The other evening, my wife and I went to a school reception held for parents and alumni who donated at least a certain amount in the calendar school year. It was a warm, intimate gathering where we mingled with other parents, shared stories, and listened to the head of school and a couple of trustees talk about the importance of giving. The event was not only a thoughtful way to acknowledge contributors but also a chance to learn about new school initiatives.
As I stood there, I realized just how powerful the act of giving is. When you give, you become part of something bigger than yourself. You contribute to the collective well-being of a community. You see tangible evidence of your support in the smiling faces of children, in the opportunities created, and in the positive changes made possible.
Giving Feels Better Than Receiving Or Taking
One of the main reasons Financial Samurai has remained free since its inception in July 2009 is because it feels incredible to help others solve their financial problems.
Over the past 16 years, I’ve received thousands of messages from readers who’ve built more wealth than they thought possible, found the courage to negotiate better jobs, or even retired early to pursue their passions. That, in itself, has been the greatest reward for me, far greater than any subscription fee or paywall money could have provided.
But here’s the rub: when your household consists of dual unemployed parents, donating any significant amount of money can feel daunting. As I listened to the head of school thank the donors, I couldn’t help but wonder: can my wife and I really afford to donate another significant amount to the school next year?
Since our wealth isn’t unlimited, we also want to set aside a similar donation for the Pomeroy Rehabilitation Center, which supports individuals with injuries and disabilities. At the same time, we’re still about $30,000 a year short of reaching our ultimate passive income number.
The Delicate Balance Of Remaining Unemployed And Giving
When you are unemployed or FIRE, every dollar you give slightly increases your chances of having to go back to work or running out of money before you die. Giving while unemployed is, in many ways, an act of faith: faith that your investments will hold steady, faith that your expenses won’t balloon, and faith that your calculations about your safe withdrawal rate are correct.
Add in the responsibility of raising children in an uncertain world—especially one being reshaped by artificial intelligence—and the decision to give becomes even more complex. It’s not just about you anymore. It’s about ensuring your children have opportunities and will be safe.
We spend endless time debating safe withdrawal rates and the 4% Rule in personal finance circles. So when you give, that money really should come out of your withdrawal rate budget. If you’re nearing your safe limit yet still want to give, the prudent move is to trim your spending elsewhere. Otherwise, your generosity could come at the cost of your financial freedom.
And yet, even with all these considerations, the act of giving still calls to us. Why? Because the returns—emotional, psychological, even spiritual—are worth it. We just haven’t given as much as we’d like since leaving work in 2012 and 2015, respectively, because we’ve been so focused on keeping ahead of inflation while raising two children in costly San Francisco.
However, now that we have a larger financial cushion two years after buying a house we didn’t really need, we feel more comfortable giving larger amounts again. This post explores ways to give even without a steady active income. All ideas welcome!
Solutions To Giving When Unemployed Or FIRE
If you're unemployed or FIRE, here are four solutions that can help you still give.
1) Replace your expenses
Because my wife and I donated X amount in 2025, we agreed to cut back on other expenses by the same amount. The easiest area to slash was travel. Renting a vacation home in Hawaii for five weeks would have cost us $16,000–$26,000, depending on size and location. Instead, we stayed with family, my parents for four weeks and my aunt’s beach home for one week, and saved the difference.
That savings went straight into remodeling my parents’ in-law unit. Was it the same as sipping mai tais on the lanai of a $26,000 rental? Not even close. But it still felt meaningful. By redirecting money we would have spent on lifestyle luxuries, we were able to both give to the school and help improve my parents’ property.
2) Earn side income to give away
If cash flow is tight, create income streams specifically earmarked for giving. You can either donate all the side hustle income or a set percentage to an organization of your choice. I did a stint in a fintech startup but quickly realized it wasn’t for me. But at least it generated some extra cash to save, invest, spend, and give.
Afterward, I turned to personal finance consulting, helping individuals with one-on-one sessions. These not only promoted my book, Millionaire Milestones, but also generated extra income that I could donate and invest. It was a quadruple win that I'm considering bringing back before year-end.
Even a modest side hustle can fund meaningful donations. For someone who’s FIRE, this is an empowering way to stay engaged, sharpen skills, and still make a difference.
3) Donate appreciated investments
A tax-savvy way to give is by donating appreciated stock through a Donor-Advised Fund. You avoid capital gains taxes while the organization receives the full market value.
