Recycling - It's good for the Earth and good for your pocketbook!

This might sound dumb, but I get a lot of extra cash by recycling bottles and cans!

In California, you pay on every bottle and can that has "fizz"; plus water bottles. And I think some others. Not wine bottles. And you, as a California resident, are entitled to get that back when you recycle them through an approved center.

Now, let's be clear - I do NOT dig through garbage cans to get them! I'm broke, but I just can't go that far -- NOT saying anything against people who do! I admire their ability to do that! Before I was in this position, I forbade my staff from putting bottles and cans in the garbage and put a special can out behind our building with them in it so that the locals coming around could grab them easily.

Anyway, I now take all of the bottles and cans from my store.

Does your office have a recycle program? If not, ask if it's ok to put a recycle can at your work and tell them that you'll take them weekly and recycle them. BE DILIGENT! You don't want them to stop allowing you to do it. Take them every Friday afternoon, even if you can't recycle them that weekend.

Also, if I see one while I'm walking the dog, I pick it up - it's good for the environment and it helps my bottom line.

I probably earn between $15 and $30 per month in recycling. So that is $180-$360 per year. DEFINITELY worth my time!