If you were given $1,000 to change the life of a perfect stranger, what would you do?

Question

You may have heard about the concept of paying it forward -- the idea of doing something meaningful to help someone else without asking for anything in return. So, if you were given $1,000 with the understanding that it had to be used to help others, how would you use the money and why?

Answer 1

I would use it to buy food for a struggling family who can't afford to buy enough food for their kids.

we actually use to do that in school. you each bring in a gift for a family in your community and then your whole class wraps and delivers the gifts.

Answer 2

Best/most fuel efficient car, with working heat/ac.

Provides shelter, and mobility. It would also be possible for them to get to people who can further help them, like their family, and also provide transportation to work, making them more able to hold a job.

Answer 3

i would find someone really in need of it.. i watched oprahs big give and it broke my heart. if i had money to give i would do what they do. have it be very meaningful. paying it forward is amazing. the world should have more people like you in it.

Answer 4

I would use it for someone needing medical attention and can't afford it. I have a friend with diabetes and he can't afford the insulin and supplies it takes to manage it.

Answer 5

Pay a single mother's rent  

Answer 6

I'd start a website (I don't know how, and will learn now), and then make it about helping the world. I'd get a profession and take the side money to give it to others. I'd make the website a  see and share. How? You know how the world is so diverse, so different, so vast, strange, and the fact that it feels that we know it all, even though there's (I hope, something untapped by civilization that we don't know about), that we take it for granted? I would start a video crusade around the world and give 1000 dollars to people. I would have them say, in whatever language they speak, what they would do with it. Why? You

don't need to speak the person's language to know what they are saying. All you need is your eyes. You can see how people feel just by looking at their eyes, their faces, their hands, their voice, body language, and know how they feel.And because the whole world can see it, different people could see their people speaking of the experience. I would probably provide translations if it's a rare language, like my Romani .

For Mom's day, my family was in the Dominican Republic, and there out of sadness, I gave a girl everything I had on my purse. I was 15 and had no appreciation for cash, still don't, but instead see it as a first aid kit. Her name was Cecilia and she was 13 years old, and a mother of 2.  She lived close by my stepfathers' family land. With that, she bought a roof for her "once hut" and two beds. She and i are super close friends now. She's going to an University next year to study t6o be a pediatrician. I asked her if i could take pictures of her and her life and to tell me what the money did for her. She said, " Me dejo seca vajo la lluvia. No duermo en el piso. Soy gente. Y tengo amistad". " It left me dry under the rain. I don't sleep on the floor. I'm someone. And i have friendship".I can't forget those words, and as a teenager myself, it made me down to earth, and not to just be " Me, me ,me mee!". All I did for this was give about 13,200.00+ DOP, which i thought was less than $150. My mom thought i was nuts, and of course, grounded me.



I made those pictures into an album, and gave it to Mami.I didn't have a job(still don't, d**n economy downfall!!!), and no money, so this was the best i could do. My mom loved it, and now everytime a new guest visits she shows it to them, she tells them that for a kid that didn't know what almost 14000 pesos are, i was an awesome kid. I would make a website focused on helping people like this. It would be like Wikipedia, except it not only helps people know what's out there in the world, and helping others in need, but to appreciate all aspects of life.

I want to see and help other people try to go up in life with a little push.  I want the world to love it's people, and not have prejudice to any race. i want to inspire. I want to help people my age realize they have potential and have  good future (not just the debt baby boomers are leaving us with and have to worry if we can breath right with the horrible  atmosphere). I want people to believe they can make something. I'd spend my money on cheap flights and giving it to people because i know I'll never run out. If you have a good mind, you know you'll do great everywhere if you try. I want to let those less fortunate than I know that too. And I'd do it for life, because maybe i have no idea what i want to for a career ( okay, maybe Journalism and writing can be considered that), but that is something that will definitely happen. A life is something that is priceless, and will last a lifetime, so why not invest what you can on it? It sounds all so surreal, but it's what me and my big head would do. I guess I haven't been so down to earth huh?

Answer 7

with the economy the way it is now, I would buy food for the less privileged and the people who are struggling to make it by so they could have a little break.  

Answer 8

I would help a homeless or unemployed person. Thats a problem here in Michigan.

