6 Lies You Always Believed About Bottled Water | MyDiet

6 Lies You Always Believed About Bottled Water | MyDiet

You Can Recycle Plastic By Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Plastic

Photo: Earth911

• Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers
  (410) 451-8340
  http://epspackaging.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=4
  #6 plastic, other plastic, packing peanut reuse
  AFPR has created a unique mail-back program that allows virtually anyone with smaller quantities of foam packaging access to Expanded Polystryrene (EPS) recycling. Visit the website to find the nearest mail-in location and then send your EPS for recycling through the U.S. Postal Service or other carrier.
• Berkley Pure Fishing Company Fishing Line Recycling Program
  1900 18th St
  Spirit Lake, IA 51360
  (800) 237-5539
  www.berkley-fishing.com/about/berkley-conservation-institute/recycling/
  Fishing line
  This program accepts single filament, nylon fishing line that is unbraided and does not contain wire. Lines that have a lot of growth or plant material mixed in may not be recyclable. Fishing line is recycled into tackle boxes, spools for line, fish habitats, and toys.
• Caps Can Do
  437 Holtzman Ave
  Columbus, OH 43205
  (800) 778-5420
  http://www.capscando.org
  #5 plastic

This program accepts all types of polypropylene, including plastic bottle caps.

• Dolco Packaging Egg Carton Recycling Program
  Multiple mailing locations
  (770) 963-6191
  http://dolco.tekni-plex.com/recycling
  This program accepts plastic egg cartons only. Please visit the website to find the nearest mailing location.
• Earthworks PVC Recycling Program
  Cleveland, OH 44139
  (440) 349-3434
  http://www.earthworkssystem.com
  #3 plastic, gift cards
  This program accepts scrap PVC, including plastic cards that should be free of holograms or scratch-off labels. It does not accept plastic cards made of bioplastics. Please visit the website for mailing information.
• Preserve Gimme 5
  823 NYS RT-13
  Cortland, NY 13045
  (888) 354-7296
  http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/gimme5.html
  #5 plastic, water filters
  Send your #5 plastics via ground shipping (as opposed to air). Reuse a box if you can! Include your return address on the box and add your name and email address inside the box. Through a partnership with Brita, this program accepts Brita filters for recycling.
• The ReCap Co.
  6465 Lewis Rd
  Loveland, OH 45140
  (513) 405-3300
  http://recapcompany.comPlastic bottle caps
  If you have questions, please call Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
• Tyvek Envelope Mail-in Recycling Program
  8401 Fort Darling Rd
  Richmond, VA 23237
  (800) 222-5676
  http://www2.dupont.com/Tyvek_Envelopes/en_US/tech_info/tech_environ.html
  Tyvek envelopes
  Please address your shipment to Shirley Wright. Please turn the envelope inside out, so the unprinted white surface shows up on the outside. For quantities over 25 envelopes per month, please call for more information.
• TerraCycle Mail-in Recycling Brigade Program
  Trenton, NJ 08638
  (609) 393-4252
  http://www.terracycle.net/brigades.html?locale=en-US
  Plastic bags, plastic film, plastic lining, butter/yogurt containers, aluminum cans, candy wrappers, cell phones, corks, digital cameras, drink boxes, frozen food boxes, inkjet cartridges, laptops, mp3 players, tape dispensers, writing utensils
  TerraCycle offers national programs (Brigades®) to collect previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste. While some programs have a cost, most Brigades offer free shipping as well as a donation to the charity or school of your choice for each piece of material that you collect. Please visit the website to find out more about the currently available Brigades and how you can join. In addition to the materials listed, this program also accepts candy wrappers, chip bags and other packaging.

Where to Recycle Paper by Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Paper

Photo: Shutterstock

• GreenTextbooks.org Recycling Program
  1412 Plata Way
  Sandy, UT 84093
  (801) 523-8069
  http://www.greentextbooks.org
  Book recycling, compact discs
  This program offers recycling of textbooks, DVDs and CDs. A minimum of 5 percent of your donation will be given directly to nonprofit groups.
• International Book Project
  1440 Delaware Avenue
  Lexington, KY 40505
  (859) 254-6771
  http://www.intlbookproject.org
  Book donation
  This program accepts books in excellent condition only. Please do not donate books with broken bindings, excessive highlighting or torn/missing pages. The types of books with the most need are textbooks less than 10 years old, dictionaries and vocational books. Please download a shipping label from the website.
• St. Simon Publishing
  Germantown, TN 38183
  (901) 219-6718
  http://stsimonpublishing.com
  Book recycling
  Please visit the website for shipping information.

Recycle Medical Supplies By Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Medical Supplies

