When did donating to charity become the marker of a generous life? While generosity to charities is important (and I’m a big proponent of giving a percentage of your income away!), I’m not sure it’s the only way, or even the most important way, to live generously.
How to Be a More Generous Partner (Part 2)
One of my favorite ways to be generous with my partner pre-COVID was to pick up his favorite treat on my walk home from work. I loved seeing the smile flash across his face, particularly after he’d had a tough day. The last fifteen months in quarantine, though, I pretty much stopped doing this. Between the heightened anxiety, our early fear that COVID might spread through surface contact, and the general exhaustion the news cycle produced, these once normal “extras” seemed to fade away. At a time when we each needed a more generous partner, it often was all we could do to just get through the day.
How to Evaluate a Charity
In mid-November each year Minnesota celebrates Give to the Max Day. For the past 10+ years thousands of Minnesota schools and nonprofits have gathered together to fundraise for their causes on the same day. There’s a real spirit of communal generosity that inspires giving — which I definitely support wholeheartedly.
Open Your Eyes
Personal finance often feels like it’s just you, your partner, and your money journeying up the mountain to reach your financial goals. It’s easy to get laser-focused on your money, your dreams, your goals, your debt reduction. Now, don’t get me wrong, this laser-focus can be a great thing. It can ensure you’re not measuring yourself by any other yardstick but your own. However, it can also leave you blind to the needs of others.
How to Be a More Generous Partner
One of the first things that struck me about my partner was his generosity. It started on our second date when he brought three cupcakes to my apartment — one for me, one for him, and one for my roommate. I mean seriously, who considers getting in with the roommate that early on? Throughout our relationship, my husband has been very generous with his money, his time, and his attention. In our marriage, I have seen it through his willingness to support my ambitious dreams even if that means spending nights alone, picking up the slack around the house, investing some of our shared income, or being the instigator in our social relationships.
Being Generous Together
Ever since I can remember, I loved giving money away. It started with the first $20 I earned from babysitting … I couldn’t wait to share some of what I’d made with my youth group charity fundraiser. As my income has grown, I’ve taken pleasure in giving larger gifts to organizations I care about and finding new causes to support.
Gift Giving for Adults
Last year, my dad gave me one of my favorite Christmas gifts I’ve ever received: a box full of recipes and supplies to cook a decadent dinner for my husband and me to enjoy. It was carefully curated, with specialty dried pasta, summer sausage, crackers, and expensive chocolates — he even tucked in a few food and cooking items I would never buy for myself. It was so my dad: As a master chef and baker he always knows the best recipes and the finest ingredients to make them. But it was also so perfect for me as someone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen. I don’t need more things at this point in my life; I love experiences. And what could be better than spending time cooking a savory pasta dish on a cold, snowy night?
9 Simple Ways To Be More Generous
A few weeks ago, I was traveling for work. When I landed at the airport, I went to Enterprise to rent a car and was greeted by a woman about my age who gave me exceptional service. Even though the facility was small, crowded, and noisy, she spoke clearly, worked efficiently, and smiled effortlessly. I was out of there and into my rental car in no time. As I was leaving, she gave me her card and invited me to contact her manager if I had received good service. She mentioned that she was up for a promotion and that any feedback would be really helpful.