Ever tried Making $$ off Your recyclables?

[crazeebaguti]

So this is definitely easier in some states than others (I know Hawaii, Maine, and Oregon) offer some of the best deposit refunds for cans and bottles.

http://earth911.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2163911_make-money-recycling.html

Any of you ever done this before? I'm considering taking this on as yet another side-money-making endeavor. (Just bummed I don't really have a good space to store a bunch of cans in my tiny apartment...maybe I'll just throw em in the laundry room :p)

I was seriously considering going and stealing all the cans from my campus's recycling bins (even though this screams ILLEGAL at me). I recently saw some cleaning staff COMBINING THE TRASH AND RECYCLABLES IN THE SAME BIN, which left me very weary about recycling in those bins. Figure everyone would be better off if I went and got them recycled myself

[davidh121]

My household does recycle cans and bottles on our households and once in awhile during picnic festivities I might collect some extra cans and bottles around (but never in the public garbage), but I don't make any intention to collect everywhere I travel. The amount my family makes is very little, but it's better than nothing.

[ricdsm]

We re-cycle our own stuff once a year.  It usually brings in $25.00 to $30.00.

[Delphyne]

We live in California and recycling is easy.  We live in a small place, so we recycle regularly.  There are many things that can be recycled here.  Plus, we get a few bucks each time.  We have recycling places everywhere, though.  In my city alone I can think of three places immediately. 

There are some rifle ranges out here, so there are people who go collect shells to recycle.  Yep, we can even recycle bullet casings.  They go for a buck a pound. 

[candyterrius]

I do recycle whenever possible. It’s just pocket change. I wouldn’t consider it as making money. I have seen people rummage through other people’s garbage bins for anything recycle such as plastic bottles and soda cans. You can also try to recycle old newspapers and cardboards. I would recycle them too, if only I can find a location where they would accept them.

[hvnlydevil]

I am signed up for a site where you do get paid based on your recyclables, but it is not currently available in my area.
I do redeem our cans and bottles.

[Optiwoman]

I recycle cans.   I get between $8 - $16 each time I drop them off.

[lorettahknox]

You might be surprised at how easy it would be if you asked your cleaners if you could have the cans they would probably give them to you. When the city picks up recyclables they have the cans the glass and the plastic together and separate it when they take it to the center. If they say no, buy a large trash can and put a sign on it and say cans only and put in the hall where your dorm room is and get your fellow students support. I really think they will give them to you but don't jeopardize your education by taking them ask first.

[msmoneybags48]

My husband saves cans and sells them to a scrapyard.  The last time he went was over a month ago and he received $23.00 for 46 pounds.  That averages to $0.50 per pound.  At least it is something he cashed in and was able to put gas in the car.

[LenoraMinogue]

Yes, I've tried to make a little extra cash off of recycling, but I've realized I spend more money on gas doing it, since the recycling plant isn't exactly nearby. So I stopped that.

[sdenimandlace1]

We can only get money for cans here. It would be nice if we could get it for glas and plastic also.

[lvstephanie]

When our family lived in NY, we'd save cans and bottles for the 5-cent refund. Sometimes if we were going to a festival or some other event that sold cans / bottles of pop and just had garbage cans around the area, I'd bring along an extra garbage bag (or more!) and take the cans and bottles out of the trash. We'd come home sometimes with several bags full, and could get several dollars for that one day-trip. No, it wasn't a whole lot of money, but then again, at the time I was only 7 to 13 years old, so I'd sometimes make enough $ to get a new computer game!

[coreyw87]

There is no where around here that individuals can do bottles but we save any cans we have (don't have many any more because stopped drinking soda and don't get beer in cans much) but we save metal and pick up metal that is by the road to recycle and make extra money.

[metsrock69]

I Just Cashed In My Cans For $13.50 . We  Don,t Get 5 Cents But Enough Cans Will Pay Off

[carmen4]

I always recycle but sometimes ill collect the bottles to go cash them in. But it seriously takes dozens of bottles to really make it worth it. The last time I went I brought 2 garbage bags full of mostly water bottles plus some. I got about $20. I felt that id get more because I had a couple hundred but I knw California doesnt give much for water bottles. Its really just spare cash usually. We dont buy plastic water bottles anymore mostly just reusable ones but im wondering if the large gallon ones would give more.. hmm.