10 non-monetary ways to give on #GivingTuesday

The week ahead is pretty much lined up for us all. There's Thanksgiving on Thursday, then Black Friday followed by Cyber Monday. After that is Giving Tuesday. Other than Turkey Day, Giving Tuesday is the most important of the next seven days, if you ask me. 

Giving Tuesday is... well... it's this:

Now, finances are tight around my place. Requests for financial contributions from perfectly worthy organizations make me cringe and feel cruddy as I simply don't have it in the budget this year. Maybe it's the same around your place, too. 

That's part of the beauty of Giving Tuesday, though. We don't have to give money to make a difference. With that in mind, here are 10 non-monetary ways to give on Giving Tuesday.

GIVE FOOD. Many of us have more than enough food in the cupboard. See what you can afford to pass along to your local food bank. (A great article to consider: What Food Banks Need Most (And What They Get Too Much Of.)

GIVE AWAY COLLECTED TOILETRIES. We all do it, right? We nab the unused lotions and potions when we check out of a hotel. The toiletries can be put to use by those in need rather than collecting dust in your house. Deliver your collection to a women's shelter or homeless shelter.

GIVE BABY GEAR AND TOYS. Speaking of shelters, if you have grandkiddos who've grown out of the baby gear stocked up at Grandma's, donate it to an organization that shelters women escaping domestic violence or a homeless shelter. Both places are, sadly, packed with kiddos.

GIVE GLASSES. Baby boomers collect glasses like they collect wrinkles. Though we can't give our wrinkles away, we can certainly give unused spectacles to those who need them. 

GIVE SOMEONE A BREAK. We all know someone who needs a break. Perhaps you have a caregiver friend who would be thrilled to have someone cover for her for an hour or two. Or maybe a mom who simply wants an afternoon to herself. Then again, maybe it's your spouse or adult child who could use a break — literally or figuratively. Go on and give it.

GIVE AWAY OLD MAGAZINE AND BOOKS. Hospitals and senior centers could use books you've finished, magazines you've read.

GIVE A CLICK. The internet is rife with sites offering "click to donate" options. It takes mere seconds to make a difference — a little more if you click lots of places to make lots of donations. Click here to start finding organizations to whom you'd like to give a click.

GIVE SHOES. Like reading glasses, shoes accumulate faster than we like to admit. Consider giving those you've not worn in the past year to folks who may not have even had a pair in the last year.

GIVE JACKETS. Baby, it's cold outside. And it's darn frigid for those without a decent winter coat. Donate your gently used ones at one of the coat drive locations across the country.

GIVE A COMPLIMENT OR SMILE. Giving doesn't have to mean money or stuff; it can be as simple as giving a smile or a compliment. I realized this yesterday when I passed an older women in the grocery store who, according to the strength of her fragrance, clearly wanted someone to appreciate her scent. I stopped next to her and told her how fabulous she smelled. She lit up and immediately told me the name of the fragrance. Then we smiled and continued pushing our carts in opposite directions, both of us with a warm heart and an extra bounce in our step.

Cheers to giving on Giving Tuesday, one week from today. Find out more between now and then by visiting GivingTuesday.org.

A bonus #GivingTuesday idea: Give support by sharing an "unselfie" — an "unselfish" selfie. Pose with a card or such showing how you will give, or create a pic similar to what I did above. Share it on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, tagging your photo with #unselfie and #GivingTuesday.

This is not a sponsored post; it's simply a cause I strongly believe in.

Today's question:

What might you give on Giving Tuesday?