You might be thinking more about buying things this month than getting rid of them, but December is a great time to do a little decluttering at home before guests arrive and holiday chaos sets in. (And if you’re not sure whether or not you should keep or get rid of an item, here’s a helpful guide for deciding what to get rid of.)
There are lots of options for places to offload new and gently used items you no longer need: neighborhood buy-nothing groups, local shelters, and more. But one widely available option is Goodwill, which has over 4,000 thrift stores across the U.S. That’s a favorite place of mine, where I both shop and donate, so I was surprised to learn something new about Goodwill donations: If you donate items to Goodwill, you might get a coupon for your next purchase on the donation receipt.
I found this out from an Instagram Reel by user Kristen Buckhout, who posts about thrifting, DIY, and decorating. “Whenever they ask if you want a receipt, say yes,” says Buckhout on her Instagram Reel. “This little ticket is literally 25% off anytime you donate an item.” She also says that whether you donate one item or 100, you’ll receive a donation receipt with a coupon. I had no idea!
Unfortunately, there’s a catch: Because Goodwill stores are locally managed, this offer isn’t available everywhere. Buckhout’s home state is unknown, but commenters from Alaska and Illinois said their Goodwills offer donation receipts. In contrast, commenters in states like Texas, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania said their stores didn’t offer coupons, while several responders said their Goodwills used to have coupons but discontinued the program. One commenter also pointed out that just because one Goodwill gives out a coupon doesn’t mean a different local store will accept it, so it’s best to clarify how and where to redeem your discount.
This part isn’t too shocking to me, as I’ve shopped at Goodwills all over the U.S. and have found that they differ significantly in item pricing, weekly sales, and store cleanliness — so it’s no wonder that they’d have different coupon policies, too.
Even so, I decided to test Buckhout’s trick in my home state of Virginia — after all, there’s no downside! I finally took my donation bag to Goodwill yesterday, asked for a receipt, and was presented with a mass-printed, colorful, and couponless donation form. Although I was disappointed, it wasn’t a surprise. At least my local store has weekly discounts and dollar Sundays to give me an extra incentive to shop!
If you’re dropping off anything at Goodwill in the coming weeks, make sure to ask for a receipt when you do. You might be rewarded with a coupon to use later — at the very least, you can always use the receipt when it comes time to file your taxes next year, as you can deduct charitable donations from your taxes.
