Due to today’s environmental crisis, we all are making efforts to save the planet by doing simple things like buying local, reducing our carbon footprint, turning to plant food, and, most importantly, recycling stuff that we don’t use.
I know it’s hard for many people to make such changes, but for the greater good, we all need to take this initiative.
There is another perk to recycling–you can earn some extra money.
Sound interesting?!
8 Simple Ways to Make Money Recycling
#1. Recycle books
Whether you are a college student or someone who loves reading, you must have a lot of books that you don’t need anymore. At some point, you will want to get rid of some of your books, and the best way to do it is to recycle them. Recycling books is excellent for many reasons: you are saving the trees and reducing the landfill.
You can also choose to donate your textbooks (if they are in a reasonably good state) to your local library or sell them on sites like BookScouter. It’s a platform that gives you a lot of places to sell your textbooks once you type in the book’s ISBN. You can choose the right price for your book and start the process of selling.
Read our BookScouter review here.
#2. Recycle electronics
You can easily recycle your electronics and get paid for it by going to websites like Gazelle, Decluttr, or Amazon Trade-In. With Decluttr, you can sell anything like computers, phones, CDs, video games, and even Lego.
For most of the sites, you have to sign up and check the price for your item, and then post the item if you choose to sell it based on the offer available. Amazon Trade-In works the same way and pays you in Amazon gift cards.
As we amass a lot of tech gadgets over the years and it can be hard to sell them, these options give you a lot of flexibility and the best prices for your stuff.
Read our review on Decluttr here.
#3. Recycle clothes and shoes
Recycling clothes has been around for a long time, and it can be done in many ways to earn extra money. Whether it is your wedding dress or fancy workwear, if you are thinking of replacing it, then the best thing to do is recycle. You can also opt for donating them to Goodwill stores or any of your local thrift stores.
If you want to go the recycling route, then check out Poshmark and thredUp. It’s relatively easy to list and sell your used clothes on these sites. Though Poshmark mostly works for select branded clothing, thredUp is a better alternative as it has a bigger list of brands it accepts.
You can also get money out of your worn-out shoes by giving them to stores like TheNorthFace, American Eagle Outfitters, etc. These websites offer you a discount on your shopping or a gift voucher in exchange for your used shoes.
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#4. Recycle bottles and cans
I know the biggest pile of your trash consists of bottles and cans. Making some extra cash from recycling these is definitely worthwhile. You can just redeem your bottles or cans and get some spare cash. Most of the states in the US give five cents for standard size bottles or cans, and you can redeem bigger sizes for ten cents in certain states.
The amount you get depends on the state you want to redeem in, and though it’s a small amount, it’s definitely extra cash for you, and it also saves a lot of energy and landfill.
#5. Recycle paper
Apart from books, you can earn money selling old newspapers, magazines, or brochures. First, do some research and find out which recycle centers in your area accept paper and how much they pay.
You can choose companies like PADNOS or check your local directory. Once you have collected the paper, you can give it all away in exchange for money. Keep in mind that the amount you get depends on the quantity of the paper and the company you are selling to.
#6. Recycle batteries
Recycling batteries is common, and you can get good money for them. Whether it is lithium-ion batteries or car batteries, everything is recycled. You can sell your old car batteries in places like AutoZone or CASS, which give you around $10 for each cell.
Cass also accepts auto tires, junk vehicles, and closed cylinders.
#7. Recycle used ink cartridges
If you frequently visit office supply stores like Office Depot, you must know that it pays you to drop off your used ink cartridges. Just drop them off at the store and get a store credit of $2. You can redeem up to ten used cartridges per month at Office Depot.
Another place that accepts used cartridges is Advantage Cartridge. Once you collect enough cartridges (25), you can ship them for free and get paid.
#8. Recycle makeup
Did you know that you can use your empty makeup products to earn extra cash and save the planet? Yes, you can. There are many cosmetic companies like MAC, Aveda, and Lush where you can get store credit or a free product. This is the best way to get some money back on your expensive beauty stuff.
Recycling stuff is one of the many ways to reduce carbon emissions and decrease the landfill, and it could be your first step toward saving the environment. For the stuff that’s going to end up in junk anyway, you can earn money instead; it’s a win-win.
