by Dr. Deborah Bauers

Created on: March 19, 2009   Last Updated: April 15, 2009

With our country in the middle of an economic recession, there are probably many around you that are struggling financially. Perhaps there are folks just down the street that are having trouble making ends meet. They could sure use a helping hand, and who better to reach out and offer assistance than someone in their own neighborhood? While you may not have the resources to help everyone, there are some creative ways to offer financial help to your neighbors, without causing them embarrassment or discomfort.

The newspapers are full of short sales and foreclosures and someone on your own street just might be among them. Large companies that have anchored our economy for several decades are closing their doors and leaving hundreds of people without jobs. Perhaps you know an individual living close by who is out of work. These are opportunities to lend a financial hand.

If your family has been blessed with the resources necessary to preserve it through this time of economic instability, then you have the opportunity to share some of what you have with others. And what is that old adage, "charity begins at home?" Home can be your own neighborhood.

*Get to Know Your Neighbors*

The first step in finding ways to help neighbors who are struggling financially is to get to know your neighbors. People who are experiencing any kind of difficulty find it much easier to accept the support of those who seem to genuinely care. Caring begins with taking the time to be a friend while getting to know the individual needs of those who live just down the street.

*Be Discreet and Help Neighbors Save Face*

How can you share your resources with your neighbors without insulting or embarrassing them? In the Chinese culture great emphasis is placed on always remembering, in every situation, to help others save face. An old Chinese proverb reads, "You don't need to use a hatchet to remove a fly from a man's face." In other words, there are some activities in life that require more finesse than others. Assisting a neighbor who has too much pride to simply accept a helping hand, is certainly one of those activities. So, how can you help a neighbor financially, and at the same time, help him save face?

*Give a Financial Gift Anonymously*

One of the easiest approaches might be to give a financial gift secretly so that the neighbor has no idea that it has come from you. It is almost impossible to refuse an anonymous gift. When you don't have a clue who the sender is, how can you give it back? There's

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