Photo: Shutterstock

• Heritage Lifecycle Mailback
  Indianapolis, IN 46231
  (888) 347-7671
  http://store.heritage-enviro.com/
  CFLs, fluorescent tubes, lead-acid batteries (non-automotive), medical sharps, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries, unwanted or expired medications
  Please call or visit the website for details on this program.
• Mail Your Sharps
  Irmo, SC 29063
  (803) 829-8109
  http://www.mailyoursharps.com
  Items containing mercury, medical sharps, mercury thermostats
  Please visit the website or call to order the mail back disposal container.
• Meda Send Medical Waste Mail-Back Service
  Seal Beach, CA 90740
  (800) 200-3581
  http://www.medasend.com/catalogue
  Medical sharps
  Since 2002, Medasend has supplied thousands of medical waste containers to customers all over the United States. The program includes a container and pre-paid return service. Please call or visit the website for more information.
• Sharps Compliance Incorporated
  9350 Kirby Drive, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77054
  (800) 772-5657
  http://www.sharpsinc.com
  Medical sharps
  Please contact customer support for product information and to order the Sharps Disposal by Mail Kit.
• Stericycle Mailback Program
  Lake Forest, IL 60045
  (800) 355-8773
  http://www.stericycle.com/mailback-programs.html
  Items containing mercury, medical sharps
  The Stericycle Mailback Programs use specially designed, prepaid shipping containers that comply with ADA, OSHA and EPA requirements. They’re also approved for transport via US Mail. This program provides you with pre-paid recycling containers, as well as all necessary documentation. There is a separate container for each collected material.
• Republic Sharps
  Phoenix, AZ 85054
  (855) 737-7871
  http://www.republicsharps.com/
  Medical sharps
  The Republic Sharps Mail Back Disposal Service is ideal for people who use needles at home to treat diabetes, arthritis, cancer or other medical conditions. Please call or visit the website to obtain a shipping container.
• MedWaste Tracker
  Houston, TX 77339
  (866) 699-6466
  https://www.thinkgreenfromhome.com/SyringesAndLancets.cfm
  Medical sharps
  The MedWaste Tracker(SM) system for the safe disposal of sharps and medical waste offers a safe, convenient, and cost effective method for proper disposal of syringes used to administer medications at home. Please visit the MedWaste Tracker(SM) website for more information.

Recycle Light Bulbs Through the Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Light Bulbs

Photo: Earth911

• All Lamp Recycling, LLC
  Joplin, MO 64802
  (417) 782-7244
  http://www.alllamprecycling.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
  Please call or visit the website to order a recycling container. This program provides a recycling certificate.
• Christmas Light Source Recycling Program
  1923 6th Ave
  Fort Worth, TX 76110
  (866) 926-4877
  http://www.christmas-light-source.com/Christmas-Lights-Recycling-Program_c_210.html
  String lights
  Please box Christmas lights (broken or unbroken) and send to the address provided. Include your name, address and email address and you'll receive an email code good for 10% off a single order of Christmas lights (one rebate coupon per household). The lights will be recycled and the proceeds from the recycling will be used to buy books that are donated to the DFW Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
• Eco Lights Northwest Recycling Program
  Seattle, WA 98134
  (206) 343-7443
  http://www.ecolights.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent bulbs, items containing mercury, NiCad batteries, mercury thermostats, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
  This program offers pre-paid recycling kits for all lighting sources, fixture bulbs, batteries and other mercury containing items. Please call for additional information.
• Environmental LED Christmas Light Recycling Program
  109 E Prairie St
  Vicksburg, MI 49097
  (866) 465-7334
  http://www.environmentalled.com/Christmas-Light-Recycling-24.html
  String lights
  Send in your old Christmas lights for recycling and receive a 10% off coupon. Please put lights in a cardboard box without any packing material or original boxes. Please mark Attn: Christmas Light Recycling on your package. Include your name and email address for the coupon.
• HolidayLEDs.com Christmas Light Recycling Program
  118 Rosehill Dr, Suite 1
  Jackson, MI 49202
  (866) 492-4330
  http://www.holidayleds.com/holidayledscom_christmas_light_recycling_program
  String lights
  Please send lights in a cardboard or easily recycled box, and include the name and email address (clearly printed) of the participant. All coupons will be emailed. Please do not include anything other than the lights themselves, such as retail boxes, plastic bags and any apparatus used to wind up or store the lights.
• LampRecycling.com
  2200 Ogden Ave #100
  Lisle, IL 60532
  (800) 909-9709
  http://www.lamprecycling.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, computers, computer monitors, electronics, floppy disks, fluorescent bulbs, items containing mercury, mercury thermostats, NiCad batteries, office machines, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries, telephones, televisions
  Through the EasyPak recycling containers, you can recycle fluorescent bulbs, batteries, ballasts and electronics. You will receive a certificate officially recognizing your recycling efforts as well as access to online recycling reports that track your progress over time. Please visit the website to order an EasyPak.
• Mercury Technologies of Minnesota Lamp Recycling Program
  Pine City, MN 55063
  (800) 864-3821
  http://www.mercurytechnologies-mn.com/box.html
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent tubes
  Mercury Technologies is the oldest fluorescent lamp recycling company in continuous existence in the United States. It offers pre-paid recycling programs in several sizes, and also accepts HID and incandescent lamps.
• Partners in Planet Protection Recyclepak
  Palmerton, PA 18071
  (866) 323-4777
  http://www.4pipp.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, items containing mercury (dental waste), mercury thermostats, NiCad batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
  This program offers prepaid packaging to recycle lighting and electronic waste. Please visit the website to order a relevant kit and for shipping instructions.
• USA Lamp & Ballast Recycling, Inc.
  Cincinnati, OH
  (800) 778-6645
  http://www.usalamp.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, incandescent bulbs, items containing mercury, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
  Please call for a pre-paid recycling kit. This mail-in program accepts fluorescent and incandescent lamps, ballasts, electronic waste, all types of batteries and items containing mercury.
• Waste Management LampTracker
  Phoenix, AZ 85008
  (800) 664-1434
  https://www.wmlamptracker.com
  Ballasts, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, items containing mercury (dental waste), mercury thermostats, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
  Please go online to order a LampTracker Mercury VaporLok container. Your recycling certificate of compliance will be sent to you via email as soon as your container is received.

