<br><div><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bv"/><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bvd gnt_x__h"/><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Giving Machines debut in Virginia for Giving Tuesday"><div class="gnt_em_vp_w" data-g-r="vp_tp" data-c-vt="teal" data-t-pl="teal-hero"><button class="gnt_em_vp_a gnt_em_vp__tp_a" data-g-r="vp_ap vp_tg" data-c-vpattrs="{"muted":true,"bContent":false,"an":"usatoday","pn":"USA TODAY","vidNum":1,"docking":true,"t0060":1,"cut":1}" data-c-vpdata="{"adsEnabled":true,"awsPath":"news","byline":"","canonicalURL":"","contentSourceCode":"VIDE","credit":"Fox - 5 DC","duration":192000,"headline":"Giving Machines debut in Virginia for Giving Tuesday","hlsURL":"https://hlsmedia.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/videos/videoelephant/renditions/71733582007/c37fe208-1add-4833-b93c-d23930f0e531/480p_30fps,720p_30fps,1080p_30fps,master.m3u8?subtitles=71733582007","id":"71733582007","image":{"opto":true,"url":"/gcdn/authoring/videos/videoelephant/thumbnails/71733582007.jpg"},"keywords":"Holidays,Giving Tuesday,Do Not Syndicate","mp4URL":"https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/videos/videoelephant/renditions/71733582007/c37fe208-1add-4833-b93c-d23930f0e531/1080p_30fps.mp4","origin":"Video Elephant","pageURL":{"long":"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2024/11/25/giving-machines-debut-in-virginia-for-giving-tuesday/71733582007/"},"promoBrief":"People can donate to six area and global charities at Giving Machines at Ballston Quarter. This is the first time the Giving Machines are in Virginia.","propertyName":"USATODAY","series":"","ssts":{"section":"news","subsection":"","topic":"","subtopic":""},"tags":[{"id":"17ac4560-347e-4b31-a6b8-c2d0c9f02928","name":"Holidays"},{"id":"16d2a6b1-4f27-4e64-9630-9b06051d2514","name":"Giving Tuesday"},{"id":"0d7241c1-c262-4ccf-82ea-4c1efacfd6dd","name":"Do Not Syndicate"}],"title":"Giving Machines debut in Virginia for Giving Tuesday","url":"/videos/news/2024/11/25/giving-machines-debut-in-virginia-for-giving-tuesday/71733582007/"}" aria-label="Play video"><img alt="" class="gnt_em_vp_img" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/11/25/USAT/76570117007-20090420-t-120000-z-1104199715-gm-1-e-54-l-0-haq-01-rtrmadp-3-foodbank.JPG?crop=3499,1968,x0,y146&width=660&height=371&format=pjpg&auto=webp" data-g-r="vp_po" fetchpriority="high" elementtiming="ar-lead-image" decoding="async"/><svg class="gnt_em_vp_svg"><use xlink:href="#gnt_svg_video_play"/></svg></button></div></aside><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><em>(Updated to fix a typo)</em></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The holidays are a time for giving, but financial experts want you to know it’s OK to get a little, too.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The past two years have been <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/08/16/charitable-donations-us-lowest-rate-decades/10278836002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">hard for charitable giving</a> because inflation and high interest rates have strained people’s budgets, experts say. In 2022, when inflation climbed to a 40-year high, total annual giving slumped 10.5% to $499.3 billion after adjusting for inflation, according to the nonprofit Giving USA, which focuses on philanthropy research.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">In 2023, inflation-adjusted giving fell a narrower 2.1% to $557.16 billion. With inflation now easing and interest rates dropping, experts hope Americans will continue chipping away at the decline or reverse it this year.</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">But acknowledging some budgets may still be tight, financial experts have tips for Americans to maximize their dollars for charities and their pocketbooks.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Capitalize on high interest rates:</strong> <a target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (cd)|e|auto spike click:6|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/banking/cds/best-cd-rates/">Best current CD rates</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“Many people donate cash,” said Dr. Una Osili, associate dean for Research and International Programs at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. But over the years, there has been “more sophistication around how to give.”</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_mt">Cash may not be king</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">It’s easy to throw a few bucks into red kettles around town during the holidays, but that may not be the best way to donate, experts said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“If you throw money into a Salvation Army bucket, there’s not much to do there,” said Mark Steber, chief tax officer at tax preparer Jackson Hewitt.</p><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em_anc" id="gnt_atomsnc" data-g-r="lazy" data-gl-method="loadAnc" aria-label="Newsletter signup form"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Making a donation...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/12/02/giving-tuesday-yearend-tips-tax/76476064007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
