by Raven Lebeau

Created on: March 19, 2009   Last Updated: February 08, 2010

Financial difficulties are often a source of personal embarrassment. If one of your neighbors is suffering financial hardship, an outright offer of assistance may well be refused out of pride. That does not mean you can't help a friend in financial need, but you may need to be creative about how you do it. Here are some ways to help out without causing embarrassment:

1. Donate items you "don't need" (even if you just purchased them).

If your neighbor is struggling to buy school clothes for children, you can offer some hand-me downs from your own kids or you can tell a little white lie about a brand new item. For example, you could say that your sister purchased a jacket that doesn't fit your daughter and then offer it to your neighbor for her own child.  Mention that you got a great deal by buying groceries in bulk and then say that you can't possibly eat all of them before they go bad. 

2.  Offer advice by discussing your own savings strategies. 

Instead of giving your neighbor tips on how he can save money, mention the money you've been saving at the discount grocery store or all of the cash you were able to collect by holding a garage sale.  Hopefully, your neighbor will learn from your example.   

3. Exchange services.

Trading babysitting, pet sitting, yard work, cleaning, and home repair work is a great way for everyone involved to save a few bucks. If your neighbor is able to provide a service in exchange for a service, then it won't feel so much like taking charity.

4. Purchase items your neighbor no longer uses.

Maybe your kids could get some use out of your neighbors' old baby toys, or perhaps you would like to fix up that old car in your neighbor's driveway. If your neighbor isn't using something that you could use, offer to pay a more-than-fair price for it.

5. Serve as a reference.

Finding enough references for a job application can be difficult, especially if you neighbor worked at the same job for many years before being laid off or fired. Offer to write a letter of recommendation or serve as a character reference. You may not have direct experience with that person as an employee, but you can testify that he or she has been a polite neighbor and has shown good character.

6. Put in a good word.

Depending on where you work, you may be able to help your neighbor find a job with your employer. You can also check with your network of contacts and see if anyone knows of available openings that might be a good fit for your neighbor. Helping him or her become financially self-sufficient is the best form of assistance you can give.

7. Hire your neighbor.

Maybe your neighbor has a special skill like home or auto repair. If this is the case, than hiring that person will be particularly easy. If not, then you can still probably think of something with which you could use an extra hand. Perhaps you could pay your neighbor to watch your children, help with the yard, or do your grocery shopping. Having genuinely useful work to do will help build your neighbor's self-esteem and also help ends meet.

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