You can give generously on an ordinary income by deciding a percentage in advance, giving it first each payday, and raising it a little as your income grows.
Why ordinary incomes can give a lot
Generosity is about proportion and consistency, not size. A small, steady percentage given over decades adds up to a large amount. And people who give regularly often say it changes how they see the rest of their money.
What the research says
A 2008 study in the journal Science by Elizabeth Dunn, Lara Aknin and Michael Norton found that people who spent money on others reported more happiness than people who spent it on themselves, even when the amounts were small. Later studies by Aknin and colleagues found similar patterns across many countries, though at least one attempt to repeat the original experiment did not find a clear effect.
What it can't promise
Giving doesn't guarantee anything in return. And generosity should never leave your household without food, shelter or an emergency cushion.
The habit: plan your giving
- Choose a percentage you can give gladly. For some it's a tithe of 10%. For others it's a smaller starting point.
- Give it first, on payday, before other spending.
- Set it up automatically so it doesn't depend on remembering.
- Keep a small "spontaneous" fund for needs that come up: a friend in trouble, a coworker's fundraiser.
- Raise it gradually when you get a raise.
Generosity beyond money
Ordinary incomes can also give time, skills, meals, rides and hospitality. These often mean as much to people as money.
The rule that makes it stick: decide once
Decide your percentage once and automate it. Then you don't need to make the decision again every week, and generosity becomes the default.
This week
Choose your percentage and set up an automatic gift on your next payday.
The keep
Planned giving costs a portion of every paycheck. It builds a generous life, and a looser grip on the rest.
This article is for education only and isn't financial advice.
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