Charitable Deductions Begin at Home - Make sure your generosity during the coming year pays off as much as possible by rounding up all of your write-offs. The big contributions which translate to the big deductions are hard to overlook - what you give your church or synagogue or alma mater. But little expenses from your good-deed-doing can also mount up. Whether it's out-of-pocket contributions to a bell-ringer or what you pay for supplies while you're doing charitable work, if the money is going to help a qualified charitable organization, you get a deduction. If you drive your own car while doing volunteer work, you can deduct 14 cents a mile. If your charitable work takes you out of town overnight as the official delegate to a church meeting, for example, you can deduct the cost of transportation and the cost of your meals and lodging.