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April 15 Is Tax-Filing Deadline This Year

As of January 27, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has started accepting tax returns for the 2019 tax season. The deadline is set for Wednesday, April 15. However, you may be able to get an extension past the due date if you need more time to gather additional filing information. The documents you’ll need will depend on your employment or income situation.

For W-2 employees—or those who are employed in a company or receive a salary through a payroll—you’ll need a Wage and Tax statement. You’ll need to have this from every employer you’ve had in 2019. Basically, this W-2 document shows how much you’ve earned for the year in the time you’ve spent with that employer (and how much was taken for tax purposes from your salary). Typically, this is given out by employers around the last week of January or the first few days of February.

Independent contractors or freelancers will need the 1099-MISC form. It’s essentially the same as the W-2.

If you still haven’t received anything from your employers by mid-February, you shouldn’t just wait it out. What you should do is contact your employer or their department responsible and request a copy. If they’re not able to do so for any reason or if you still haven’t received anything when February comes to a close, you can contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to request for assistance

After you’ve filed your taxes, you should receive your tax refund more or less after 21 business days. If you still haven’t received notices by then, give it a short allowance of three to five more days before you try contacting the IRS to inquire.

‘It’s Almost the Deadline. What Do I Do?’

If for some reason you still don’t have the proper documents and the deadline is just around the corner, you still have a way out. Of course, you must use the correct documents and forms. But if they don’t seem like they’re arriving any time soon (or if they have faulty information), you should take an alternative option.

Form 4852 is pretty much a substitute for the W-2 and 1099 forms. You can use this to file your taxes if you don’t have the correct ones. You’ll basically give an estimate of your salary and the taxes withheld during the year it covers. However, there might be a delay in your tax refund because the IRS would still need to verify the information.

Think It’s Stressful Filing Taxes? There Are Those Who Have It Far Worse

Year after year, you head down to the IRS office to file your taxes. It can be pretty stressful at times, especially when some things don’t go your way and there are delays.

Still, you should be thankful because filing taxes just means you have a source of income. Others in your community, unfortunately, don’t. They are burdened with disabilities, lack education, don’t have homes, and struggle to find where they will get their next meal. These disadvantaged individuals are down in life’s gutter, and every day is a battle for survival.

Know that you can easily extend your support to these needy people. All you have to do is to donate a car you don’t use anymore to us at Goodwill Car Donations.

When you do so, you’ll be disposing of your unwanted clunker in the most convenient way possible. At the same time, you’ll be helping enhance the lives of the disadvantaged members of your community.

We’ll auction off your vehicle and invest the proceeds directly into the community-building programs of the Goodwill organizations in your area. Thus, the funding from the sale of your vehicle goes straight back into your community since we’ll use it to provide our beneficiaries in your area with job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, youth employment, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Becoming our donor will entitle to receive a handsome tax deduction. We’ll also provide you with our free pick-up and towing service.

We accept nearly all vehicle types regardless of their age or condition.

For more information on our car donation program, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, you may call us at 866-233-8586 or write to us online.

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Help Us Transform Lives

Be the hero that your community needs. Call us at 866-233-8586 or fill out our online donation form and help us transform lives with your car donation now!

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5 Reasons to Donate an Old Car on National Car Donation Month

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again! People decorate their homes with beautiful Christmas decors; friends and families exchange gifts, and kids excitedly await the arrival of Santa. Let’s not forget, however, the true essence of the holiday season: sharing happiness to the poor.

There are so many ways you can help out. You can do volunteer work, give away your old clothes to the poor, or offer meals to the homeless. And if you happen to own an old car that you no longer use, you might want to donate it to a charity that accepts such a donation. December is National Car Donation Month after all!

Since December is a season for charitable giving, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it was designated as the month for car donations. Americans are encouraged to donate their unneeded vehicles to nonprofits that support various charitable causes. To repay them for their generosity, donors are rewarded with hefty tax deductions, making it a jolly Christmas for everybody!

 

5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Donating Your Old Car to Charity

Unless you really need to sell your car for the money, donating it to charity sounds like the best way to get it off your hands. Think about it: When you donate, you don’t have to waste your time, energy, and money looking for a buyer. You don’t have to take your beater to the auto repair shop, which will surely cost you plenty of hard-earned cash. You’ll be doing yourself a big favor!

So why should you take part in National Car Donation Month? Here are five good reasons:

1. Receive a top tax deduction.

Through tax credit, you can get back the value of your donated vehicle after donating it since your donation is 100-percent tax-deductible. Just be sure that your chosen charity works with IRS-certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or is a 501(c)3 nonprofit itself.

2. Get your vehicle towed at no cost.

In case you’re not aware, there are many online vehicle donation platforms that offer free vehicle removal. One of them is Goodwill Car Donations.

