
- Hand out free popsicles on a hot day.
- Reuse “thought-for-the-day” calendar pages by adding them to each piece of outgoing mail.
- Leave quarters at the laundromat for others to use.
- Return shopping carts to their designated area.
- Share an inspirational quote.
- Leave a thank you note.
- Give a balloon to a child.
- Read to a child.
- Blow bubbles at the park for kids.
- Donate your talents.
- Call everyone you know and tell them you love them
- Cheer someone on.
- Offer a ride to someone who cannot drive or does not have a car.
- Help someone achieve a goal.
- Write encouraging messages on sticky notes and stick them in random places like a car wash, vending machine, etcetera.
- Send expired coupons for military to use on base.
- Take in someone’s garbage cans.
- Say a prayer for someone.
- Take crayons and coloring books to a hospital children’s ward.
- Put a dollar in the toy section at your local dollar store.
- Give stickers out to kids you pass on the street.
- Write a note on the sidewalk with chalk and make someone smile.
It only takes ONE to get started.
