If you can recycle, you can save money. How? Read on to find out the basics of this third principle of frugality.
When we think about the word “recycle,” we often think of recycling glass and paper to help the environment and conserve natural resources. While that is certainly a big part of the principal of recycling, there is so much more to learn about it, when it comes to saving money and living a frugal lifestyle.
When we talk about recycling in a frugal lifestyle, we basically mean recycling items both among our families and also with other frugal families.
Frugal recycling is linked very closely to frugal reuse. Sometimes the line between the two principals can get fuzzy. For example, if you followed my earlier blog about saving soap, you could say that you recycled the old soap to make new. or you could argue that you reused it. I tend to think of recycling as either passing something on to someone else to give it a new life, or transforming something can can no longer be used in its original form.
Have you ever passed down or received baby clothes? This is a good example of the first form of recycling.
Have your turned old t-shirts into a rag rug? You just followed that second form of recycling.
Freecycle is one of the best resources for recycling items. Have an old bowling ball? Someone will turn it into a garden ornament. Have an old lawn ornament? Someone will turn it into a lamp. Have an old lamp? Someone may use it as a lamp or turn the tiffany shade into mosaic tile for their kitchen.
Curb shoppers and dumpster divers probably live this third principal of a frugal lifestyle more than the first (Reduce) and the second (Reuse) principles. They often “find” things that would otherwise be thrown away and recycle them.
To get started with recycling, get into the practice of thinking hard about how you can reduce the amount of things you throw out. Can you donate items? Pass them on to a friend? Make them into something new?
Think also about asking friends and relatives for items they no longer need. Instead of buying a second DVD player, for example, see if you have a friend who loves to upgrade to the latest electronics. The old one can be recycled to you. Put the word out that you are looking for a baby bouncer or a toddler bed, and the world may just beat a path to your door to give you one. (The above example is taken directly from my life).
Here are some examples of ways you can recycle items:
Recycling Yarn: Unraveling a Thrift Store Find Can Save You Big Bucks
Decorating Your Outdoor Space with Found Objects
And for more principles of a frugal lifestyle:
The Second Principal of A Frugal Lifestyle: Reuse
The First Principle of A Frugal Lifestyle: Reduce