3. No documents to deal with.

Most, if not all, online vehicle donation platforms have teams of professionals handling paperwork-related tasks on behalf of their donors. If you’re like most people who have little patience when it comes to processing documents, then the services provided by a donor-friendly online donation platform will surely satisfy you.

4. Stop paying for costly fees.

With your car no longer in your possession, you can finally bid goodbye to the financial woes it has been giving you. You can now save the money that you would have otherwise spent to pay for your car’s repair, maintenance, registration, and insurance coverage.

5. You’ll support a cause that’s close to your heart.

Whether you’re making a charitable contribution for the benefit of disabled individuals or cancer patients, one thing is for certain: Your donation will play a significant role in improving their lives. That would be something you’d be proud of.

Do you Want to Make a Difference in Your Community?

Are you still on the hunt for an ideal vehicle donation platform that you can team up with on National Car Donation Month? Well, it looks like your search is over. We at Goodwill Car Donations will be more than glad to take your clunker!

We are committed to supporting individuals burdened with disabilities and other disadvantages that are preventing them from breaking free from poverty and gaining financial independence.

Through your donation, you’ll help us in providing them with life-enhancing services such as skills and job training, scholarships, youth employment, livelihood, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services. Thus, thanks to your donation, once idle individuals can be empowered to support themselves and their families and become productive members of your community and society.

Your car doesn’t have to be in good shape when you hand it over to us. Donating to us will only take a few minutes of your time. That’s the time you’ll spend in contacting us, which is the only task you’ll be doing. Our team will manage all your paperwork and coordinate with a local towing company to haul your vehicle away at no cost to you.

It might also interest you to know that we accept for a donation not just cars but other types of vehicles as well, including trucks, RVs, boats, Jet Skis, motorcycles, vans, golf carts, snowmobiles, and many others. We accept even worn-out vehicles that are hardly running.

For more information about our vehicle donation program, feel free to visit our FAQs page. Do you have any questions for us? Leave us a message online or talk to one of our donation specialists at 866-233-8586.

Make a Donation with Us Now!

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While you can donate to us anytime you wish, it’s extra special when you do it on National Car Donation Month. Plus, it might just be the best Christmas present you can give to the disadvantaged individuals and their families in your own community. Call us today at 866-233-8586 or fill out our online donation form right here on this page to get started with your vehicle donation now!

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How to Get the Most Out of a Mentorship

There’s nothing like an awesome mentor to help you navigate through college and eventually into the job market and your chosen career. If you’ve already found a seasoned pro to guide you, congratulations! Not only will your mentor take you under their wing and teach you new skills, but they will also give you long-term career advice that will help you steer clear of the common pitfalls along the road to success.

When you get the most out of the time that you and your mentor put in, you’ll get to keep your goals on track and you’ll get from point A to point B faster than when you are without someone to guide you. Maximizing your mentorship can cause you to make intelligent decisions as you stay firmly in the process.

Tips on How to Get the Most Out of a Mentorship

Just in case you’re one of a thousand others who are still in search of someone who can give them guidance and support, know that mentoring relationships are not always labeled clearly. For instance, people sometimes fail to realize that they’ve had many mentors throughout their lifetimes – a junior league baseball coach, a college professor, a spiritual leader, or a work supervisor.

It’s best to put your focus on nurturing the existing professional relationships that you already have and allow mentoring relationships to develop simultaneously. A great mentor is usually someone who you already know and trust. Once you’ve locked down on one, you’ll need to be upfront with what your goals and needs are to enable your mentor to best guide you.

To give you an idea on how to get the most out of a mentorship, Goodwill Car Donations invites you to take a look at these tips.

1. Take the initiative.

You’ll need to understand that it’s your responsibility to drive the mentoring relationship. Don’t wait for your mentor to offer you advice. Actively seek it out by asking questions that will cause them to reveal to you their trade secrets. You can eventually ask your mentor to evaluate your progress as you make use of their shared strategies in your work.

2. Respect their time.

It can be tempting to maintain constant communication with a mentor who gladly provides guidance. However, it’s important to remember that they don’t have an unlimited amount of time to spend with you. In case you forget, your mentor has a life to live as well. To make sure that you’re not burdening your mentor while you benefit from their mentorship, it would make a difference if you aim to meet with them for no longer than an hour and once in a few weeks only.

While you’re at it, be clear with what you need with each of your visits by writing down the key areas that you need them to address. Your mentor will appreciate your being mindful of their time and your desire to remain structured and organized. If regular visits are not possible, you can choose to go for email correspondence instead.

3. Reciprocate.

A mentoring relationship is a two-way treat – you shouldn’t be the only one who gains something from it. Since learning is the core of your relationship and reciprocity is expected, your mentor might want to hear your opinion on how they can more effectively give advice.

