It's true that tax deduction only save a little on taxes because they only reduce taxable income, thus only indirectly reducing the tax by an individual tax rate. Thus, if anyone tries to talk you into doing something because of a tax deduction, think hard about it. It usually isn't a good idea to do something just to get a tax deduction.
Credits are much better because a tax credit reduces the tax dollar for dollar and some of refundable (meaning you get the money even if you didn't owe any taxes). This is why my kids are a tax blessing, I get a tax credit for them. Honestly, I've have gotten thousands of dollars in refundable credits from Uncle Sam because of my kids. It's too bad that I have to spend several thousand more to raise my kids. Again, doing things just for tax reasons is not a good idea. But if you are going to have a kid, it is a huge tax break to have them born in December rather than January, advice that my wife and I did not follow with our last kid.