Be Someone's Santa. GIVE.

I love a bargain. I love to save money and to get the best deal when I have to spend money. But I have also learned that keeping all the money that I save is a mistake. When I keep everything for myself, I find that my life is totally out of balance. A balanced life includes both saving and giving. So I make sure that I give a portion of my money and my time to my church and to selected charities.

In this holiday season, with so many people in need, giving has become a necessity. So if you have saved any money or time by following FREEISMYLIFE over 2009, I encourage you to give some of it back to help others.

If you are interested in giving to a world charity, consider Nothing But Nets, a charity that my son is working with through scouting that is helping to end malaria deaths in Africa by providing insecticide treated bed nets.

If you are want to help women and keep your money local, consider The White House Project Project and Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment (SAFE).

> For the WHITE HOUSE PROJECT Project, the Michigan Women's Forum is trying to raise $1,000 to fund workshops and training that will equip Michigan women with the tools they need to get involved in leadership.

> And SAFE is doing the difficult job of equipping survivors of domestic violence with the appropriate financial tools and resources needed to enable these women to leave or recover from the economic portion of domestic violence.

If you want to help children, consider The Detroit Area Diaper Bank, a local charity that is providing diapers to families that cannot afford to buy them.

If you don't have the money to give right now, consider giving your time by volunteering at a charity or even just volunteering at your child's school when school reconvenes.

You can even do something as simple as helping to give FREE mammograms by going to the Breast Cancer site everyday and clicking on their "'donate a mammogram" link.

Whatever you do, know that there is nothing too small when it comes to giving. Take it from me, you will feel better and be blessed in ways that you never thought.

So, be someone's Santa during this holiday season. Give.