 

Help Others Achieve Success

Learning from others is important in achieving personal and professional success. If you want to help the people in your community who are burdened with disabilities, lack of education, and other personal barriers to employment and a poverty-free life, consider donating your unwanted vehicle to Goodwill Car Donations.

We will auction off your donated vehicle and use the proceeds to support the critical programs of the Goodwill organizations in your local area that cater to these people. Their programs provide them with free access to job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, youth employment, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Aside from helping the less fortunate people in your community achieve success, your vehicle donation will also entitle you to receive a set of rewards, including a top tax deduction in the next tax season. Moreover, you can count on us to take care of all your donation paperwork and provide you with a quick and convenient towing of your vehicle, which won’t cost you a single dime!

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations and our donation process, feel free to visit our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call at our toll-free hotline 866-233-8586 or send us your message online.

You can make your car donation by filling out our secure online donation form here or calling us directly.

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Help Boost Your Community with a Car Donation!

It’s never too late to do your share in building and strengthening your community. Decide to make a huge impact by taking part in our vehicle donation program today. Dial 866-233-8586 to get started!

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How Does an Apprenticeship Work?

You’ve probably come across the term “apprenticeship” a number of times and read about those companies that are benefiting from this program. You may then wonder, how does an apprenticeship work? What are its ins and outs?

Apprenticeship is becoming more and more popular throughout the United States. In our fast-paced world, every industry is trying to keep up with the changing trends—and apprenticeship is one of those trends. It’s no wonder that many businesses are sponsoring apprenticeships since they need many more skilled workers to help them increase their productivity.

This has made many people realize that a four-year course at a university is not the only ticket to a fulfilling and well-compensated career. With this realization, many are now taking part in apprenticeship programs. If you’re on the lookout for a pathway to a high-paying job that doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree, consider enlisting in one of these programs.

What Are Apprenticeship Programs?

Apprenticeship programs allow participants to have a paid job while acquiring knowledge through classroom-based instruction and developing skills through hands-on experience. Usually, you’ll be required to take some classes and training courses for at least once a week at a college or a skill training center.

An apprenticeship program generally takes a maximum of six years to complete. By the end of the required period, an apprentice would be able to receive their training certificate. This will qualify them to perform specific tasks in the company they’re working for. However, apprentices are not obliged to continue working in the company that trained them; they are free to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Participating in an apprenticeship program is also a great way for students to get a head start on their chosen career without the burden of paying for college tuition. Since you’ll be able to work earlier than others, such a program offers a huge potential for you to work your way up to your chosen career in a short span of time.

How Do You Apply for Apprenticeships?

To be able to apply for an apprenticeship, you’d have to be at least 16 years old with a high school diploma. However, other programs might require you to be at least 18 years old.

Qualifications such as educational level, skills, ability to perform tasks, and competency for the essential functions of the job may also be required. Your past work experience, aptitude tests, report cards, and interview would also affect your chances of getting hired.

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Apprenticeship Salary

An apprentice usually has a lower starting rate compared to a university graduate working for the first time. On average, an apprentice starts earning as much as $15 per hour, but the rates depend on the type of industry one has entered.

For instance, an electrical apprentice could earn as much as $24,125 a year while a hairdresser may earn at least $13,000 annually. It is also possible to qualify for a raise if you’ve worked for a specific industry for several years.

Tackle Unemployment in Your Local Area!

Apprenticeships are some of the programs offered by Goodwill Industries to provide jobs to disadvantaged individuals looking for ways to support themselves and their families.

You can join us in our mission to provide life-transforming assistance to these individuals. All you have to do is donate to Goodwill Car Donations any old and unwanted vehicle that’s just gathering dust in your backyard or garage. We will turn that clunker into a powerful tool to enable our underprivileged fellow Americans to overcome their limitations and harness their full potential so they can free themselves from poverty through learning and work.

We will auction off your donated vehicle and use the proceeds to support the programs of the Goodwill organizations based in your area. These organizations provide their beneficiaries with job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, youth employment, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Aside from a deep sense of personal satisfaction that you’ll get from knowing that you’ll be helping transform lives, you’ll also get to enjoy our free pickup and towing services and our quick, convenient, and no-paperwork donation process. Moreover, your charitable contribution will entitle you to receive the maximum allowable tax deduction based on the selling price of your vehicle in the next tax season.

To know more about our vehicle donation program, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call at 866-233-8586 or send us an online message.

If you need more information about how everything works, just send us a message online or check out our FAQs page. You can make your car donation by either calling us directly or filling out our secure online donation form here.

