You are not fooling me. Most New Year's resolutions are for your own benefit. Help others with your resolve in the new year. Here are 6 things you can do that will help out your community and not hurt your wallet.

1. Turn off the t.v. Especially if you think you are too busy to help anyone. You'd be surprised how much time is cleared from your schedule when your friends ESPN, CNN, and HBO are gone.

2. Start local. I mean very local. Who lives in your house? Does that kid, parent, or partner of yours need a little love and attention? Set aside some time each day to have quality time with those closest to you. Listen to that person. Share your life. Create art together, sing a song, and tell jokes. Have fun just being together.

3. Build community. Nurture friendships. Call people. Visit. Grow your support network in your life. Write thank you notes, or at least tell people thank you when they do something nice. It is so nice to be appreciated and it feels good to appreciate others. 

4. Volunteer for your favorite nonprofit. Nonprofits need more than money.  What are you good at?  Here are some common ways to help out a community organization without donating money.

• Help make the place beautiful. Consider gardening, cleaning, or donating a piece of artwork.
• Work at a local event or fundraiser.
• See if you can use the skills from your day job. We always needed a computer person where I worked. It would take someone skilled 5 minutes to do what it took an office of social workers an hour to figure out. 

5. Be good to the environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Consume less. Plant a garden. Ride your bike. 

6. Help out a writer. Read. Share the good writing with a friend.

Do you "do" resolutions?  Have you found a way to help out that doesn't require money?