For example, suppose you bought Amazon stock for $10,000 a decade ago and it’s now worth $50,000. If you sold it, you’d owe over $13,000 in taxes if you live in California, leaving just $36,800 to donate. By donating the shares directly, the full $50,000 goes to the nonprofit, and you also receive a tax deduction. That’s a win-win.
This method is particularly attractive when you’re living off your portfolio. It allows you to be generous without putting additional strain on your withdrawal rate.
4) Donate your time
Finally, when money feels too tight, don’t discount the value of your time. In fact, time is often the most precious resource you can give. Volunteering at your child’s school, mentoring young professionals, or lending your expertise to a nonprofit board can create ripple effects far larger than a check ever could.
My wife volunteers to support teachers, helps with grade-wide and school-wide events, and contributes in other ways, such as through Girl Scouts. For example, she's going to school for two hours, three days a week for the next two weeks. I see the greater purpose and joy she has by being more involved. She also gets to interact more with the teachers and school administrators.
You will feel more connected with your community when you're physically present, meeting people, sharing knowledge, and helping solve problems in real time. Given you are unemployed or FIRE, donating your time is more feasible than those who are working.
Practice The Mindset Of Giving
One downside of FIRE is that it can make you overly cautious and stingy. You’re so conditioned to preserve your nest egg that generosity feels risky.
For example, if you feel you can only live off $30,000 a year and ride a bicycle, then there's certainly not much room in your budget to give. But ironically, giving often multiplies your returns in ways you can’t predict.
Not only does it feel fulfilling, but it can also open doors you never saw coming—new friendships, opportunities, even investments.
A friend of mine once met a venture capitalist at a charity function. That connection led to an early-stage investment in Anthropic, which 12X’d in value in less than two years. Sure, that’s luck. But it’s luck that wouldn’t have happened without showing up, giving, and engaging.
The truth is, you never know who you might inspire or who might one day lend a hand to you or your children.
Maybe one of you readers will become a bigwig 15 years from now, and if my kids are ever struggling to find work, you’ll remember the value you got from Financial Samurai and give them a shot. That would be amazing, and I will be forever grateful.
You just never know.
The Ripple Effect Of Generosity
At the end of the day, the exact dollar amount doesn’t matter the most. What matters most is participation. Giving is a practice, just like investing. You may never feel like you have “enough,” but if you can find a way to give—even a little—you’ll almost always end up richer in spirit.
Generosity is also contagious. When others see you give, they’re inspired to give too. At the event, I learned some parents contributed multiple times more than we did. I felt awe at both their generosity and their good fortune. Their example reminded me that giving is a spectrum, and we all have a role to play.
Financial independence gives us freedom. But true wealth comes from using that freedom to help others. You don’t need to be a billionaire philanthropist to make a difference. You just have to show up, contribute what you can, and keep practicing the habit of generosity.
And that’s exactly what I plan to do, whether I'm unemployed or not.
Readers, what are your thoughts on continuing to donate money while unemployed or FIRE? Is it irresponsible if you already feel on edge financially, or is giving still worth prioritizing? How do you personally find ways to keep giving when your active income dries up or becomes minimal?
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I am on the board of a non-profit, and we value donated time. In fact, it can be difficult to find members that want to fill the board and officer positions. Donating money is the easy way out.
And, there is a certain quid pro quo in the non-profit world. For instance, our neighbors donate money to their church, and I see the parishioners doing a fair bit of “free” landscaping around that house. One way or another, donations flow back to the donor.
Fascinating insights on the free landscaping! Never heard of such a thing.
I have heard of parents who decided to donate a lot of money after they discovered their children have been very problematic in school. By so doing, there may be more grace from the administrators to not overly punish their children and hopefully work toward some solutions that help both children and their classmates.
Finding a way to balance cash donations and time volunteering can be really fulfilling. There have definitely been periods when my schedule was so overloaded I had no time to spare. That’s when I solely lean into donating funds. When my budget is tight and/or I have more free time, I ramp up my volunteer hours. Organizations like non profits and schools pretty much always need both. So it’s easy to go back and forth between the two. At the end of the day, only donate funds that you’re financially comfortable with otherwise it won’t end up sitting well with you and could hurt your finances. Even small modest amounts are always appreciated over nothing at all and time too.