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Make a Huge Impact in Your Community with Your Car Donation

It’s never too late to build and strengthen your community. Decide to make a huge impact now! Call us at 866-233-8586 and get started with your car donation!

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The 3 Basic Rules of Thrifting You Should Know

If you’re someone who wants to add new items in your wardrobe or change the look of your living room without emptying your wallet, then thrifting is something that should greatly interest you. There’s something special about uncovering unique treasures that others have failed to find. If you want to know what we’re talking about, then go ahead and visit a thrift shop nearest you. It will be a special occasion if you do it on August 17 – National Thrift Shop Day!

You may feel like you could rule the world once you get to know how and where to look at when shopping at a thrift store. Thrift shopping is definitely not for the faint of heart. It takes a whole lot of patience and determination to locate an expensive designer outfit still with its original tags buried under a huge pile of clothes. Scoring gems like this can certainly warm the cockles of one’s heart.

Whether you’re planning to dress up your patio set or redesign a graphic tee, you won’t be able to accomplish your thrift shopping mission without having a clue about the three basic rules of thrifting you should know. Before you head down to the nearest specialty thrift store, Goodwill Car Donations gives you a head start with these rules:

1. Get in the right headspace.

A person who thinks that thrifting is absolutely beneath them or that it’s gross will never be able to appreciate the items that can be found at a thrift shop even if they’re the priceless variety. If you’ve decided to go shopping at a thrift store, you have to get in there with an open heart and mind and not act like someone who’s afraid to get the heebie-jeebies after touching the items. Remember that treasures are waiting to be discovered.

2. Have a strategy.

Be warned: Thrift stores can be extremely overwhelming. Straying off your desired path and losing your focus will get you sucked down a rabbit hole. If you don’t want to waste an hour browsing through piles of used VHS tapes, you’ll want to have a strategy before you step inside the store.

The best thing to do is to create a must-find list and write down the specific items that you want to look for. Once you get to the thrift store, make a mental note to start in the section where you’ll most likely find those items.

3. Scan through everything.

You don’t have to scoot every hanger on the rack or every item on the shelf. You can just take a slow walk down the aisle as you make use of your scanning powers. Keep your eyes open for items that may fit your style perfectly.

Do You Want to Donate an Unwanted Vehicle?

Do you have a rusty old vehicle that you need to dispose of? Did you know that your seemingly worthless car, truck, or van could serve as a powerful instrument to transform the lives of poor and disadvantaged people in your community? You can make this happen by donating your clunker to Goodwill Car Donations. We will sell your vehicle via auction and use the generated funds to support the programs of the Goodwill organizations nearest your location. These nonprofits cater to individuals who are saddled with disabilities, lack of education, poverty, and other circumstances that prevent them from accessing opportunities for employment and personal growth.

Goodwill provides its beneficiaries with skills and job training, career development and placement, scholarships, youth employment, livelihood, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Aside from making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate people in your community, your donation will entitle you to get a top tax deduction in the next tax season. Moreover, you can count on us to provide you with a quick and convenient towing of your vehicle, which won’t cost you a single dime!

You can make your vehicle donation right this moment by filling out our secure online donation form here or calling us at 866-233-8586.

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations and our donation process, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call anytime at our toll-free hotline or send us an online message.

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Transform Lives with Your Car Donation!

Are you ready to be a blessing to your less fortunate fellow Americans and to your community? Call us at 866-233-8586 and begin transforming their lives with your car donation!

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3 Common Challenges to Going Back to School as an Adult

Did you know that more adults ages 25 and above are going back to college to finish their courses or take up new ones? In fact, according to the United States Education Department, the total number of adult learners in the country today comprises more than 40% of those who are enrolled in various colleges and universities. Moreover, authorities estimate that based on the current trend, the number of students who are older than 25 years will increase to over 9 million by 2024.

Although numerous benefits await adult learners when they go back to college, a vast array of hurdles await them as well. Goodwill Car Donations is here to give you a fresh perspective about the three common challenges to going back to school as an adult.

1. Lack of Time

We all know that before people decide to pursue their education, a willingness to commit a huge amount of time for school is required. However, when you’re an adult learner who has a job and a family to attend to, creatively balancing all your commitments can be tricky. Although it may be possible for you to squeeze everything in into your packed schedule, there’s always the question of whether you’ll have enough energy left to finish all the work that you need to do.

2. Lack of Financial Resources

Whether you like it or not, money will always be a big issue when it comes to pursuing an education as an adult learner. In fact, when you factor in mortgage payments, daycare costs, and utilities, the cost of adult learning can be prohibitive. While going back to college may promise career progression, generating the funds for your tuition, books, and supplies is not always easy.

3. Accessibility

Another issue that adult students face is the accessibility to their classes. Other responsibilities that require extensive time commitments can make it extremely challenging for them to attend classes during regular school hours. As most adult learners schedule their classes during the evening or on weekends, many of them ultimately find it difficult to succeed at school.