Where You Can Recycle Large Electronic Through the Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Large Electronics

Photo: Shutterstock

• Apple Computer Recycling Program
  Cupertino, CA 95014
  (888) 638-2761
  http://www.apple.com/recycling
  Computer monitors, computer recycling, mp3 players
  Apple’s free computer and iPod recycling programs in the US make it easy for consumers to help protect the environment. This program involves purchasing a prepaid shipping label and shipping your used computer or monitor to Apple’s recycling partner. In certain states, there is no fee for recycling.
• A-Z Computer Recycling & Liquidation
  1661 South Brookhurst, Unit 1, Anaheim, CA 92804
  (714) 563-1029
  http://www.spintradeexchange.com/
  Computer monitors, computer recycling, electronics, office machines
  A-Z computer liquidators specialize in buying, selling, remarketing and recycling used computer parts, electronic components, telecom, network, lab and test equipment, and peripherals. There is no charge to bring in laptops, P4 / P3 / G4 / G3 windows and Mac desktop and towers, laptop parts and laptop accessories. All hard drives, CD-ROMs, loose PC boards / cards, all cables, all retail packaged / sealed software, all telephone equipment, all test equipment, all networking equipment (hubs, routers, switches, etc.). Please visit the website for further information regarding any fees.
• Computer Corps
  6373 Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
  (775) 883-2323
  http://www.computercorps.org/
  Compact discs, computer donation, computer monitors, computer recycling, electronics, office machines
  You may contact this program by e-mail at computercorps@att.net or by fax at 775-883-7676. This program accepts all electronic waste except televisions.
• Dell Global Recycling
  Round Rock, TX 78682
  (888) 576-3818
  http://www.dell.com/recycling
  Computer monitors, computers
  Dell gives several different options as to how you can get rid of your computers. You may trade it in for store credit toward new Dell hardware, auction it via DellAuction.com or donate it, through the National Cristina Foundation, to disabled or economically disadvantaged children and adults. Please either call or visit the website for more information.
• Hewlett-Packard Planet Partners Recycling Program
  Palo Alto, CA 94304
  (888) 485-1849
  http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/recycle/index.html
  Cell phones, computer monitors, computers, electronics, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players, office machines, toner cartridges
  HP recycling services provides an easy way to recycle computer equipment, printing supplies and electronics regardless of brand. Please visit the website for information on how to ship materials based on where you live.
• Intercon Solutions
  4401 West Ogden Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60623
  (888) 452-5642
  http://www.interconrecycling.com
  Compact discs, computer donations, computer monitors, computer recycling, electronics, game console reuse, NiCad batteries, nonferrous metal, office machines, rechargeable batteries, telephones, televisions
  Intercon Recycling handles recycling needs for corporations of any size as well as individuals. They deal with all types of computers, electronics, miscellaneous electrical equipment, scrap metals, cables, and some other recyclables such as batteries. For a quote please send a complete list of items to be recycled via fax or email. Once they receive the equipment they will send you a Certificate of Recycling that releases your company from any environmental liabilities. You may also call 773-521-5642, fax them at 773-762-2604 or email them at info@interconrecycling.com for more information.
• PC Disposal
  Olathe, KS 66062
  (877) 244-0250
  http://pcdisposal.com
  Cell phones, computer monitors, computer recycling, electronics, telephones, televisions
  This program will accept computers, monitors, televisions, electronics, phone systems, main frames, printers, plotters, and more. Please visit www.pcdisposal.com for packaging materials and instructions.

Recycle Inkjet & Toner Cartridges Through the Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Inkjet & Toner Cartridges

Photo: Shutterstock

• Brother Cartridge Collection Program
  Memphis, TN 38133
  http://www.brother-usa.com/environment/
  Toner cartridges
  This is a national mail-in program offered by Brother International. For more information or to print a free prepaid label, please visit the website.
• CartridgeFundraising.com
  Rochester, NY 14609
  (800) 594-4468
  http://www.cartridgefundraising.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  This program pays you to recycle old cell phones, empty inkjet and laser printer cartridges. Please contact the company for specific model numbers, other brands and cash amounts paid for each.
• Coastal Recycling Centers
  Palm Desert, CA 92260
  (760) 636-4892
  http://www.coastalrecyclingcenters.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridgesPlease visit the website for pre-paid shipping containers.
• CURE Recycling
  Woodstock, GA 30188
  (404) 680-1043
  http://www.curerecycling.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges
  CURE Recycling recovers used printer cartridges, PDAs and cell phones from schools, businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies, which are inspected and recycled for reuse. Please visit the website for more information and pre-paid shipping labels.
• Enviro Solutions LLC
  Lexington, SC 29071
  (803) 629-3218
  http://www.envirosolutionsllc.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  This is a national program and will send free collection and shipping materials to any location. Return costs are pre-paid. Please visit the website to obtain free shipping materials.
• Freerecycling.com
  Laguna Niguel, CA 92607
  (949) 363-8201
  http://www.freerecycling.com
  Cell phones, compact discs, inkjet cartridges
  This program will pay per cartridge and phone sent, and pays for shipping nationwide.
• FundingFactory.com
  Erie, PA 16507
  (888) 883-8237
  http://www.fundingfactory.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  Please call or visit the website to receive your welcome kit containing a sampling of available postage paid boxes. Recycling is available at no cost to the sender. This program awards points for items collected which are redeemable toward technology, sports equipment, playground equipment or cash. Points are provided based on the brand of the item you have. This program offers schools and nonprofits a fundraising opportunity.
• Laser Save
  843 State Route 33 #11
  Freehold, NJ 07728
  (732) 431-3339
  http://www.lasersave.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=20&chapter=0
  Inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  This program accepts ink and laser cartridges for drop-off or by mail. Laser Save provides replacement and original toner supplies for laser printers, fax, desk jets and copiers in addition to new and refurbished equipment. Once your cartridge is received, you will have the option of receiving a check or making a donation to a charity such as Child Help USA.
• Printpal Recycling
  910 Chevy Way
  Medford, OR 97504
  (888) 772-1361
  Inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  Please call for a JetPak mailer to send your cartridges in.
• Recycle Rewards
  Erie, PA 16507
  (888) 336-9181
  http://www.rrewards.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  Recycle Rewards is a program designed to make fundraising simple, educational, ecological and profitable. Please visit the website to obtain a shipping label.
• Shadow Fax, Inc.
  4601 Helgesen Drive
  Madison, WI 53718
  (800) 837-1918
  http://www.shadow-fax.com
  Toner cartridges
  This program only accepts laser printer toner cartridges. Please call for a label, shipping instructions or for pick-up information.

