Nine Ways to Make Money by Going Green

Did you know that you can help save the planet and make money in the process? Many people don't realize how profitable green approaches can be all the way around! Let's take a look at some examples.

• Your old mobile phones. There are a great range of mobile phone recycling services that take your old handsets in return for cash and then recycle them usefully elsewhere, either by reusing their constituent parts or by refurbishing them for onward sale. Either way, you get useful cash and the knowledge that you're not sending your old handset to languish in a landfill.
• Your old gadgets. As with mobile phones, you can earn cash by submitting your old gadgets to recycling firms -- items such as digital cameras, MP3 players, and sat navs. Laptops and tablets are also in demand, and you may be surprised at the cash on offer for your old and unused items.
• Media. Specialist services take and recycle old media items, such as computer games, CDs, DVDs, and books. Estimates suggest that in the UK alone, we throw away around 2,500 tonnes of old DVD and CD discs annually -- items that could be reused elsewhere.
• Car boot and jumble sales. The old-fashioned approach, but potentially a very lucrative one. This is a great way to clear out your unwanted items in one fell swoop. You'll be amazed by the truth in that phrase about one man's rubbish being another's treasure. Here, we can go to Car Boot Junction for online listings or check our local newspaper to see what's on and where.
• Using eBay. eBay is a mecca of unwanted items, whether you are selling old clothes, precious metals, electrical equipment, or anything else that you no longer use in your home. Expect to see a cut taken from the sale, for listings and for final sale value. Other websites such as Gumtree, Amazon, and Play offer similar services.
• Metal and precious metals recycling. Stainless steel suppliers and other commercial users of metals need raw materials for their work and may offer you a good price if you have stocks of metal that can be reused. Similarly, if you have gold or silver jewelery around that you don't need, you can sell it via specialist sites and services for quick and easy cash.
• Aluminum cans. Some supermarkets and commercial bodies still pay cash for aluminum cans that you recycle- they are often small in nominal and individual value but can quickly add up if you have a large number to get rid of, without waste.
• Freecycle. Not strictly a way of making money, but certainly a good way of saving it, the Freecycle community exists online and offers things to the group for free. Sign up to your local community group and post your unwanted items for collection -- while seeing what's up for grabs!
• Green points. If you regularly shop at a supermarket, remember that you can often claim loyalty or Clubcard points by using your own carrier bags. There may also be opportunities to earn further green points by signing up to green energy tariffs or other environmentally friendly services.

Posted by Samantha Charles on Jul 23, 2014