ARE YOUR THRIFT STORE DONATIONS BEING THROWN AWAY?
Are you thinking about donating your kids’ old clothes or that slow cooker you haven’t used in months? Though donating your unwanted items is a great thing to do, amid the pandemic, many people have not considered the future of secondhand shopping and charity-based thrift stores like Goodwill. In 2018, Goodwill funded nearly $5.3 billion in charitable services, like educational assistance, job training, and work placements. But now, Goodwill and similar organizations are facing a unique problem: They’re receiving too many donations. To prevent your items from ending up in a landfill, consider the following before you donate. Under the circumstances, this situation is understandable. Thanks to nationwide stay-at-home orders, many took advantage of their newfound spare time to spring-clean and subsequently donate unwanted items to charity. However, with the confusion about how long the COVID-19 virus can live on clothing, secondhand shoppers have been staying home, worried about the health risks of buying used goods.
Instead, it’s sent to discount outlets and then into global markets. However, Mexican traders, who account for 30% of business at thrift stores close to the U.S. southern border, and Kenya, the world’s largest buyer of unsold secondhand clothes, have stopped buying during the economic shutdown. Meanwhile, some good-intentioned Americans are leaving their goods outside thrift stores’ front doors, not realizing that without enough space to house the excess donations, many of these thrift stores will have to pay disposal fees, costing the business potential revenue and sending your items into local landfills. However, Goodwill still wants your donations! You just might have to hold on to your items for a little bit. Check to see if your local thrift stores are open for donations. Many recommend waiting until the influx slows down, but others have expanded their inventory storage and are ready to keep up. Just make sure to follow their guidelines on acceptable items because any broken or worn items only add to their costs. Happy donating!
Famously, thrift stores still keep unsold goods out of landfills. Up to 75% of Goodwill’s merchandise, for example, isn’t sold in their stores.
SKIP THE STUDENT DEBT 3 Ways to Pay for College That Aren’t Loans
are helping their kids look for grants is the Federal Student Aid website: StudentAid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants.
Work-Study Depending on your child’s financial need, their college or university may be able to set them up with a part-time position with an hourly rate on campus. Work-study positions are often community service oriented and/or matched with the student’s field of study, and the jobs in these programs may be on or off campus. Alternatively, students can also look for other on-campus jobs that aren’t part of a work-study program. Before the school year starts, many schools post job openings for positions like computer lab assistants or event caterers. Private Scholarships There is no shortage of private scholarships. The challenge is finding and applying for them. This can take time, but it’s often worth the effort. If you can’t find any scholarships your child is eligible for online, then try using an app like Scholly. It’s designed to help students and parents find and apply for scholarships without having to search all over the internet. Another great resource is your student’s high school guidance counselor. They often have resources about local and regional scholarships that may be worth looking into.
We all know how expensive college can be. The bills can pile up fast, and in many cases, paying that debt off can take years, if not decades, especially if private loans are involved. That said, if you have kids who are getting ready to graduate high school, then don’t let the cost of higher education scare you away. If you can’t pay out of pocket, you can help your child apply for loans, but if you’re looking to mitigate debt, or eliminate it entirely, here are some other popular options. Grants Grants are similar to scholarships in that they don’t need to be repaid. Many colleges, states, and other organizations award grants based on a number of factors, like academic standing and the income of one or both parents as reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA. A great starting point for parents who
2 realestateplanninglaw.com
Made with FlippingBook Annual report