Guidelines for Giving when you are broke

I found this little blog entry here with some interesting thoughts, if perhaps a bit cliché, to keep Christmas gift giving perspective. I would also argue that one needs to keep one's budget in perspective. If you are spending $5 regularly on a cup of coffee from St. Arbucks in the Plaza, maybe that money is best used elsewhere. A once in a while treat is fine, but if it is a regular habit...

There are other options as well. Donating the money to charity in someone's honor is always a good way of giving. ER-D gifts for life or Heifer International or Food for the Hungry allow you to invest in micro-economy by getting a needy family anything from a chicken to a water buffalo. ER-D has several options for under $25. 

One can also sponsor a child in honor of someone else. I have had good experiences with World Vision, having sponsored a child in Armenia for several years now. I am sure there are several other fine organizations out there that do the same thing.  

Of course, if you want to do something local, I am sure the Rector at your local parish is always in need of extra funds for the Rector's Discretionary Fund (or some other local fund within the Parish) that is designed to help those in need right in the community. Here in Brookings, there is also the Voucher Program that the Ministerial Association sponsors that gives help to those who either need a night's stay in a hotel due to personal problems or a tank of gas (although I think the vouchers are only for $20 of gas these days). 

There are ways of giving gifts that aren't all about buying worthless consumer gifts that people either don't really need or that the giver can't really afford. 

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