Several years ago, Glamour magazine published an exercise I had written to help develop and expand our prosperity muscles. Called “A Creative Push for $1 a Day,” the ideas are still useful, although some of them might require an additional dollar or two.
* Drop the dollar on the street and imagine the joy the finder will have.
* Add it to your tip at lunch.
* Find a new gadget for your kitchen or toolbox.
* Find the most luscious piece of fruit you can and savor it.
* Pick out a lovely card and send it to someone who would never expect it. An ex-boss or lover might be a good choice.
* Invest it in something of beauty—a tiny plant or flower for your desk perhaps.
* Surprise a friend and take them out for ice cream in the middle of the day.
* Enlarge a favorite photo and give it to someone special.
* Buy a small jar of imported jam and invite a friend for breakfast.
* Feed expired parking meters.
* Surprise a stranger and pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line.(Yes, I know that goes beyond the $1 exercise.)
* When a friend mentions a dream or wish they have, give them a dollar as seed money. Your show of faith in them is worth more than the investment it takes.
Practicing generosity can often be done with no money at all. Why not make it your policy to always leave the best parking place? Someone will be thrilled to find the spot you left and you’ll receive the added benefit of the exercise you get by walking a bit farther.
Give blood.
Volunteer.
When you take a walk, carry a bag to pick up litter that’s on your way. As David Dunn says, “Do it for a nicer community.”
Or what about taking time to let someone know you appreciate their efforts? Handwritten thank you notes never go out of style.
If you did this exercise every day for a year, you wouldn’t spend very much money, but you’d be making the world around you sweeter one day at a time. Your imagination would also reap the rewards of the daily creative challenge.
Go ahead. I dare you.
Having done most of these I can vouch that they are good for my soul. I do lead a rich life, on a much less than what’s considered wealthy income. Giving creates such a wonderful cycle of abundance for both the recipient and the donor. What I feel inside after doing wonderful acts such as these is priceless-it can not be measured in dollars and cents. Imagine- all that for $1!
I’ve also discovered that many things cost far less than we think to be able to live rich.
Travel can still be done at reasonable prices. Mattresses for a great night’s sleep can be had for under $1000, and last 20 years! Organic fruits cost only slightly higher than pesticide-laden fruit. I have both a back-scratcher and a little hand-held finger massage device that cost $1 each and still provide great service even after a few years of use. Soaking luxuriously in a hot bubble bath costs me less than $1 and rivals any spa treatment. Many of the best things in my life costs no money at all- walking in nature and spending time with loved ones quickly comes to mind.
Oh, Beth, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. And you are absolutely right about the rewards of even small acts of generosity. It’s the biggest bargain around…and probably a great investment in our wellness to boot.
Funny you mention travel. I was talking to someone about it yesterday and said I had known a couple of people who were making their first trips abroad and had assumed it would cost far more than it actually did. I got wondering how many other experiences we deny ourselves simply because we’ve never investigated fully.
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing it. I really like several of the suggestions; giving a friend “seed money” to show your faith in their idea is probably my favorite! What a lovely thing to do and what a difference it’ll make (I can just imagine how it will fill their heart, inspire hope, and make them smile).
I love this, Barbara. Another thing I do to feel rich is to take my time doing things. My vision of rich people are people who have plenty of time to do all the things they want 🙂
Starting when I was in graduate school, my mother and I would mail each other $1 at Valentine’s Day to buy fresh strawberries. Now I prefer to wait for in-season berries in June, but it’s still a sweet memory.