16 Small Ways To Pay It Forward Today

    A bit of couch change, a small effort, and a little smile can change a day (and maybe the world).

    Alex Alvarez
    by Alex Alvarez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Alex Alvarez / BuzzFeed

    1. Hold the door open for a stranger.

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    CAN'T STRESS THIS SIMPLE THING ENOUGH. When people spend a big chunk of the day having doors slammed in their faces, having someone briefly do something nice -- and even just acknowledge that they're there -- can mean a lot.

    2. Tape a buck or two to a vending machine.

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    If you go to school or work at a place with a vending machine, taping a dollar to the window means someone can enjoy a nice treat that now tastes EXTRA great.

    3. Leave quarters at the laundromat.

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    Plenty of people don't have the luxury of having a washer and dryer at home, and dragging your laundry down to get it cleaned is a major time suck and inconvenience. You can help make it a little less awful by leaving some couch change.

    4. Give your compliments to the chef (or the manager).

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    Working in a restaurant can be grueling work, often high stress with little reward and tons of jerks. Counteract that by letting a restaurant manager know when your waiter, waitress, or the person preparing your food has done an excellent job.

    5. Buy someone's coffee.

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    Next time you're in line at Starbuck's or McDonald's or what-have-you during the morning rush, offer to buy a coffee for the person behind you in line. It'll perk them up (along with the caffeine).

    6. Make a kit.

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    Take a sturdy plastic bag and fill it with toiletries and such -- tissues, toothpaste, a toothbrush, nail clippers, new socks, etc. -- and leave it, with a note saying it's up for grabs, at or near a homeless shelter. You can also leave some basic goods (socks and things like tampons and pads are especially needed) directly at a local shelter.

    7. Be a meter fairy.

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    You know, like the tooth fairy, except you leave extra change in the meter instead of under a pillow.

    8. Bake something.

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    Make a boring Tuesday something to celebrate by bringing cookies or some other type of treat to the office or a study group.

    9. Say good morning.

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    It's amazing how a little thing like wishing someone a good day can turn a crappy morning into one worth smiling about.

    10. Leave a note.

    Leave a Post-It with a nice message on a random spot -- a stranger's locker, maybe, on a library shelf, or in a restaurant bathroom. It's a simple and unobtrusive way of paying a compliment and making someone smile.

    11. Talk someone up.

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    The next time someone begins saying nasty things about someone you know, dissolve the negativity by pointing out something great about that person. You'll tamper down a bad situation and maybe even inspire someone to view another person in a new light.

    12. Donate clothes and shoes.

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    Find clothes and shoes in great condition that you no longer wear (or never did wear, as is the case for certain Christmas sweaters), and take them to your local Goodwill or Out Of The Closet today.

    13. Walk a pup in need.

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    Many animal shelters turn to volunteers to help walk dogs in need of a good home. As you walk, you can talk up the shelter to curious animal lovers and let them know their future pet could be waiting for them right now.

    14. Leave a gift card.

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    Leave a gift card for as much as you're willing to give (5 bucks can go a long way towards a family meal) somewhere in a grocery store with a note saying it's a gift for whoever finds it.

    15. Donate blood.

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    Not everyone is able to do this, but if you are, it's a quick and relatively easy way to help others out. Plus, you get a cookie.

    16. Offer a shoulder, or an ear.

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    Sometimes friends (or strangers) don't need advice or your take on things. Sometimes they just need to know that someone is willing to listen or just sit with them quietly. Be that someone.