Resources

This page is for information purposes only. It is not meant to be legal, tax and/or financial advice and should NOT be relied upon or treated as legal, tax, and/or financial advice. Please consult your financial and/legal advisors for specific information regarding your personal circumstances.

Recycling

There are many ways to recycle at home. We personally use a barrel to collect water for the garden and flower beds. We compost some of our waste and leaves. We carefully consider what to do with the rest of our trash. Our town has a great recycling program. Newspapers, all plastics, metal, glass and cardboard go to our transfer station in town.

We participate in several town and state “special day” programs, such as “hazardous waste day”, “prescription / over the counter medication disposal day”, “sneaker recycle day” and others. You can find information on special disposal days near you by going to your state or city website. We are on the email list for our local politician, and he sends announcements of these special events to his constituents ahead of time as a reminder.

Costco – has an electronics trade-in program at certain times of the year. Check the website for details. You can earn money back in the form of a Costco card.

Home Depot – accepts CFL light bulbs at their stores.

Recycle Bank – they recycle a lot of materials through their centers and you are rewarded with coupons.

Target Stores – recycling bins for plastic bags, ink cartridges, glass, plastic, aluminum, cell phones and mp3 players.

Whole Foods Market – Number 5 plastics can be dropped off at the stores.

Getting Rid of What You Don’t Want

There are many places in each and every community, think locally in addition to these national suggestions.

Automobiles – can be donated www.Auto-Donation.com. Locally, contact your fire department or auto / technical schools; some will take cars for training purposes. In addition, many charities will accept donation of cars for resale.

Blankets, towels and linens – can be donated depending on the condition to local shelters for the homeless, battered women safe homes or to your local humane society.

Books – swap your paperback books with others www.PaperBackSwap.com. Ship your books for free to Better World Books and they will get them to people in need around the world. Contact used book stores for what they accept. Check with your schools and hospitals to see if they accept books.

Building Materials – Habitat For Humanity ReStore accepts donations of building materials, tools, paint, furniture and appliances to use or resell at the stores. www.habitat.org

Business Attire – Women Only: Dress for Success accept donations of professional and business attires and accessories to promote economic independence of women. www.DressForSucess.org. Men & Women: Men’s Wearhouse has a National Suit Drive in July. Men Only: Career Gear accepts clothing and accessories. Check the website drop-off locations and donation dates.

Cartridges (Laser and Ink Jet) – Staples accepts toner and ink jet cartridges and will send you money in the form of reward to be used at a store or online.

Cell Phones – can be donated to many programs that will reuse them: www.recellular.com, 911 Cell Phone Bank (used as emergency phone for law enforcement agencies), and Cell Phones for Soldiers are just a few.

Clothing – if new or in excellent condition check out your local consignment shop for how they work and what they accept. Check out retro stores for vintage clothing typically more than 20 years old. You can donate clothing to thrift shops and charities.

Coats – donate to a coat drive in the Fall www.OneWarmCoat.org

Computer Equipment – Cristina Foundation collects used computer equipment with an organization that needs it. www.Cristina.org

Craft and Art Supplies – The Dreaming Zebra Foundation collects arts and crafts supplies so that children and young adults are given the opportunity to develop their creativity. www.dreamingzebra.org

Dresses / Professional Attire for Women – Donate My Dress accepts prom and special occasion dresses. www.DonateMyDress.org. Dress for Success accepts business attire.

Eyeglasses – Lions Club www.LionsClubs.org and One Sight www.OneSight.org accept donations of eyeglasses.

Furniture – Furniture Bank will pick up and distribute your used furniture to families in need. www.FurnitureBank.org. Habitat For Humanity ReStore accepts donations of building materials, tools, paint, furniture and appliances to use or resell at the stores. www.Habitat.org

Hangers – wire hangers can be given back to your local dry cleaners

Magazines – can be dropped off at hospitals, nursing homes, veterans’ services. Even some doctor’s offices and hair salon will take them.

Musical Instruments – can be donated to a schools music program or sell to store Music Go Round www.MusicGoRound.com

Packing Foam or Peanuts – can be dropped off at your local packing and shipping store for them to reuse.

Shoes Material – Nike – Re Use A Shoe Program to recycle your old athletic shoes into other items. For drop off locations and Nike stores www.NikeReUseAShoe.com. Or search for local donation drop off sites by state.

Sporting Equipment – Play It Again Sports (PlayItAgainSports.com) accepts your sports and fitness equipment to them for either cash or trade in for another item. Sports Gift (www.SportsGift.org) will take your donation of your sporting equipment and will give it to needy children. Second Swing (www.2ndSwing.com) accepts donations.

Video Games – donate your old video game and they will sell them to fund medical research www.DonateGames.org. To swap or trade your video games check out www.Swap.com and www.Half.com.

Resources

Charities – to research a non-profit organization check out www.Give.org.

Unwanted Mail – to reduce your unwanted mail www.DMAChoice.org, www.OptOutPrescreen.com, www.CatalogChoice.org, Precycle.Tonic.com (Formerly found at GreenDimes.com) and www.41Pounds.org.

Unwanted Phone Calls – to register www.DoNotCall.gov or 888-382-1222.

Selling Unwanted Items

Craig’s List – online classified ads for jobs, selling items and more by geographic area. www.CraigsList.com

eBay – online auction to sell your items. www.eBay.com

Children’s Clothing – Once Upon a Child

Sporting Equipment – Play It Again Sports

Savings / Discounts

AAA – Automobile club www.AAA.com.

AARP – An organization that offers discounts with membership to people over 50. www.AARP.org.

Appliances – Check out www.ApplianceRebate.com before you buy an appliance to see if there are rebates available.

Bills – want to save money? Try www.BillShrink.com to see what your options are.

Entertainment Book – a book that you can purchase for your area or an area that you are visiting for discounts and coupons www.Entertainment.com.

Shopping – www.Billeo.com helps you to find the lowest price on the item you want to purchase online.

Vendors

Jacquie Lawson – www.JacquieLawson.com online greeting cards so that you never forget a birthday. Cards available for all occasions.

Websites

Car Fax – www.CarFax.com – you can check to see if a car you are buying is considered a lemon. This is listed under FREE services.

Consumer Action Handbook – www.pueblo.gsa.gov – helps consumers with making purchases and getting help with problems and complaints.

Credit Reports for FREE – www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

Credit Score – www.MyFico.com to get your FICO credit score (a fee will be charged). Or, go to www.CreditKarma.com and www.Quizzle.com for close approximations of your credit score for free.

Do Not Call Registry – www.DoNotCall.gov – to register your telephone numbers and/or file a complaint.

Financial Education – www.MyMoney.gov – by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission provides online financial education resources.