Personal Benefits of Recycling
Understanding
Recycling is beneficial to the soul. It is also beneficial for reducing stress and earning money. The physical aspect of recycling aids in increasing exercise. There is also the aspect of keeping the home clean as recycling requires a bit of organization.
Reasons to Recycle
- Environment: There will be less waste in landfills, less trash on the roadside and the air will not suffer as much.
- Additional income: Metals are among recyclable items that can be sold giving you additional income.
- Saving Money: Money from recycling can be placed into savings without being missed. It is money that was already spent and while you might not recoup the total amount recouping some is still good.
- Repurpose: Items can be repurposed into different items for use around the home.
- Entertainment: Children can draw on empty cereal boxes or make themselves costumes. Items that would otherwise be thrown out can be used in play to help put off purchasing expensive toys.
- Crafting: Items that are not taken to recycling facilities can often be turned into craft projects to help keep children entertained or simply decorate the home.
Storage, Craft Supplies and Recycling Bins
Frugality and Recycling
Recycling is an amazing way to live a more frugal lifestyle. Not only can you save money by recycling you can also earn some money by recycling. How much money is earned or saved will depend on the amount of time and effort that you put into it.
Repurpose Items
There are a number of items that can be recycled or reused in the home in order to assist with financial goals. These goals vary depending on the individual. Aluminum, scrap metal, paper, plastic and clothing can all be recycled or re-purposed in order to save or earn money. In some cases you will even make a little bit of money.
The money earned, even the smallest amounts, is often money that you have already spent meaning it is money saved. The items that you can not sell can be put out for pickup or dropped off at designated recycling bins in the city.
Storage Solutions
Plastic coffee containers can be used as storage for bags of coffee so that you don't have to purchase additional containers to store it in. When candles burn there is always a portion that does not burn. Instead of tossing it and purchasing a new candle you can dig the wick out and store the remaining wax in a resealable container that you have recycled until you have enough to make another candle. The only cost will be purchasing new wicks and candles holders if you do not already have them on hand. You may need to invest in a melting pot or you can make your own. Given the price of candles and your preference you can save a great deal of money this way.
It is important that you always check local recycling policies and disposal requirements for hazardous materials to ensure that you are practicing safety as you recycle.
Old furniture can be recycled too with a little bit of work, some fabric to cover it or a whole new idea.
Additional Income
In some areas, even those with curb side pickup, there are centers that purchase recyclable materials. These materials are mostly metals that you can sell for cash. In order to earn the most from recycling the metals need to be separated by type and as clean as possible. Different metals pay different rates and clean metals earn more because total weight is reduced when materials are dirty.
Earnings from recycling can be track through use of a chart. The more materials hauled to the center in a single load the more earned. Some metals such as aluminum are worth more past a specific number of pounds which varies by facility.
Keeping Track of Earnings
metal type
| price per pound
| #of pounds
| total earnings
|
---|---|---|---|
exp. aluminum
| 40cents
| 100
| $40
|
Visible Benefits
Savings Deposits
Money earned from recycling can be put into savings accounts or used to purchase CODs.
Improving Finances
Placing financial goals where they are visible helps in creating a plan to achieve them. Mark off a step and note progress each time money is earned or saved by making something that would otherwise be purchased.
Leftover food can be tossed into a compost pile for use as fertilizer and potting soil to save money. Growing food inexpensively reduces dependency on grocery stores leading to increases self sufficiency.
Jobs are created through recycling. In areas with curbside pickup someone has to drive the truck. Recycling centers need people to unload and weigh the items brought in.
Lesson Learned
Recycling has numerous advantages. This one simple act can make the environment cleaner while increasing funds. It takes little time and you'll feel better when you do it. The more you recycle the more it will become second nature. The efforts will pay off as savings account balances increase.
Increasing self sufficiency through recycling is an additional bonus. Even rain water can recycled for private use making the water/electricity bill go down in the process.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2011 Laurie Childree