Regardless of your motivation for going back to school—to set out on a different career path, or to qualify for a promotion, or to make more money, or to simply be more competitive in the current job market—your experience as an adult learner will pose a unique set of challenges that can sometimes be intimidating. However, if you enter into this experience with open eyes, enough persistence and preparation, you can surmount these challenges and attain your education goal.

Donate Your Car to Transform Lives!

If you have a car that you want to get rid of, why don’t you donate it to Goodwill Car Donations? We’ll use it to transform the lives of the poor and disadvantaged people in your community. After we auction off your vehicle, we’ll use the proceeds to help fund the programs and services that are being provided to your community by the Goodwill organizations nearest your location. These nonprofits cater to disadvantaged residents, offering them job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, youth employment, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Aside from the satisfaction that you’ll get from knowing that you’ll be helping transform lives, your vehicle donation will also enable you to receive incentives such as free pickup and towing services and the 100% tax-deductible sales receipt that we will promptly mail to you following the sale of your donated vehicle. This receipt will entitle you to receive a top tax deduction in the next tax season.

You can get started with your car donation right now by filling out our secure online donation form here or calling us at 866-233-8586. We accept almost all types of vehicles regardless of their age, mileage, and condition, and whether or not they’re in good running condition.

To know more about our vehicle donation program, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call at our toll-free hotline or send us a message online.

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This Could Be Your Best Move This Year

Donating your unwanted vehicle to Goodwill Car Donations will not only help you resolve your clunker problem, but it will also help the needy people in your community get back on their feet. Do something extraordinary today. Call us at 866-233-8586 and donate your old car today!

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Top 9 Things to AVOID at a Thrift Store

Shopping at a thrift store for the first time? Well, that’s a splendid idea! Not only do you get to browse through racks of designer clothes and antique home decors, but you also get to buy them at a fraction of their retail prices, saving you huge bucks.

However, you need to be vigilant on what you’re trying to purchase. Since you’re dealing with mostly secondhand items, it’s best that you examine them thoroughly first before taking them to the counter. You wouldn’t want to buy a shirt, only to discover later on that it has a hole in it, would you?

Also, you may need to know which items to avoid buying altogether, despite how cheap and good-looking they may be. Find out what these items are on our list of top 9 things to avoid at a thrift store:

1. Underwear

It’s totally fine to wear dresses or jeans that have been worn by another person before. As for underwear, that’s just a different story. Unless they still look brand new with tags attached to them, never buy undergarments as well as bathing suits from a thrift shop.

2. Anything with stains

Clothing, fabric, towel, bedsheet, or pretty much anything that has stains on it should be avoided at all costs—unless you don’t mind having contaminants all over your body. It’s most likely that the original owner has already tried to remove the stain on the material before but to no avail, which explains why they ended up donating it.

3. Cosmetic products

Don’t fall for the super cheap deals on makeup as there’s a huge chance that they’re already outdated. Although you might find these cosmetic products still sealed inside their container, it’s more than possible that they’ve passed their expiration date. A $1 Cover Girl lipstick that you’ve chanced upon might lead to an allergic reaction.

4. Upholstered items

Any furniture that can’t be washed should be left alone. For instance, you might be bringing home a sofa that harbors termites, molds, pet stains, or who-knows-what other harmful germs. You’d probably think that you scored a great deal with a furniture piece, but imagine the horror when you find swarms of mites in it.

5. Plastic containers

One simple reason: Plastics tend to absorb unpleasant smells. Besides, you can always buy cheap containers in retail stores.

6. Old dishware

Just because something has an interesting vintage style doesn’t mean that you should add it to your kitchen set. Remember, the older they are, the more likely they contain lead or other hazardous substances. You can always put them up for display, though.

7. Old shoes

While buying a pair of shoes at a thrift store can be a huge money-saver, it’s certainly not a good idea, especially if you’re opting for running shoes. People donate their shoes for a reason: Either they no longer want it or the shoes are already starting to fall apart. If you can’t help buying a pair of Nike Air, don’t be surprised when you experience foot pain later on.

8. Appliances that can’t be tested

Sure, secondhand shops are filled with super cheap appliances, but do you think they’re really in good condition? Whether it’s a refrigerator, food processor, or washing machine, make sure that you’re allowed to test the appliance before making your purchase.

9. Anything that smells

Lastly, any item that has a foul or pungent stench should be avoided. It’s common sense, really.

Help Disadvantaged Individuals in Your Area

Got an old car or truck that you no longer find useful? Hand it over to Goodwill Car Donations! Doing so gives you the opportunity to uplift the lives of the disadvantaged people in your community.

