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It's easy to get caught up in the rush of the holidays and not stop to consider why you're spending so much money on gifts for friends and family. Does your Aunt Linda really need another scented candle? Or could you be using that $19.95 toward a better cause?
This is a good time of year to consider donating to a worthy organization — some might argue it's a more thoughtful way to spend your money than on more useless stuff that will clutter homes (and eventually, landfills). It's also worth pointing out that there are some financial benefits to giving to a charity you care about. Donations to approved nonprofits can be written off come tax time. (It might not seem like a lot of money, but you can't really argue with the idea that you can do good and save on taxes in one fell swoop.)
To get a sense of how much you could actually save, TurboTax has a really handy ItsDeductible™ calculator, where you plug in a few numbers and it estimates how much you'll save in taxes by making a donation. For example, in my tax bracket, my yearly $100 donation to National Public Radio nets me around $25 in savings. Just make sure you get a receipt for your donation; it's essential when making the deduction.
Ahead, we've rounded up 22 charities that you should consider donating to this December (many are women-focused and were suggested by the R29 community). In many cases, you can make the donation in the name of a friend or family member — and who wouldn't love such a thoughtful gift rather than another pair of novelty socks?
Is there a worthy charity you love to support? Share in the comments!
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