Your mom always told you that, and (not surprisingly) she was
right.  Being a charitable person pays you back in several ways.  When
you give something regularly to those who need it more than you, you
learn that you are in control of your money.  (If you don’t have any
extra to give, you’re out of control.)  You also get a great feeling
from having helped someone who needed it.  Giving helps us overcome our
natural tendency for selfishness and makes us more loving, caring and
tolerant.  Finally, when giving to a registered charity, there are tax
benefits.

If it’s been awhile since you did something for someone else, start
again today.  Buy a hamburger for the guy outside Wal-Mart with the
sign.  Give something to the Boy Scouts of America.  Make a donation to
a local church or food bank.  Babysit for a divorcee with young
children.  Take some cookies to a widower.  Mow a widows lawn.  Say a
kind word to someone who’s obviously down.  It doesn’t have to be
money-related.  It can be anything.

Then make a plan to do some small thing for someone each week.  Try
that for a month, and see if you don’t feel better about yourself and
about your life.  No matter how dire your circumstances, there is
always someone worse off than you.  Seek them out and bring a little
light into their eyes.   You’ll find the person who benefits the most
is you, because it really is better to give than to receive.