We sell at auction all vehicles donated to us and use the proceeds to support the critical community-based programs of the Goodwill nonprofits in your area that cater to underprivileged individuals. They include those who are unable to find jobs because of their disabilities, lack of education, and other personal circumstances.

These IRS-certified 501(c)(3) Goodwill organizations use the funds to sustain their delivery of various essential services to your community such as skills and job training, career development and placement, scholarships, youth employment, livelihood, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Those who take advantage of our job training programs are taught skills best suited for them, enabling them to qualify for stable and decent jobs.

Our donors also get to receive great rewards, including maximum tax deductions based on the selling price of their donated vehicles.

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations, check out our FAQs page. If you have questions, give us a call at our toll-free hotline 866-233-8586 or send us your message online.

You can make your car donation by either calling us directly or filling out our secure online donation form here.

Impact Lives with Your Car Donation!

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Just like the old merchandise sold at thrift stores, your old and unwanted car can still be of use—not only to its buyer at auction but also to the disadvantaged people in your community who stand to benefit from the additional funds that Goodwill organizations will have in delivering services intended for them. Call us at 866-233-8586 and impact the lives of your less fortunate fellow Americans with your car donation!

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Top 6 Things to BUY at a Thrift Store

They say that one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure. For thrift shoppers, this absolutely hits home. Being able to find a multitude of quality and branded items at such unbelievably cheap prices is basically what thrifting’s all about.

From designer jeans and vintage home decors to living room furniture and unique Halloween costumes, you can find almost anything you want in secondhand shops. However, don’t be tempted to buy whatever items you find that have cheap price tags since you might find some of them useless once you bring them home.

So, how can you be certain that you’re making the right purchases? Just be sure to pick the stuff you need and see to it that they’re still in good condition. It’s as simple as that!

With that being said, we’ve rounded up the top 6 things to buy at a thrift store. Check out our list:

1. Kids’ clothes

Parents can save HUGE by buying outfits for their little ones at a thrift shop. As babies and toddlers tend to outgrow their tiny onesies so fast, splurging on fancy baby apparel can only be nothing but a total waste of money.

If you’re a parent yourself, try your luck at thrifting. You’ll be amazed at the endless cheap baby apparel you’ll come across, even ones that are branded. Just make sure that you wash them well before putting them on your kids.

2. Maternity wear

Why bother spending hundreds of dollars for clothes that you’ll only wear for a couple of months? Unless you’re planning to get pregnant again, all you expecting moms out there may opt to fill your closet with maternity finds from thrift stores. That way, you not only spend less, but you can also donate them after giving birth.

3. Designer brands

The best solution for fans of designer brands on a tight budget would be a trip to the local thrift shop. There are a lot of wealthy people who donate boxes of branded items, some still having tags attached to them, and these items find their way to the thrift stores. As long as you have the patience to go through lines of racks and a good eye for bargains, you’ll definitely score lots of cheap-yet-elegant fashion wear.

4. Books

Do you think it’s unreasonable to spend 20 bucks for a novel that you might not read again? Forget the bookstore and make your way to the nearest secondhand store instead. From the New York Times bestsellers to educational textbooks, you won’t be disappointed with what they’re offering.

5. Furniture and appliances

Perhaps the ones who’ll benefit the most from thrifting are those people moving into a new home for the first time. Whether you’re looking for an oven or a wooden chair, you have the assurance that you’ll be paying just a fraction of its original price. Before you make your purchase, however, see to it that they’re still in good condition.

6. Glassware and ceramic

While you’re likely to spend $100 for a table setting of chinaware, that wouldn’t be the case if you’re browsing at a local secondhand shop. Thrift stores offer a wide selection of glassware, teapots, and dish sets, all at super affordable prices.

One final tip before you go thrifting: If you instantly like an item you see, take it right away. There’s a chance that another shopper might grab it while you’re still contemplating. So instead of regretting a missed opportunity, you might as well just add it to your cart the moment you set your eyes on it. You can still change your mind though. If you have second thoughts about that item you just grabbed, you can still return it to its shelf before paying for your purchases.

Donate an Old Car to Goodwill

Any vehicle you donate to Goodwill Car Donations becomes a life-transforming instrument for the disabled and other disadvantaged individuals in your community. We auction off all donated vehicles we receive and use the proceeds to support the Goodwill organizations in your area that are working to provide those underprivileged folks with a better quality of life.

These Goodwill nonprofits use the funds to sustain their delivery of various essential services to your community such as skills and job training, career development and placement, scholarships, youth employment, livelihood, disability benefits support, and other community-building support services.

