Living on a Tight Budget - Part 6

One of the most interesting phenomena I have found in living on a tight budget is that when I am generous, I can still pay off my bills just fine. Somehow I always have enough whether it is through another person being generous to me or whether it is that I somehow spent less this particular month than other months. There are a couple things I want to mention regarding generosity.

First of all, one of the most important keys to living successfully on a shoestring budget is attitude. When we think more highly or more lowly of ourselves than we ought to, that is a sign that something deeper is going on. People who think more highly of themselves than they ought tend to look down upon others and that is noticeable.

These people either think they do not have to give to those beneath them or they take pity on the poor souls and give out of that pity. This is not a generous attitude, it is a selfish attitude that will not get the person very far in life nor in friendships.

On the other hand, there is the person who thinks more lowly of himself than he ought. This person either will not give because he thinks it does not matter or he will give because the other person deserves it more than him. Maybe he thinks it will help people like him if he gives. This, also, is not a generous attitude. It is an attitude either of fear or self-pity, and it also will not get this person very far in life.

A generous person is one who really likes himself and really likes the people he is around. He gives because he wants to give and he knows that it is more blessed to give than to receive. This is a person people like, and this is a person who will find blessings coming back his way even though he did not give for that reason. This is where the phenomenon happens. The truly generous person is taken care of.

For those who really do not have money to give, there are other ways of being generous. Giving quality time to another person is often even more helpful than money. Having a hospitable heart that allows people in need to come in for a shower and meal shows great generosity.