Problem: I have little money and less time for holiday shopping.

Solution: Give an honorary donation to charity on behalf of your friends and family.  This is really easy, fast, and budget friendly. 

Go online and finish your holiday "shopping" in about 30 minutes.  Here are some of my favorites:

• Make a $10 donation to Habitat for Humanity on behalf of someone special. You’re "helping families to break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security." Plus, with your $10 honorary gift, Habitat will send a card to the person in whose name you donated.  Save a stamp!  You can do this in 5 minutes.  Here's the link: https://www.habitat.org/cd/giving/one/donate.aspx?link=271&source_code=DHQOQ1008W1BNG
• Shopping for an animal lover?  Make a holiday gift donation ($ amount of your choice) to the ASPCA and they will send an adorable holiday e-card to the person in whose name you donated.  Everybody loves a card with a picture of a puppy dressed as Santa.  You can do this in 5 minutes.  Here's the link: https://donate.aspca.org/donate/donations/website/website_holiday.aspx?PlacementID=2471542
• The Heifer Project lets you donate to "help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant."  This is especially fun because you get to chose the animal (or share of an animal) you want to donate, like rabbits, sheep, chicks, goats, ducks, water buffalo, or honeybees.  Heifer will either send a card in the mail to the person in whose name you donated, or you can print a card, or you can send an e-card describing the gift.  You can do this in 10 minutes.  Here's the link: https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog.html?msource=magento 

Extra Credit:  Check to see if these charitable gifts are tax deductible, then print your receipts for tax time.

Free Gift with Purchase:  Giving to charity might improve your karma just in time for final exams!

Happy Holidays!

Problem: I feel sad becuase I have so little money.

Solution: give things away.  Seriously.  Even if you don't have money to spend, I bet you have a lot to give to others.  Give your time (this is especially precious and appreciated in law school, where everyone is busy and frazzled), give someone a hug, give someone a smile, give someone a break, give someone a shoulder rub, give an answer in class, give someone a kleenex, make soup and give some to your neighbor (my neighbor does this and it makes me smile all day)...When you see how much you can give, you'll appreciate the simple abundance and richness of your life. 

I tried this when I was self-employed (a.k.a. broke) and starting my own business.  During the month of my 29th birthday, I gave something away each day (my birthday is in February, so it worked out to 29 days of giving).  By the end of the month, I felt like a million bucks.

This was not an original idea.  I heard about it on NPR.  If you'd like to try this and share with others who are giving things away, you can sign up for the "29 Gifts" project at http://www.29gifts.org/.  Or, read the book (available on Amazon here).  When you are done reading the book you can give it away. :)