Recycle Household Miscellaneous Items Through the Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Household Miscellaneous Items

Photo: Shutterstock

• American Children's Safety Network License Plate Recycling Program
  PO Box 146
  Paris, MO 65275
  (660) 346-0307
  http://www.amchildsafety.org/
  License plates
  This program recycles vehicle license plates and car tags, new and old, and uses the proceeds to purchase bicycle helmets and give them to schools, police departments, fire departments and health departments.
• Armstrong World Industries Ceiling Tile Program
  Lancaster, PA 17604
  (877) 276-7876
  http://www.armstrong.com/sustainability/programs-recycling.html
  Ceiling tiles
  This company recycles mineral fiber ceiling tiles. Tiles must be pre-approved prior to shipping. Please call for a representative in your area and more detailed instructions.
• CEMCO Cylinder Disposal
  Auburn, NY 13021
  (315) 253-2886
  http://www.cylinderdisposal.com
  Propane tanks
  This mail-in program specializes in the complete recovery of the contents remaining and the recovery of small one pound propane cylinders (camping stove type). Please call to schedule a shipment or drop-off.
• Crazy Crayon Recycle Program
  721 Village Rd
  Pelican Lake, WI 54463
  (800) 561-0922
  http://www.crazycrayons.com/recycle_program.html
  Crayons
  This program takes takes unwanted, rejected, broken crayons and recycles them into fresh, new crayons. It accepts all crayons, but please know that crayons from foreign countries will be sorted out and discarded since they may contain lead and plastics. E-mail LuAnn at LuAnn@CrazyCrayons.com with additional questions.
• Educational Assistance Limited
  Glen Ellyn, IL 60138
  (630) 690-0010
  http://www.inventorydonations.org/
  Computer donation, computer monitors, household furniture, household item donation/reuse, office furniture, reusable appliance donation, scrap metal, tools
  EAL helps turn excess or unwanted inventory, gently used equipment and services into college tuition for needy students. It also accepts donations of cash, securities and other valuable assets. If you wish to donate inventory or services to EAL, the first step is to download, complete, and fax the inventory form on the website, so that EAL can determine if donations meet the criteria. In most cases, the donor takes care of shipping costs as they may be tax deductible.
• Garment Recovery Systems Tyvek Recycling Program
  2030 E Summer St
  Hammond, IN 46320
  (219) 989-4627
  http://www.garmentrecoverysystems.com
  Tyvek® apparel
  This program accepts lab coats and coveralls, aprons, frocks, sleeves, boot/shoe covers and hoods. It pays for shipping if you print a label from the website. If you have non-Tyvek® disposable apparel, please visit the website for further evaluation.
• Lamb Awards Recycling Program
  Westminster, MD 21157
  (410) 876-1444
  http://www.lambawards.com/recycle.html
  Trophies
  Lamb Awards will either donate matching sets to charities in need or break the trophies down for parts. These parts will go on to other trophy winners. Please visit the website before sending any trophies. This program also accepts old plaques, sculptures and medals. You are responsible for any expenses related to shipping the old items.
• Lions In Sight Recycling Program
  1404 Lemon Street, Vallejo, CA 94590
  (707) 648-2306
  http://www.lionsinsight.org/
  Glasses
  Lions In Sight is dedicated to bringing basic eye care and eyeglasses to a world of people in need. Please place your eyeglasses in a box with tissue or newspaper padding and mail to the address listed or look for a Lions In Sight collection box where you buy your glasses.
• Locks of Love Hair Donation Program
  West Palm Beach, FL 33405
  (561) 833-7332
  http://www.locksoflove.org/donate.html
  Hair
  Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. To participate, please visit the website for donation information. Hair must be at least 10 inches long and in ponytail form.
• Matter of Trust Hair Recycling Program
  San Francisco, CA 94114
  (415) 235-2403
  http://matteroftrust.org/
  Hair
  Matter of Trust takes hair and fur clippings and nylons, and uses them to make hair mats to help clean up oil spills. Please visit the website to register, and then you will receive an address to send hair to. Please do not include anything besides hair and nylons.
• New Eyes For the Needy
  Short Hills, NJ 07078
  (973) 376-4903
  http://www.neweyesfortheneedy.com/how-you-can-help/recycle
  Glasses
  New Eyes for the Needy is a non-profit charity that purchases new prescription glasses for poor residents of the U.S. and recycles donated eyeglasses for distribution to indigent people overseas. This program accepts reading glasses and sunglasses, hearing aids, watches and jewelry, silverware and giftware and dentures with gold inlays. Please call for proper mailing instructions, and be sure to include your return address inside the package so that this organization can send you an acknowledgement.
• Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program
  3552 Avenue of Commerce
  Memphis, TN 38125
  (800) 344-6453
  http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/
  Shoes
  This program accepts any athletic shoe that does not contain metal. You can visit the website to download a shipping label. There are also drop-off locations in some Nike Factory Stores.
• Rebounces Tennis Ball Recycling Program
  1313 Hwy 62-65 N, Suite F
  Harrison, AR 72601
  (888) 630-5696
  http://www.rebounces.com/page/Recycle-Old-Tennis-Ball-With-Us.aspx
  Tennis balls
  To receive a prepaid shipping label, send an email to info@rebounces.com with your name, shipping address and the number of balls you wish to send. Pre-paid shipping is only available for quantities of 100 balls or more. Once shipped, balls will be re-pressurized to industry standard pressure and offered for purchase as practice balls.
• Recycle Your Mat
  1855 W 2nd Ave
  Eugene, OR 97402
  (541) 556-9191
  http://recycleyourmat.com
  Yoga mats
  Once your mat is received, you will be emailed a coupon for your next order to Manduka gear.
• Scarlet Girl Recycling Program
  5331 SW Macadam Ave, Ste 258-409
  Portland, OR 97239
  (503) 616-3931
  http://www.scarletgirl.com/
  Adult toys
  This program will recycle your unwanted or broken adult toys. For each package of toys submitted Scarlet Girl will give you a $10 credit toward a future purchase. Simply mail your clean, dry adult toys and they will be disinfected and disassembled to remove and segregate all components and electronics.
• Sheer No Nonsense Pantyhose Recycling Program
  3707 W Fifth St
  Lumberton, NC 28358
  http://www.nononsense.com/PantyhoseRecycling.aspx
  Pantyhose
  To participate in this program, put all pantyhose, nylon knee highs and tights in a box, regardless of brand. You can download and print a shipping label from the website, then send in for recycling.
• The Bra Recyclers
  3317 S Higley Rd Suite #114-441
  Gilbert, AZ 85297
  (480) 988-2283
  http://www.brarecycling.com/
  Bras
  All bras must be washed. Please fill out the Bra Recycling Form on the website and mail to the attention of Elaine Birks-Mitchell.
• The Pen Guy Recycling Program
  P.O.Box 994
  Forestville, CA 95436
  http://www.penguyart.com/
  Pens, markers, highlighters
  This program takes used pens and turns them into artwork. Please visit the website for more details.
• Yemm and Hart Wine Cork Recycling
  425 N Chamber Dr
  Fredericktown, MO 63645
  (573) 783-5434
  http://www.yemmhart.com/news+/winecorkrecycling.htm
  Corks
  Send your wine and Champagne cork stoppers prepaid (paid by sender) to Yemm & Hart via UPS or USPS.

