Reading Time: 5 minutes 4 Ways To Make Extra Cash By Recycling
This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo about making money recycling.
We all know that it’s important to recycle because it helps to cut down on waste, but did you know that it’s also a good way to make some extra cash?
If things are a bit tight at the minute and you need a bit of extra money to make ends meet, it’s important that you find ways to raise money without borrowing. If you resort to credit cards straight away, you will end up with debts that make your financial situation even worse.
The good news is, there are some great ways that you can make a little money while also helping the planet. These are some of the best ways to make money and recycle at the same time.
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Old Bottles And Cans
Most people collect their old bottles and cans and put them in the recycling bins if their local authority provides them. Otherwise, you might have to drive out to a bottle bank and dump them there instead. You could always put them in the normal garbage bin, but then they won’t get recycled.
However, a lot of people don’t realize that their state will actually pay them a small fee for each can or bottle that they recycle. This isn’t an option in all states and the rates vary, so check with the local authority to see whether it’s an option.
If it is, this is a simple but effective way to make a bit of extra money each month from stuff that would have gone straight in the bin anyway. In Michigan, for example, you will get 10 cents per can, which quickly adds up. You won’t make enough money to pay your mortgage, but it is a good way to give your savings a little boost every month.
Used Ink Cartridges
You probably wouldn’t think that used ink cartridges are worth money, but you can actually get quite a lot for them if you sell them when you are done. More of us are working from home at the minute, so the chances are you may have more old ink cartridges than you normally do. Before you throw them in the bin, why not see if you can sell them on?
Big stores like Staples often give you store credit in exchange for empty cartridges. You can get around $2 for each cartridge, which quickly adds up and it can save you a lot of money if you buy a lot of supplies from them. However, it’s not that useful if you don’t buy much stationery and you need the cash for something else.
But if you are willing to spend a bit more time selling them yourself on eBay or Craigslist, you can earn quite a bit more. There are also charity organizations that buy empty cartridges. In fact, you could get as much as $3 for each empty cartridge, which is pretty good considering you were just going to throw them away. This helps to stop waste from old ink cartridges and you can earn some extra cash at the same time.
Old Electronics
Electronic waste is such a big problem because we throw away so many old devices. New phones are released every year and a lot of the old ones end up in landfills, even though they work just fine.
If you want to do your part for the planet, you should recycle your old electronics instead of throwing them away, and you can make a lot of money at the same time.
There are some great phone exchange sites online where you can get a good price. Instead of throwing your phone away when you get a new one, search through some sell phone websites and see what they will offer you.
If your phone is only a few years old, you will get a good price for it and that can either go towards your living expenses or you can put it towards a new phone. Most retailers also offer a trade-in service with old phones. So, when you go to buy a new one, always take the old one with you and see whether you can get a discount if you trade it in.
There are plenty of places to sell old laptops and computers as well. Companies that refurbish them and sell them on are always looking for old computers, even if they don’t work properly. They can fix them up, so even though they won’t give you as much for a broken device, you can still get a bit of money.
You can try selling old devices yourself on eBay or Craigslist as well. Just remember that you need to be careful when selling old electronics because there are a lot of scammers around. Make sure to include plenty of photos and list any damage, so people know exactly what they are getting.
Scrap Metal
Metal is one of the best items to recycle, especially steel because it can be recycled over and over again. So, if you want to do your part for the environment, you should be recycling any metal items that you want to get rid of. The good news is, metal is in high demand and people will pay you quite a bit of money for any scrap that you have.
You can sell all sorts of scrap metal items from around the home, especially if you are renovating. Things like old faucets, copper wire, kitchen accessories or plumbing joints, for example, are perfect. You should also check the garage for things like old bikes or car parts that you no longer need.
Although the price depends on the type of metal, anything metal will be worth a bit of money, so start looking around the house to see what you can find. If you really want to make some money, you should also consider selling old gold if you have any.
Once you have gathered a collection, head down to the local scrapyard, and see what they are willing to give you for it. You can clear out your home, recycle some items, and make good money at the same time.
Recycling isn’t just a good way to help the planet, it’s also an opportunity to make some extra money, so think twice before you throw things away.
Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.