Answer 9

take my neighbor grocery shopping and fill up his/her gas tank

Answer 10

oh wow this is kinda hard..

well, first, i'd probably buy them some food, and make them a meal or two. ummm...well, if it were a kid I was helping, I would give them a pool or a trampoline, to give them exercise and to keep them "company"

if it were an adult, i really don't know what i'd do for them, to be honest (except for the food)

Answer 11

I would tell him to go to church everyday. Even sunday and wedenday that is how he can change his life....

Answer 12

I'd buy liquor and cigarettes for all the skid row bums and street kids in my nearest big city place. They love to party and it'd be sort of like giving a junkyard dog a biscuit, a real win win experience.

Answer 13

I would find a sad and lonely person who was also very pessimistic and pay for an experience where they can help others in the hope that they will find that giving of yourself can be a great present to yourself as well as the person who is helped.

I would take this stranger to a children's hospital ward with board games and other interactive fun games so that they can interact with the sick children and see how happy they are when they have new people spending time with them and taking their mind's off their illness.

The stranger will see that their life isn't so bad and every time they feel themselves getting sad or pessimistic they can remember how happy they made these sick children. With any luck, the stranger would continue to see the sick children.

Good deeds are often contagious and when others find out about what you are doing it can encourage others to do the same. The more we get out there and help others, the better off we will all be. It can even be something very small - for example, I was once driving over the Harbour Bridge and went to pay the toll and was told that the person in front had paid mine as well and wished me a happy day. I, of course, paid someone else's toll another day. This chain reaction of good deeds hopefully is still happening!

Answer 14

That's not much money to change a life...

I'd gave it to him and adviced him to put it in a bank for saving and wait for a while to collect more.

Answer 15

There is a family in my town that recently lost everything in a fire.  The Mom is a lady of 60  that has adopted 4 children in her later years.  Her husband is in a nursing home.  This lady always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude.  Even before losing the home they didn't have much.  I would hand her the 1000 dollars and have her do with it as she pleases.  I know she would make good choices for her family.  1000 dollars is not enough to change a persons life but I know it would help.  I know that your question said total stranger.  Well, I don't know her personally, just enough to say hello on the street.

Answer 16

I would use it to fly to africa and help the children there. Give them food and clean water.  

Answer 17

I would use it to help start back an adolescent game room of a friend who lost the building due to increase in rent.  The center was on a bad side of town.  No cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol was allowed and while having a lot of fun with the young boys (mostly), he taught them some morals and introduced them to the Bible.  The place is very much missed by the boys who frequented it.

Answer 18

i would use it on a bunch of elderly people who are sick and give them their last wish.

i would help someone in debt

and feed the hungry

Answer 19

I would post a sign a weekend in advance in my yard. I would throw a huge BBQ all welcome. I would introduce total strangers to each other. Play music, And run the BBQ till all hours.

Answer 20

just give him the money and let him spend it?

Answer 21

Thats a good question,

to be honest it really depends on there age..

If it was a child somewhat under the age of 18

I would help them with there school needs and probably help them have a nice enviorment. Of course 1 thousand dollars can go a long way if you use properly.

So focus of have the basics, probably some food, comfortable clothing and neccasary school supplies, anything to help there future, so they wont need the help when they grow up.

Although if it was an adult,

I would probably help them settle down in a home, and once again help them with the daily needs a person needs. Help them find a job, and have them have a good head start on there home by buying them some clothes and furniture.

All basically my opinion though.

Answer 22

$1,000 isn't really enough to change someone's life rather than enough to offer some small assistance.  It wouldn't even buy the plane ticket for another poster to fly to Africa to help out there.

If he/she were an alcoholic, I'd use it for a halfway house, rehab, etc.  If homeless, use as deposit for a small apartment and food.  The circumstances would dictate how I use the money to their benefit.

Answer 23

I would go to chicago and find a random homeless person.

Get them lunch,

take them to a store,

and buy them a few nice looking outfits to wear to a job interview.

This way,

he can make money

Answer 24

i would use it to pay for an expensive prostitute

Answer 25

take the cash and help myself. anyone who gives me that much money is a stranger, as I am to them, so I am the "perfect stranger".

Answer 26

i would give my bestfriend braces. she does not have enough money to pay for it right now, but the 1000 would help her