Almost eight in 10 Americans believe that karma is real. And, perhaps inspired by that notion, 84% say they will go out of their way to “pay it forward” whenever possible.
That’s according to a poll of 2,000 U.S. adults that tallied 84% as agreeing with the idea that ‘what goes around comes around’.
Whether it’s to align their cosmic mojo or simply acting on their human nature, the respondents reported they are “paying it forward” in a number of ways, including:
- treating their loved ones to something special (50%)
- giving generous tips (48%)
- helping out a neighbor by carrying their groceries or shoveling snow (46%)
- donating money to organizations or charities (40%)
Almost four in ten said they volunteered their time to help friends and family, or supported locally-owned businesses.
The average adult engages in five generous acts per week, which adds up to 260 random acts of kindness each year.
Beyond the mysterious karma benefit, these acts of paying it forward have real effects on more than those on the receiving end: Americans feel better about themselves (49%), their life overall (37%) and feel more confident (22%) when they extend kindness to others.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the banking app Chime, the survey found that 72 percent of adults considered themselves to be generous, even while 43% felt somewhat insecure financially.
Some of the biggest generous acts respondents have done for others included scenarios like:
- I opened my home for friend to move in during a health crisis.
- I overheard a waitress discussing some unexpected bills she was worried about covering so left her a $200 tip.
- I went to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina to work on restoring houses.
65% are likely to ‘keep the chain going’ and pay for the food of the person behind them in a drive-thru, if someone else paid for theirs.
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“We’re encouraged to see the ‘pay it forward’ spirit is alive and well in this country,” said Sara El-Amine, a VP at Chime.
No matter what triggers it, the results reveal that Americans are more than five times more likely to find their spirits are lifted more when they’re able to help someone else than when someone else helps them out (72% vs 13%).
Looking toward the future, a whopping 83% of respondents believe that they’d be even more generous if they were more financially secure.
“Feeling good about your finances can mean more than just adding commas to your bank account.”
Others are sure to benefit, too.
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