Recycle Electronic Media Through the Mail

by Kathryn Sukalich for Earth911.com

Electronic Media

Photo: Shutterstock

• Alternative Community Training (ACT)
  2200 Burlington St.
  Columbia, MO 65202
  (800) 359-4607
  http://www.actrecycling.org/donations/how-to-donate
  Cell phones, cassette tapes, compact discs, floppy disks, jewel cases, video tapes
  ACT is a non-profit organization that works in conjunction with GreenDisk and offers a convenient, comprehensive recycling program for electronic media and cell phones. Please visit the website and complete and submit the Online Donor Form.
• Back Thru The Future CD/DVD Recycling Program
  1 Park Dr #9
  Franklin, NJ 07419
  (973) 823-9752
  http://www.cdrecyclingforfree.com/
  Compact discs/DVDs, jewel cases
  Place your CDs and/or DVDs in suitable a shipping package. Transportation expense is your cost. It is important that you separate the discs from the jewel case and remove any paper. Please write "CD" on the outside of your shipping package.
• CD Recycling Center of America
  68 Stiles Rd
  Salem, NH 03079
  (603) 894-5553
  http://cdrecyclingcenter.org
  Compact discs/DVDs, jewel cases
  This program recycles the disc, the paper booklet and any other paper or cardboard that comes with the disc. Please separate discs and paper prior to sending them in, and label boxes accordingly. You are responsible for shipping costs.
• Envirom CD, Inc.
  20810 Cork Cir
  Yorba Linda, CA 92886
  (714) 694-0925
  http://www.envirom.com
  Compact discs
  This program offers certified destruction and recycling of CDs. This includes documentation of destruction, but the sender pays shipping charges. Please call for more information.
• Green Disk
  Issaquah, WA 98209
  (800) 305-3475
  http://greendisk.com/
  Cell phones, compact discs/DVDs, computer monitors, computer recycling, floppy disks, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players, office machines, toner cartridges, video tapes (and cases)Please call or visit the website for shipping information and additional information. This is a fee-based service.
• MRC Polymers Compact Disc Recycling Program
  3535 W 31st St
  Chicago, IL 60623
  (773) 890-9000
  Compact discs/DVDs, jewel cases
  Please mail all CDs/DVDs and jewel cases to Data Management Services c/o DADC Recycling Program. Please keep CDs and DVDs separate and remove any paper from jewel cases.

