Here’s one feel-good way to help beat high fuel prices

Have you ever considered becoming a volunteer, using your RV to serve others?

There have been many articles, such as this one, on RVtravel.com addressing how to beat high fuel prices. Camp closer to home, stay longer, properly inflate your tires, drive slower, etc. This is all good advice, but what if you are longing for a good old multi-state road trip to satisfy your case of white line fever?

Become a volunteer! Volunteering your time and talent often allows you to travel to a distant place to serve while deducting your travel expenses to get there.

Here is what Mike Slack from H&R Block says [emphasis added]:

Is volunteer work tax-deductible? In short, there are certain tax benefits to take advantage of as a volunteer. In fact, any volunteer of a §501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization is entitled to receive deductible charitable contributions. Although no tax deduction is allowed for the value of the services performed for this type of organization, some deductions are permitted for out-of-pocket costs incurred while volunteering.

Deductible volunteer out-of-pocket costs include items such as:

• • • Away-from-home travel expenses while performing services for a charity (out-of-pocket round-trip travel cost, taxi fares and other costs of transportation between the airport or station and hotel, plus lodging, [RV parks] and meals). However, these expenses aren’t deductible if there’s a significant element of personal pleasure associated with the travel, or if the services for a charity involve lobbying activities.
    • If the volunteer uses their own car (RV) while performing services for a charitable organization they may deduct their actual unreimbursed expenses directly attributable to the services, such as gas and oil costs. Alternatively, they may deduct a flat $0.14 per mile for charitable use of their car.

Get documentation:

• • • Written documentation from the charity about the nature of the volunteering activity and the need for related expenses to be paid.
    • Detailed listing of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred, and preferably a copy of all receipts.

Donating your time to §501(c)(3) charities is a great way to give back and at the same time offset the costs incurred while performing the services.

Here are just a few of many examples of how to volunteer serving others via your RV:

• Travel to a devastated area and help with disaster relief via a §501(c)(3) charity. Self-contained RVers can serve without putting additional strain on limited public services in the impacted area such as lodging, power, food, water, etc.
• Join the Habitat for Humanity RV Care-A-Vanners and help build a house for a less fortunate family.

• Serve at a soup kitchen for the homeless or hungry first responders in the field, such as search and rescue volunteers. The Soup Ladies™ is one example of such a charity.
• Volunteer to help build a church with Builders for Christ.

• Volunteer to be a counselor at a summer camp for special needs kids. Many of these camps offer RV spaces and they love volunteers that supply their own housing.
• Help preserve/discover historic sites on our national lands by volunteering for a Passport in Time project. Many times, a place to park an RV will be provided for the volunteer.
• Join your church’s youth group on a campout or mission trip. You can haul extra gear in your RV, along with groceries, making your RV the perfect “chuckwagon.”

• Volunteer at an animal rescue facility such as this one located on a farm in California.

SeRVing

Becoming a volunteer can reward you financially by providing some relief from high fuel prices, but the real reward will be serving others. I believe it is no coincidence that the acronym “RV” is centered in the word “seRVing”. As the saying goes, “Try it, you’ll like it.”

Disclaimer: The author and staff at RVtravel.com are not tax experts. Be sure to consult with your tax consultant to see if your travel expenses will qualify for a tax deduction.

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