9 ways to battle poverty when you’re “poor” yourself

Despite any financial troubles you may be facing with the global economic downturn; you are still doing well compared to many people out there. Over a billion people live on just a few dollars a day. In the past few weeks we have people crying and complaining because they lost money in the market. Yeah; it sucks, but you probably aren’t going to die. Do you have the right to complain? I don’t think so.

Regardless to whether money is now tight or you’ve never been financially blessed, you can still make a positive difference to the billions of people who live in impoverished surroundings. Even if you can help just one person; just one, you will make a huge impact.

Here is how to take on poverty with little finances.

1. Donate 5 bucks!

5 measly dollars; you can’t spare that? Well if you’re reading this article I think you can. It might not seem like much but it may be the difference between dying and living to see another day for someone. There are various sites where you can quickly and easily donate to the less fortunate. Here are a few to check out:

- Kiva

- CARE (minimum $10 donation)

- ACCION International

- Action Against Hunger

- Acumen Fund (min. $20 donation)

2. Educate yourself

As the old cliché says, “knowledge is power.” The more you know about the facts and truths of poverty, the more you’ll be able to make a difference. Quick facts can leave lasting impressions.

Did you know?

- 2.7 billion people live on less than $2 a day

- More than 800 million people go to bed hungry; 300 million of them children.

Here are a few links to learn more about poverty:

- Fast Facts: The Faces of Poverty (PDF)

- Facts about Children and Poverty

- National Poverty Center

- 2004 US poverty facts (PDF)

- National Center for Children in Poverty

- Blog Action Day resources

3. Talk

You’re probably asking yourself how talking can battle poverty; but it can be one of the most powerful forces in the fight. Many people feel uncomfortable discussing poverty but we all have a unique opportunity right now to bring it up in conversation.

The world’s economy is going through an extremely tough time. Everyone is talking about it everywhere; at the kitchen table, in the elevator, and on the streets. I’m sure you’ve heard people complain about what they’ve lost. This is a perfect way to infuse poverty into the situation. Tell them how fortunate they still are; share some facts you’ve learned; and don’t be afraid to put them in their place. At first they could be a little offended, but I guarantee your words will stay in their mind. It might be enough to get them through these times and it may even motivate them to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

4. Donate time

Help out at a soup kitchen, volunteer abroad, become a big brother or big sister; anything that will affect an impoverished person. Even just talking and listening to someone less fortunate can change their life.

Donating your time is nobler than donating a million dollars.

5. Think outside the box

Conceive some crazy ideas to get people’s attention, especially the media. Fast for a week and donate the money you saved to charity; live on the streets; anything that’s “out there” and different to get people’s attention and get them thinking about poverty.

6. Bypass presents

For your birthday or for the holidays, ask your friends and family to donate money on your behalf instead of giving you gifts.

7. Don’t associate yourself with the wrong people

Let’s be frank; don’t associate yourself with a**holes. You know the people I’m talking about. The ones who think that because they have a big bank account means they have more rights than anyone else. If you have friends like this; ditch them! It’ll prevent one more person from being like them; you and it will ultimately make a difference in the world.

8. Stop saying you’re poor

The title of this article has quotations around “poor” for a reason. You might not have a lot of money to spare, but by no means are you poor. You’re reading this article so you must have access to a computer and to the internet. Access to the net enables you to have access to the world. And it can be your greatest tool for changing your life and the lives of others. It’s YOUR choice; you can either endlessly surf MySpace or do something worthwhile.

9. Don’t forget!

Every time you eat; every meal that you dislike; every time you see all those gadgets your friends have that you can’t afford; think of those who don’t have anything to eat and those who have no walls to even plug in an ipod.

Check out these videos. One will show you that it’s what you do that’s important, not always the amount of money you give. The second will put things into perspective for you.

Photo by kindgott

This article was a part of Blog Action Day 2008. On October 15, 2008 thousands of blogs across the world are discussing one topic; poverty.
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This article was published on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 8:09 am and is filed under People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to “9 ways to battle poverty when you’re “poor” yourself”

1. Melissa M says:
   October 15th, 2008 at 8:55 am

   Both your videos made me weep! Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your number 8. My husband always comments when people say that they are “starving.”

2. Andrew Galasetti says:
   October 15th, 2008 at 9:33 am

   Hey Melissa,

   I’m glad the videos had such an affect on you.

   -Andrew

3. Cheryl Janis says:
   October 18th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

   This is an inspiring post. I just wrote a post on how the importance of self-care during this time especially. Helping others is a wonderful way to feel abundant and continue to flow of money. Cheers, Cheryl Janis, author of Planet Pink n Green (.com)

4. Andrew Galasetti says:
   October 18th, 2008 at 2:32 pm

   Glad you liked the post Cheryl. It’s amazing how rich you feel when you help others.

   -Andrew

5. Hamdani Amin says:
   October 18th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

   Reach here from stumble profile.
   A very good article so does the video. #8 is very true, you became what you think.

6. Interesting Links: Blog Action Day 2008 - Practical advice on personal development, productivity and GTD says:
   October 24th, 2008 at 10:24 am

   [...] Nine Ways To Battle Poverty When You’re Poor Yourself [...]

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