Where You Can Recycle Cell Phones and Small Electronics By Mail

Photo: Shutterstock

• Barclay Enterprises
  Colton, CA 92324
  (800) 513-9962
  http://www.barclayent.com/t-waste.htm
  Cell phones, telephones
  Please visit the website to fill out a return authorization form, and you will receive more information.
• Cell Funds
  Los Angeles, CA 91411
  (866) 874-6759
  http://www.mycellfunds.com
  Cell phones
  This program buys used cell phones. Please visit the website for shipping information.
• Charitable Recycling Program
  Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
  (888) 300-1052
  http://www.charitablerecycling.com
  Cell phones
  Donations are accepted by mail, but please visit the website for a shipping label. This program accepts any used or retired cell phone. For each phone received, a donation will be made to charity.
• eCycle Group
  Ojai, CA 93023
  (800) 416-5251
  http://www.ecyclegroup.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players, toner cartridges
  This program supplies pre-paid shipping labels. It purchases empty inkjet and laser cartridges from a variety of sources including primary schools, colleges and universities, businesses and individual collectors. It pays top dollar for empty printer cartridges which makes it a fundraising source. Please call or visit the web site for more information.
• EcoPhones Electronics Recycling
  Dallas, TX 75220
  (888) 326-7466
  http://www.ecophones.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players
  This program will pay for cell phones, laptops, inkjet cartridges, digital and video cameras, mp3 players and gold jewelry. Please visit the website for shipping information.
• Folica Hair Dryer Recycling ProgramDayton, NJ 08810
  (888) 919-4247
  http://www.folica.com/features/recycle
  Flat irons, hair dryers
  This program allows you to recycle your old hair dryer or flat iron and get a coupon to purchase a new product on Folica.com. Please visit the website for more information.
• GreenCanDo.org
  P.O. Box 324
  Massapequa Park, 11762
  (888) 340-1121
  http://www.greencando.org/
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players, toner cartridges
  This program offers free shipping labels. Please visit the website for more information.
• GreenPhone Recycling Program
  Boulder, CO 80301
  (310) 294-5400
  http://greenphone.com/
  Cell phones
  GreenPhone offers a trade-in program to recycle cell phones for cash. It also plants a tree for every device recycled. Please visit the website to get started.
• iRecyclePhones.com
  1 City Boulevard West 1120, Orange, CA 92868
  (949) 274-2247
  http://www.irecyclephones.com
  Cell phones
  Please note: iRecyclePhones.com will pay for shipping throughout the United States. Please visit the website to request a prepaid shipping box to be delivered to the address of your choice.
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Cell Phone Donation Program
  Dexter, MI 48130
  (303) 839-1852
  http://www.ncadv.org/takeaction/DonateaPhone.php
  Cell phones
  Proceeds from the collection and sale of deactivated cell phones help fund the NCADV's mission to end violence in the home. Please visit the website for a pre-paid postage slip.
• Nextworth Electronics Recycling
  Lawrence, MA 01840
  (978) 374-6398
  http://www.nextworth.com
  Cell phones, game console, mp3 players
  This program buys used gadgets, games and media. Please visit the website to get a quote and for shipping information.
• Phone Fund
  631 S 31st St, Richmond, CA 94804
  (800) 981-9019
  http://www.phonefund.com
  Cell phones, computer donation, electronics (digital cameras and PDAs)
  Your donation can be directed to the school of your choice by sending your used cell phones, batteries and accessories to Phone Fund with the school of your choice noted when you ship the phones. Visit the website to generate a free shipping label and donation letter for your tax records.
• ReCellular, Inc. DONATE A PHONE® Program
  2555 Bishop Circle
  West Dexter, MI 48130
  (800) 441-1544
  http://www.wirelessfoundation.org
  Cell phones
  This program recycles used wireless phones to help the environment and raise funds for a variety of charities. Most phones are resold as economical alternatives to new phones or refurbished to become lifelines for domestic violence victims. The rest are safely recycled in accordance with all applicable U.S. environmental regulations. Please visit the website for shipping information.
• Recycle For a Cause
  451 W 69th St
  Loveland, CO 80538
  (877) 790-1870
  http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=436332849
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges
  This program accepts ink and toner cartridges, cell phones, iPods, laptops, PDA's, video games and video game consoles, GPS devices, digital cameras, and DVD movies. It donates a large percentage of the proceeds to charitable organizations that coincide with seven different programs; recycle for Pets, Water, Hunger Relief, Victims of Domestic Violence, Global Warming, Refugees and Soldiers.
• Recycle It America
  Mound, MN 55364
  (612) 483-3500
  http://www.recycleitamerica.com/
  Cell phones, computer monitors, game consoles, mp3 players
  This company provides free shipping and recycling, and also offers rewards for items of value. Visit the website to get started.
• Sell and Recycle
  301 Executive Park Blvd
  San Francisco, CA 94134
  (888) 502-9582
  http://www.sellandrecycle.com/
  Cell phonesSellandRecycle.com pays for electronics you no longer use and gives you the opportunity to give back to mother nature while leaving the world a better place for future generations.
  
