New Ways to Make Money Off Recycling

Recycling saves tons of landfill space and reduces the amount of resources required to produce new products. What you may not know is that recycling can also be good for your wallet.

Sure, you could make a little extra cash by collecting cans and bottles -- or you could let Recycle Bank do the work as you reap the rewards. Recycle Bank's innovative program offers single stream recycling (for cans, plastic, glass, paper, cardboard and even telephone books) in a growing number of communities nationwide. So far, you can participate if you live in towns throughout Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Vermont.

By dragging your full Recycle Bank bin out to the curb or tossing your recyclables in a Recycle Bank kiosk, you rack up 2.5 Recycle Bank points for every pound you recycle. When you're ready, you can cash in your points for rewards from local and national Recycle Bank partners.

For example, 200 Recycle Bank points -- the average amount active members earn per month -- get you $2 off your $5 purchase of Kiss My Face products, $5 off a $15 purchase at Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBBY) or $4 off a $20 purchase at CVS. 

Rewards change frequently and differ by area, so be sure to look up your local reward partners.

Recycle Bank's program is a great way to earn rewards from your everyday recycling, but you can also earn money by recycling things your community recycling program doesn't accept. Say you've just upgraded to the new iPhone (AAPL). Rather than letting your old model kick around in a desk drawer, recycle it.