I find it to be quite selfish if we choose to take of our communities, without giving to our communities. When we give to our communities, we actually make our communities a better place to live. It's the ultimate in "you get what you give". But sometimes we have absolutely nothing to give, or so we think.
As you know (boy, that was quite assumptive), my Ideal Household Budget, assigns 5% of our incomes to charity. I've been challenged on this for years, but I sincerely feel as though we should all invest 5% of our incomes to our communities. And if you are wondering, I give 5% of my income to my community. It's shortsighted to think that our communities don't need our financial resources. Sometimes I feel as though people who don't care about their communities, simply haven't been inspired yet. Alas, we don't always have money to give.
As you will see and hear in the clip above, there are other ways in which you can make an impact your community, without whipping it out (your wallet). I challenge you to make your community a priority, via your resources. If you don't have money to give, at least give your time. You wouldn't believe the amount of financial stress you can relieve simply by putting others' needs in front of yours.
Peter Dunn a.k.a. Pete the Planner® is an award-winning financial mind and a former comedian. He’s a USA TODAY columnist, author of ten books, and is the host of the popular radio show and podcast, The Pete the Planner Show. Pete is considered one of the foremost experts on financial wellness in the world, but he’s just as likely to talk your ear off about bass fishing.