• Shelter Alliance
  2201 SW 145th Ave #209
  Hollywood, FL 33027
  (866) 744-1003
  http://www.shelteralliance.net/
  Cell phones
  Donate cell phones to benefit a nonprofit organization. Visit the website for free shipping information.
• Sprint Project Connect
  Overland Park, KS 66251
  (866) 364-5680
  http://www.sprint.com/responsibility/communities_across/project_connect.html
  Cell phones
  Sprint Project Connect is a free service for anyone who has wireless phones, batteries, accessories and data cards that they no longer use, regardless of make and model, carrier or condition. The net proceeds from all equipment collected will fund and promote free Internet safety resources for kids. To recycle your wireless device, pick up a free, postage-paid envelope at any Sprint-owned store nationwide. Or, print the free, pre-paid shipping label on the website.
• Two-Way Radio Recycling Program
  Carlsbad, CA 92011
  (888) 742-5893
  http://www.TwoWayDirect.com/
  Two-way radios
  Earn money by recycling your old two-way radios, batteries and accessories. Please visit the website for a quote and shipping information.
• US Recycling
  1118 Shop Road, Columbia, SC 29201
  (888) 628-3639
  http://www.usrecycleink.com
  Cell phones, inkjet cartridges, mp3 players, office machines, toner cartridges
  This program pays cash for empty printer cartridges, used cell phones and IT equipment.
• Watts Wireless Cell Phone Recycling Program
  Haltom City, TX 76117
  (800) 557-9201
  http://www.phones4funds.org
  Cell phones and other wireless communication equipment
  This is a National Program. For consumers and businesses that are outside of the Fort Worth area, please call for information and a shipping label.

by Kathryn Sukalich at Earth911.com

Where to Recycle Batteries Through the Mail

Photo: Earth911

 

Battery Mart
1 Battery Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
(800) 405-2121
http://www.batterymart.com
Car batteries, NiCad batteries, lead-acid batteries (non-automotive), other batteries, rechargeable batteries
This program does not pay for shipping costs. Please call for further details.

Battery Solutions iRecycle Kit
Howell, MI 48843
(800) 852-8127
http://www.batteryrecycling.com
Cell phones, mp3 players, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
The iRecycle Kit includes everything you need to recycle your batteries and handheld electronics. You simply collect all dry-cell battery types and hand-held electronics together and mail them in. Please visit the website to order the Kit.

Frugal Vacation Tips From Frugal Sally Readers

I asked my readers on Facebook to send me their best frugal vacation tips.  They came through with some really great ones.  Now I get to share them with you. 

Frugal Vacation Tips -

From Amy Crosby Griffin:
Vacation tip: When we take our vacation to the beach, we always eat out at lunch instead of supper. The prices are cheaper and the food is the same!

From Blythe Walker:
I heard a good tip from a friend today. When people go on vacations to warm places, they often buy beach stuff like chairs, toys,etc. When they leave they don't take this stuff home with them. Instead of buying these things, ask the hotel you are staying at if they have left-behinds. Also, the dumpster near the beach often has cast-offs that could not be taken home.

From Marlene Joshua:
We vacation on a super tight budget, heres a couple of things we do to stay "cheap".
we always pack a cooler of food and bottled tap water so there is no need for restrauants, on the plus side who does not love a picnic
we check out our trip on google ahead of time to see which towns we are passing through, so we can see if there are any free things to see and do while there. there are lots of free muesuems and attractions to see for free, plus you get to learn about the town while there.
we usually camp while traveling, when camping ask for a non electrical site, its cheaper and really what is so important that you have to plug in, on the plus side you get to rough it a bit and get back to nature.
 
From Christy Parsons Rowe:

This is a "weird" vacation tip, but I worked with a woman who got so sick and tired of the airlines losing her luggage, that she started shipping her items via ups (or whoever had the best rates) and only taking a carry on with her. She always paid the extra for insurance so if the shipping company lost her package, she would get refunded faster than waiting on the airline.

From Maven Cynthia Wilcox:
See if your hotel will allow a slow cooker and put a beef stew or some chili in it to cook all day while you are gone. Also, if you have a room with a fridge and microwave, you can bring meals from home and warm them up in the microwave. BIG TIME TIP, since I travel alot. I bring my coffee maker from home with milk in the ice bucket if there is no fridge and sugar for hubby. We brew our own coffee in the morning. It's nice to wake up to the smell of the programmable timed coffee and saves big time cash not getting a super mocha latte ....calories too!

From Trisha Kelly:
I have 5 children from 3 to 13. We decided instead of spending all our money to go somewhere we decided to spend our money at home. We called it a "HOME CATION". We turned off all our cell phones and only answered phone calls if it was an emergency. We took a week off and told everyone we were on vacation. We bought fun easy foods and went out to eat. We made huge posters with the scheduled activities. We had activities every day that we did together. We had a girls spa day and did homemade facials, manicures, and pedicures while we had a Barbie movie marathon and a picnic on the floor. The boys went snowboarding and skiing ( we live close to a ski resort). We had Wii tournaments, and did fun things that were available near us. We spent money but we were in our comfortable home. It ended up being so much fun we all wanted to do it again. Vacations can be so expensive, especially for big families and we did not want to go into debt for a vacation.

