Would you pass up a free nickel when you pass by the next empty water bottle or soda can?
I have a hard time passing that free money up…so I pick it up and start to earn some money. I am lucky enough to live and/or work in one of the few states that will pay you $0.05 per can or water bottle that you recycle. People often don’t take notice but when you buy a can of soda in one of these states, they take a deposit for the container. Not sure how many folks take the effort to return these containers, but I take it one step further…
I make sure I take the last step and return the containers to get my deposit back at a minimum…I also go to the extent and pick up any applicable containers throughout my day, collecting a nickel every time. I just have a hard time passing up free money while I come across these opportunities throughout my day.
When I collect a sizable amount of soda cans/bottles, I then make sure to bring them to the supermarket during my next grocery trip. I have found this to be the most efficient way vs. spending the time and gas on a special trip just for bottle returns. It does take a little time for the machine to process each return, but well worth it if you incorporate this into your routine. I even go to the extent and have my family members put their containers to the side and I will take care of recycling it for them.
Just recently I was able to cash in $11.50 in bottle returns that took me about 30 minutes to process at the local Walmart…
I am a finance professional with over 20 years of experience and very passionate about all topics related to finance; enjoying the aspect of teaching and educating others along the way. All in all, I will show you how big this money tree can get over time as I get the branches (Earn, Save, Invest) as high as possible…Click here to see my financial progress to date: How high is the Money Tree?
