It's common to have a dead car that no longer runs sitting around in the yard or at work, and luckily it's possible to get cash for junk cars.  This works in two different ways: You can sell your car to a dealer, another person, or even a scrap yard and get cash in exchange for it.  You can also donate the car to a charity and get a tax write-off when you file your taxes in April.

The best way to get the most cash for your junk cars is to sell them.  It will be easiest to sell a car that is in good running condition.  If your car is running now, it's worth calling a few used car dealers to see if maybe they will be willing to buy it or perhaps consign it on their lot which means that you will get paid a set percentage only if they are able to sell the auto.  It's worth taking the time to make sure that your car is as clean as possible: this can mean throwing away any junk or papers, vacuuming the inside, giving it a car wash and even maybe having it detailed: the initial look of the car, known as its curb appeal, will have a huge impact on the value of the car and whether someone will buy it.

You can also post your junk car on a classified ad site like craigslist.  Craigslist is ideal because it is completely free to post your car for sale, and the only people looking at it will be in your local area.  It's a good idea to post at least one photo of your car as well.  In your description, it's good to be a sales person, but you should also be honest about the condition of the car:  Does it run?  Are the seats torn?  Was it recently involved in an accident?  Lots of people are always looking for cheap cars so this can be a great way to sell yours for cash.

If your car does not run, it will be much more difficult to sell it.  If possible, get a rough estimate for the cost to get your car running.  If the cost is minimal and small compared to how much you expect to get for selling the car, it's worth doing.  If the repairs are expected to be expensive and even then you may not have a car that runs, it's probably not worth doing since you may end up selling the car for less than the repairs cost you!  When you have a car that does not run and that you cannot afford to repair, donating it to a charity is probably your best possible choice.  This isn't as good as cash in your pocket, but you should be able to deduct the value of the car from your taxable income and pay fewer taxes which is the same thing as keeping cash in your pocket!