Those who take advantage of our job training programs are taught skills best suited for them, enabling them to qualify for stable and decent jobs. Hence, thanks to the vehicle donations we’re receiving, once idle and dependent individuals become financially independent and productive workers who can now take care of themselves and their family and contribute to the growth and progress of your community.

What makes our car donation program special is that our donors also get to receive great rewards, including maximum tax deductions based on the selling price of their donated vehicles.

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations and our donation process, feel free to visit our FAQs page. If you have questions, give us a call at our toll-free hotline 866-233-8586 or send us your message online.

You can make your car donation by either calling us directly or filling out our secure online donation form here.

Photo by Tim Meyer under Unsplash License

Grab This Win-Win Offering Now!

Imagine making a difference in your community by giving away a car that you’ve long wanted to dispose of anyway. That’s a win-win situation for you! Call us at 866-233-8586 and get started with your car donation now!

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How You Can Improve Yourself Using the 5 Most Popular Adult Continuing Education Programs in the U.S.

If you intend to live your life to the fullest, you must intentionally look for ways to improve yourself. One of the best things about being alive is that you have a choice to never stop learning. There will always be new knowledge to acquire, techniques to adopt, and skills to learn.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior citizen or a fresh graduate, or an established professional or someone who wants to make a career change. With the unpredictable trend in the economy today, there’s no assurance what field can take the lead and what type of work is bound to go down. With each moment, the industry is changing, and there’s nothing else we can do than to continue learning and improving our practice of a new skill.

Adult Continuing Education: What Is It About?

An adult continuing education is typically designed for adults wanting to learn new skills or enhance an already acquired skill. At the end of a course they selected, they are issued with a certificate stating that they received a certain number of continuing program units. Each unit is equivalent to 10 hours of instruction. These can be taken up by professionals with a license to practice in a particular field.

If you’re preparing for a career change, you can benefit from continuing education since it will help you gain or hone certain skills. There are a lot of programs you can enroll in.

Advancing your career is one way of ensuring that you’ll always be ready should there be a sudden change in the economic trend in the coming years. If you’re concerned about your busy schedule, some schools actually offer online classes so you can easily squeeze some classes into your schedule.

What are the 5 Most Popular Adult Continuing Education Programs?

A lot of things have been associated with adult continuing education programs. For instance, you might take units either for fun or for professional development. Whatever your goal is, taking up a continuing education program is always a good decision to make.

Here are the 5 most popular adult continuing education programs in the United States:

1. Massage

Massage classes are becoming more and more popular. People say learning how to give a relaxing massage is just as fun as receiving it. You can find plenty of schools that offer programs that teach different massage techniques such as Swedish, Thai, sports massage, and many more.

2. Fitness

When looking for the best continuing education programs in your area, you might find it surprising that people who are concerned about their health are actually enrolled in fitness classes. Since we’re living in an era when the importance of being physically active is continually being emphasized, these fitness classes have become more popular than ever.

3. Medical Billing

With the high demands for workers in the healthcare industries, medical billing has also topped the charts of popular continuing education programs. Over time, this career path has taken over others and has become one of the professions that offer a high level of job security.

4. Accounting

Covering topics from simple budgeting to tax auditing, accounting classes have become useful both on a professional and personal level. An accounting degree is also a great boost to an employee’s resume.

5. Project Management

Truth be told, this is the type of skill you don’t earn in your many years in college. When you enroll in this program, you’re taught how to develop, plan, strategize, and oversee projects. When employers see that you have a project management skill in your resume, it will definitely be a big plus to you.

If you’re not sure what classes to take up yet, you can always turn to the human resource department of your office for help. Ask them what your best options are and what skills you need to earn or enhance for better job opportunities in the future.

How to Help Other People Realize Their Full Potential

Although opportunities for education are always available, not everyone can enjoy them. Individuals who struggle with certain disabilities and other disadvantages need all the help they can get to overcome the barriers to these opportunities. We at Goodwill Car Donations are committed to helping these people.

You can help us in our mission by donating to us your old and unwanted vehicle. We will auction off your vehicle and use the proceeds to fund the critical programs of the Goodwill organizations in your area. These nonprofits cater to disadvantaged individuals who want to reach their full potential so they can become productive and self-sufficient workers. Thanks to your vehicle donation, they can get free access to numerous life-changing training programs that would lead to job opportunities.

You will also benefit from your donation since this will provide you the opportunity to significantly reduce your tax bill. You can do this when you file your itemized income tax return, using the 100% tax-deductible sales receipt that you’ll receive from us to claim the highest possible tax deduction you can get based on the selling price of your vehicle at auction.

Moreover, you can count on us to take care of all your donation paperwork and the quick and convenient towing of your vehicle, which won’t cost you a single dime.

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations, our donation process, the types of vehicles you can donate, and other important matters, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call at 866-233-8586 or send us an online message.

