Selfish Anonymous Donations
While I’m not rich, by the fact that I’m living in the United States and have a steady, well-paying job, I do realize that I’m ahead of much of the rest of the world. Some of this is due to living below my means and not getting into huge amounts of debt. However, a lot is simply due to the fortune of being born in the United States to a well-off family that has been very supportive in allowing educational pursuits. I realize that others have had it harder, and I understand that I’m very blessed.
As I continue through life I will continue live below my means and appreciate that being wealthy does not mean buying the biggest house, driving the latest luxury car, or pampering your kids so much that they don’t understand hard work. I do look forward to the day when my portfolio is large enough to not only support myself and my family, but also large enough that I can help others less fortunate.
There was a recent story entitled, Seattle man’s frugal life leaves rich legacy for 3 institutions, that was very inspiring. Basically, there was a Seattle attorney who secretly amassed a fortune of greater than $180 million through frugal living and stock investments. The amazing thing was that during his life, he did not act as one would typically think of someone with that kind of money. He used coupons, wore sweaters with holes, and took public transportation, all while donating to people in need. In fact, when he died recently at the age of 98, he left $187.6 million in a charitable trust to Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the University of Washington Law School, and the Salvation Army. Many of his donations were done anonymously.
While there is no way that I’ll be able to amass over $180 million, it would be absolutely amazing to have a small portion of that and make donations to people that are struggling or looking to advance in their education. Starting self-sustaining educational scholarships in the future is definitely a goal of mine.
Along those same lines, The Conservative Income Investor listed a collection of stories of Anonymous Christmas Tipping. It is a collection of inspiring stories of people leaving huge tips for hard working waitresses, anonymously paying off people’s bills, or making large anonymous donations to food pantries or the Salvation Army.
We can’t take money with us. What better way than to use it as the tool it is to alleviate the financial hardships of those around us?
