Are you wondering what to do for Giving Tuesday? These Random Acts of Kindness will provide insight and inspiration for your own local hometown to brighten it up. :)

We’ve been busy shopping: Black Friday deals, supporting small biz on Small Business Saturday, and shopping til we dropped on Cyber Monday.

It was a lot of fun and we scored some amazing deals!

But it’s time to shift our attention to a day that deserves just a little more love and praise: Giving Tuesday.

It’s not as flashy. It doesn’t come to your inbox at 3am in bright, neon letters.

But one major reason why I think Cyber Tuesday doesn’t get as much attention is that people don’t know what to do for Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday is ideal for donating to your favorite local charity, to raise funds for something that is meaningful to you, or to do something that makes your heart happy. Feel free to do anything you choose and pick something that makes someone else smile.

In addition to charitable contributions, Random Acts of Kindness are a terrific way to brighten your own community and the lives of those in it.

So, to inspire you (and myself, since I was looking these up early this AM), I want to share some easy, generous, and creative ways to show your neighbors, friends, family, and even strangers a little more joy today.

Giving back in your community through acts of service is just as admirable, and you never know who could use a little kindness today.

Here are some things to do on Giving Tuesday that will hopefully put this day on the map: highlighted, bold, and underlined. I think that’s what the world really needs right now.

1. Join your local Buy Nothing Group.

I’m kicking off this list with something near and dear to my heart: The Buy Nothing project. I’ve been a member of my local chapter for a few years now and I highly recommend it. There are local chapters all over the globe, so likely there is one near you.

You join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook here.

The mission is to give freely from your own abundance, and to “give where you live“. It’s a small section of your community and you can offer up items you are ready to part with to someone who could use it.

In it, everything offered is completely free to someone who wants or needs it. You can also ask for something of which you are in need or looking to use.

As they say in their mission, by “buying nothing” you’re “giving everything. This unique community has some of the most generous, kind-hearted people I’ve ever met and I’m so happy to have found it myself. Plus, they’re all your local neighbors.

► Find a local group here. You won’t regret it. (And it’s FREE!)

It’ll change your life.

2. Treat someone to a hot cup of coffee.

Whether you pay it forward to the person in line behind you or just surprise a friend with a cup of their favorite coffee, do it today!

3. Pay off a student’s lunch balance at a local school.

Call and see if there is a balance remaining for a child’s local school lunch program and pay it off.

4. Surprise your post office worker or delivery person with a special treat.

Your postman or postwoman, delivery driver, etc. work long hours in any weather to bring things to your doorstep. Have a refreshing beverage or treat at your porch when they drop off your mail or packages today.

5. Let someone merge in front of you.

Go on, and don’t even worry about the wave back as a thank you (it’s a Midwest thing).

6. Give a hot meal to someone in need.

7. Volunteer at your local pet shelter.

They usually need someone to walk the dogs! Take the dogs for a walk, pet the kitties (and give the adult cats some extra snuggles — they need it). Show some love to the animals who are waiting for their forever homes.

8. Purchase a gift card and hand it to someone on their way into the grocery store.

You might just make their day.

9. Shovel a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk.

10. Offer your seat to someone without one.

Whether on the bus, at sports practice, waiting in line somewhere, a meeting, etc., offer your chair to someone else and stand instead.

11. Give someone a coupon to use at a store.

Have extra Kohl’s cash hanging around? ;) One of those amazing 30% off coupons? Give it to someone who could use it.

12. Support all local businesses today.

This is good practice all year long, but make a point to do it especially today.

13. Donate bouquets of flowers to a hospital or nursing home.

They’ll brighten up someone’s day.

14. Treat a loved one to their favorite food.

Grab carry-out at that local restaurant, choose their favorite meal, and surprise them for dinner tonight.

15. Write a glowing review for a business online.

Reviews cost nothing but time! They make a HUGE difference to a business. Choose a favorite one where you’ve had an awesome experience and write a review for them online.

16. Tip someone extra generously.

17. Hand out smiles all day today.

They’re free, and you’ll probably even get one back! Try it, it really does work.

18. Tell someone’s manager the terrific job they are doing.

It may just be the thing they need to level up.

19. Help someone who needs assistance carrying bags or boxes.

Lend ’em a hand.

20. Pay for a meal at the table next to yours.

Make it a surprise. They’ll never forget it and they’ll likely pass it on to someone else in the future.

21. Pay someone a genuine compliment.

You just may brighten up their whole day.

22. Donate blood.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

23. Spend time with someone who is lonely.

Bring a book to read, play a game, share some laughs. It’ll show them there is so much kindness in the world.

24. Listen.

In our busy day-to-day lives, we’re bombarded by constant interruptions. Today, when someone is telling you something, or wants to share a story, really listen. Put down the devices. Forget about work for a minute. Be present.

25. Write a thank you note.

Send a thank you note to someone in the mail who has done something nice for you. It will be a beautiful surprise in a few days’ time when it arrives in their mailbox.

26. Donate used books and music.

If your library accepts them, bring used books and music to donate. Or donate it to a local shelter or nursing home. Books and music are some of life’s best past times especially if someone is lonely.

27. Donate money to your favorite charity.

Choose a special charity today and donate money to it.

28. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.

They can always use the extra hands to help!

29. Leave an uplifting note or painted rock for someone to find.

A sticky note or “You Are Loved” on a rock for someone to discover is a jolt of joy just waiting to find someone who needs it.

30. Tell someone they’re doing a good job.

Everyone is quick to complain when something isn’t going right, so switch the script and tell someone they’re doing a GREAT job. It may be just what they need to hear today to keep their work momentum going.

31. Bake cookies and bring it to a friend.

32. Offer to babysit for a friend who needs a break.

Give someone the chance to catch up on grocery shopping, chores, or a quick trip out of the house for a few hours and offer to babysit for them. It is likely the recharge they need.

33. Send in school supplies to your teacher.

They always need a restock this time of year, especially tissues, hand sanitizer/soap, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, paper, pencils, and crayons. Bring in a nice big box of the essentials so the teacher doesn’t have to rely on stocking these items themselves.

34. Pick up litter.

35. Donate blankets and towels to an animal shelter or veterinary.

Call ahead of time — but most typically accept blankets and towels to use in cages and crates for their animals. They seem to go through them quickly and likely could use more, if you have extras to give.

36. Write a note to your child.

Put it in their favorite book they’re reading, under their pillow, in their lunch box, etc. and surprise them with kind words about how awesome of a kid they are.

37. Cook for someone.

Ah, a love language many of us appreciate! Cook dinner for your partner, friend, a family member, or neighbor today and give them the night off from figuring out what to make. :)

38. Clean up after someone else.

39. Be only positive today.

Send that positive energy into the universe today by only speaking nice things, saying good thoughts out loud, and being nice to everyone around you.

40. Be generous.

Give just a bit more today: time, energy, attention, money, skill… you name it, the world needs more of it especially on Giving Tuesday.

I hope these ideas spark a little generosity of spirit for you today. As you can see, most of these are free and just take a little bit of your time.

What would YOU add to our list? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments ↓