You can make your car donation by either filling out our secure online donation form here or calling us.

Photo by Hyundai Motor Group under Pexels License

Help Uplift Lives with Your Car Donation!

The 5 most popular adult continuing education programs cited here are just some of the many options for enriching one’s life. Availing yourself of any of those programs will certainly benefit you. At the same time, you can also enable the less fortunate residents in your area to benefit from these programs by teaming up with us at Goodwill Car Donations. Call us at 866-233-8586 and help uplift the lives of the disadvantaged people in your community with your car donation!

Photo by Robinson Greig under Unsplash License

4 Things to Know Before You Visit a Thrift Store

Before you get all too excited about a weekend spent treasure-hunting for thrift finds, you may need to go through Goodwill Car Donations’ list of the 4 things to know before you visit a thrift store.

Do you happen to know someone whose funky home is exquisitely decorated with awesome items bought from thrift stores? Maybe you’re one of those folks who begged a thrift-shopper-pro friend to take you with them the next time they go shopping.

Do you have kids who are growing like weeds? If you do, it doesn’t make sense to buy them expensive clothing even if you had a money tree growing in your backyard. Furnishing a home doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either if you know how to do it for pennies on the dollar with incredible thrift finds!

Thrift Stores for the Win!

The good news is, there’s no black magic involved in successful thrifting. All it takes is a few best practices used consistently that pay off over time. Therefore, whether you’re a seasoned thrifter or are new to the game, this list of 4 things to know before you visit a thrift store is a must-have for you:

1. Know what’s junk and what’s not.

If you’re looking to find a really good deal, you’ll have to spot what’s valuable. Before you decide to purchase an item, try Googling it to find out how much it’s really worth. You can also look for reading materials that cater to folks who are downsizing or settling estates.

For example, you may find in one book that handmade furniture can be worth a fortune if it’s handmade or if it was manufactured in limited pieces. Furthermore, in most cases, furniture made from heavy oak is more valuable than you think and painting it would destroy its value.

2. You’ll have to wash it ASAP.

Make it a point to immediately wash clothing bought at thrift stores. If you have to go someplace before you head home, have your purchased items double-bagged or tightly sealed and stored somewhere until you get to toss them in the washing machine.

For pieces of upholstered furniture or rugs that are yet to be steam-cleaned, keep them in the garage. Upholstered furniture can be heavily infested by bugs and may need to be reupholstered.

3. Bring the right tools.

For your thrifting adventure to be a success, you’ll need to have these thrifting tools ready: baby wipes, disposable gloves, scientific forceps for handling specimens, a hand vacuum for cleaning out dusty furniture, a compact screwdriver set, insecticide spray, cotton swabs for cracks and crevices, a flashlight, and a magnifying glass. It’s wise to keep these in the car just in case you go for an unplanned thrift shop stop.

4. Check if it fits.

Don’t get too carried away to a point where you purchase a piece of beautiful furniture only to realize that you have no way of getting it home because your trunk is too small. Worse, you later found out that its look doesn’t match with what you have going in any of the rooms in your house.

The key is to write down the dimensions of your trunk, rooms, and doorways and keep the information in your little thrift toolbox.

Photo by Indira Tjokorda under Unsplash License

Happy Thrifting!

With these practical tips, take your thrifty ways to a whole new level! You don’t have to pay the full price for clothes, decorative items, and whatnot when you realize that you can be a thrift store ninja who can find a way to clothe and decorate cheap!

Helping People through Goodwill Car Donations

One of the reasons why people shop at thrift stores operated by nonprofit organizations is because they want to support a cause that they strongly believe in such as helping people burdened with disabilities and other disadvantages. However, did you know that there are other ways to provide more meaningful assistance to these people? One way is to donate any type of unwanted vehicle to Goodwill Car Donations.

We auction off each donated vehicle and use the proceeds to finance the various community-building programs of Goodwill nonprofit organizations. These programs provide deserving disadvantaged people with free job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, and disability benefits support among others. Thus, your car donation will help transform the lives of these people.

Aside from making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate people in your community, your car donation will also entitle you to claim a hefty tax deduction since you’ll get to receive a 100% tax-deductible sales receipt once your donated vehicle is sold at auction.

To know more about Goodwill Car Donations, our donation process and other related information, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call at 866-233-8586 or contact us online.

You can make your car donation by either calling us directly or filling out our secure online donation form here.

Uplift Lives with Your Car Donation!

Shopping at charity thrift stores supporting the cause of disadvantaged people is one way of helping our less fortunate fellow citizens. A more effective way and one that provides a win-win situation is by donating unwanted vehicles to Goodwill Car Donations. Call us at 866-233-8586 and uplift the lives of the underprivileged folks in your community with your car donation!