10/6/12

Wedding gowns can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. For something that is only worn for a few hours just once in your life, this is the time to think about getting more dress for your money by thinking, "once wed." The online store oncewed.com has a marketplace of almost-new wedding gowns ready to be resold at a fraction of the original price. In-demand designers like Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier can be found up to 90 percent off. With the money save, you can honeymoon at a five-star eco-resort after the wedding!

10/5/12

Donating an old car to charity seems like a good idea: It gives you a tax deduction, helps a worthwhile case and your car can be "recycled" for a good cause. But if you ever see a nonprofit with billboard, TV or newspaper ads that make it easy for them to pick up your car and do it for you, be sure to avoid them. Those agencies are actually for-profit intermediaries that take a huge chunk of the proceeds -- up to 90 percent -- and donate the rest to the actual charity. If you want to really, truly help a nonprofit, donate directly. Or better yet, sell the car yourself and write a check to the charity of your choice.

10/4/12

With so many environmental, conservation and scientific nonprofit organizations out there, it can be overwhelming to choose which one to donate money to. The best advice is to not be afraid to ask questions: Where is your money going, how much will be spent for overhead and can you earmark it toward a specific project? You can also search on the website GuideStar (guidestar.org), which has a database of more than a million nonprofit organizations that you can search to learn more about.