5 Recycling Tips to Save You Money
There are many reasons to recycle. It protects the environment. It ensures that future generations will have everything they need. It conserves energy and reduces pollution. But even if none of these arguments speak to you personally, there’s one that should: saving money. When you decide to reuse and recycle, you might notice your bank account growing. Here are the reasons why:
- Recycling cuts down on trash pickup. The more you can put in your recycling bin, the less you need to stuff inside the trash can. If your town charges for special borough bags or adds a fee for extra bags, you’ll save money every time you recycle.
- Recycling plastic can keep oil prices down. When you recycle plastic, that means new plastic doesn’t have to be manufactured. Oil fuels the plastic-making process. When more plastic is made, the price of oil rises. Long-term, the collective practice of recycling plastic could help keep oil prices down—and save you money.
- Recycling means you don’t have to buy new. Reusing is a form of recycling, and it’s one that might save you the most dough. If you can get creative with seemingly worn-out items, you might find yourself making trips to the store less frequently. For instance, you can repurpose CDs into reflectors for your child’s bike or pass clothing from one generation to the next, maybe making just a few modifications.
- Recycling can be Freecycling. Freecycle.org allows recycling enthusiasts to join forces. It’s kind of like Craigslist for unwanted stuff. Simply post an old TV, table, or even sofa online, and someone can claim it. Everything is free, so you might want to surf Freecycle for new pieces for your place, too.
- Recycling turns egg shells into treasure.
If you’re an avid gardener, then you already know how important it is to nourish your plants. Fertilizer can be expensive, though. Compost instead. By compiling leftover scraps from dinner in a bin outside or in the cabinet under your kitchen sink, you’ll end up with a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden. What’s more, you’ll know precisely what’s in it (that is, this week’s leftovers), so you won’t have to worry about any foreign chemicals making it into your soil. - Recycling electronics can translate into store credit. When you get a new cell phone or computer, you don’t have to hold onto your old one. In fact, you shouldn’t. Instead of letting those old electronics sit in a drawer, trade them in at Target, Walmart, Best Buy, or a similar business for store credit. Handing over an old phone might pay enough to buy a fun accessory for your new one.
- Recycling negates the need for new ink cartridges. If you take your empty ink cartridges to Walgreens, they’ll refill it for you for about $13, a price much lower than a fresh one.
Recycling Facts [Recycle More]
7 Ways to Save Money Recycling [1st Mariner Bank]
Recycling Saves Money! [Value Stock Guide]
