20 random acts of kindness for $5 or less

i love valentine's day for one big reason: it's the perfect excuse to love on people. 

i'm not necessarily talking about your spouse or boo. i'm talkin' about the mailman, your grandma & the stranger at the grocery store. it's a day to love on those marginalized folk who need a hug & a little "i'm thinkin' of you."

of course, random acts of kindness can get pricey. we sometimes feel like we don't have the time, means or finances for frivolous gifts or kind gestures. got kiddos? get the whole family involved & make it a day of fun! skip your afternoon coffee & save that $5 for valentine's day when you can rock another's day! we all have five bucks & five minutes for another, friends.

 today i am sharing 20 random acts of kindness that cost $5 or less!

1. stop by the plant nursery & pick up your favorite small house plant. replant it in a hand-painted terra cotta pot & gift it to your favorite teacher for his or her classroom!

2. make handmade stationery & write a card to your grandma!

3. buy a $5 bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store & gift it to your favorite single lady!

4. print off free printables from pinterest & gift them to your best gal pals!

5. collect a stack of your favorite movies & share them with a friend who's under the weather!

6. buy a friend her favorite cinnamon roll & drop it by her house with the text, "you've been rolled!"

7. write words of encouragement on post-it notes & stick them to car windows in the grocery store parking lot!

8. bake chocolate chip cookies for the mail carrier! 

9. gift your favorite gal pals fake tattoos & spend the evening acting like you're 18 again!

10. write a handwritten note to your in-laws thanking them for the gift of their family!

11. host a movie night at your house for your youth group! pop some popcorn & watch scary movies!

12. purchase a $5 gift card to your favorite coffee shop & place it in a public place with a little note that says "you are loved!" 

13. print a 5x7 recent photo of your friend's kiddos from facebook & frame it. gift it to her on valentine's day! you know she probably feels like she doesn't have time to do it herself!

14. write a haiku poem for a friend in a funk creatively sharing just how awesome she really is!

15. purchase colorful nail polish from walgreens & host a girls' night in (with lots of chocolate) for all of your single lady friends!

16. write lunch box notes & give them to your kiddos to share with their friends in the lunch line!

17. bake your favorite dessert for the nearby nursing home! bonus points if you dress up as cupid & deliver them!

18. invite your neighbors over for dinner!

19. sneak into your parents' house & clean their kitchen! 

20. pay for the stranger's coffee behind you in the starbucks drive-thru line!

i'd love to read your favorite random acts of kindness! please share!

love,

natalie

p.s. if you'd like to play along & share your random acts of kindness for $5 from this list or your own imagination, tag your photos on instagram with #createrandomacts ... yay!