From Carrie Myrick Hirmer:
Vacation tip: whenever we are planning to travel, I always purchase an entertainment book through entertainment.com for the major cities/areas we are planning to visit. You can sign up on their email list and get emails when they're having a sale, which is when I buy mine (the sales get better as the year goes on.) Order early enough that you don't have to pay for expedited shipping. Also, go through ebates.com to get cash back on your book purchase.
I love these books because they have a lot of buy one get one free coupons - things like meals, admission to museums, etc. They also have retail coupons you can use at retailers around the country as well as online. Most of the restaurants we visit using the book coupons are locally owned, so you get to experience eating somewhere other than the chain restaurants, which we enjoy.
I teach money saving workshops, and this is the only time I advise people to pay for coupons - it really does save you a lot of money!

From Donna Zalensas Jones:
Frugal Vacation Tip -- When you go somewhere, avoid staying in a standard hotel room, which may not even include a tiny refrigerator. Look instead for an "extended stay" hotel, which will give you a kitchenette, and possibly a living room area. Make your own breakfast before heading out to explore for the day, and take sandwiches and snacks with you. Then you can eat dinner at a restaurant without breaking the bank (we usually choose buffet-style places so everyone can fill up without it costing a lot, plus we get more variety that way). In some areas, you can also rent condos or cabins, which give you the same advantages of kitchen and living space without being cost-prohibitive.

From Gail Ann Fuller:

I've used Groupon for hotels. Not bad deals during the week. Can't say anything special during the week-ends.
I've been reluctant to use restaurant.com for traveling. I suppose it all depends on your schedule, but while we schedule, nothing is fixed in stone... a museum may take longer or shorter than we planned.
I also find our AAA card is worth it. For the roadside assistance peace of mind, but also hotel discounts, and some restaurants.
Memberships are perhaps the biggest savings. For a family, a membership can be cheaper, even with a one time trip. And, generally part of the membership is tax deductible as a donation. Also, many memberships have agreements with other museums/zoos/etc. So, if you belong at home, you get a free or reduced entry when traveling. Or, join the one on vacation, and get admission to other sites while on vacation.
Also, pre-purchasing admissions. Sometimes there is a discount by purchasing directly, and other times, using AAA or other sites provide discounts.
We also have a no junk rule with respect to purchases. So, we will purchase tshirts or gold shirts or sweat shirts, but not the other tacky offerings of shops. Clothing tends to get worn... the rest collects dust. Other than books. We are mostly history tourists, so we do purchase books. Even if they are to be had cheaper on Amazon, a purchase at a historical site helps fund that site.
Which... I think is something to remember. Being frugal and being cheap are different. I may be able to get a book $3 cheaper on-line, but I'm not helping preserve the site with an on-line purchase. It's important to remember that admissions and other revenue help preserve the place. Many sites receive minimal government aid.
Oh, special events... again, we are history tourists. Events can drive prices up or down... hotels tend to be more, but there are deals to be had on meals, attractions, etc. as everyone competes for the tourist dollar. But, for larger events, sometimes there are special rates at hotels. Which... check out what's going on before you plan our trip. Heading to Chicago during the marathon probably isn't the best idea.
We don't have children, so we can travel in the spring and fall. We find places are not as crowded, and cleaner.
Which reminds me... we go to Cooperstown each year for a history conference. The Baseball museum has a deal... purchase a ticket after 5pm, and you get a free one for the next day. Cooperstown also has a number of baseball clinics, etc. We have found that going after 5 each day is nicer because the children are off having dinner or swimming at a hotel. Many places offer this type of discount.

From Heather Krawzoff:
There are better days of the week and month to buy your airline tickets online , you get better prices at certain times. I think it's midweek, also prices are cheaper if you fly on certain days. You'd have to look it up, I always have to look up the info before I book, as I don't fly often

From Joshua C. Overgarrd

Couchsurfing - website that helps you find people willing to let you crash on their couch/spare room/etc for some period of time for free.

Hostels - Many cities (more in europe, but also in the US) have places you can stay very inexpensively while traveling, at the expense of less privacy.

AirBNB and comparable sites -- instead of staying in a hotel, rent someone's apartment or house (or a room in it in some cases). Especially if you're traveling in a group and would need multiple hotel rooms, this can be a great option. We rented a beautiful, luxurious suite in a wonderful woman's home in Puerto Rico for part of our honeymoon and she was an amazing hostess, who showed us places we'd never have known to go and taught us things about the city and the culture that we'd never have gotten to learn as outsiders, and it cost less than a typical hotel room there.

GameDayHousing - if you're traveling for a sporting event, these guys specialize in renting out entire houses in sports destinations.

Cruises are one of the cheapest ways to vacation. Sometimes they cost as little as $35/person/night, including all your meals and lots of free entertainment.

House Swapping is getting more popular. If you live in a place someone else might want to visit for a vacation, you might be able to trade houses with someone for a week or two.

Driving to a destination can be more economical than flying if you're not going alone and people are willing to nap in the car while you drive for many hours. You can drive about 1/3 of the way across the country in about the same time you'd spend traveling to an airport, getting there 2-3 hours before for security, waiting for the plane, flying, debarking, waiting for your luggage, renting a car, and traveling from that airport to your destination, and you'll have your own car that you're comfortable driving.

matrix.itasoftware.com -- If you have to fly, and especially if you're flexible on the timing of your vacation and you live within a reasonable distance of multiple airports, this mostly unadvertised service from a google subsidiary is amazing. You tell it which airports you're willing to fly from, which airports you're willing to fly into, and put down within a couple of days when you want to leave and arrive. It will search through all the airlines and find all the available flights, and sort them based on your preferences. And it's only a search engine, not a travel agent -- you can't book flights from it, so it's not incentivized to give you more profitable results. You can take the flight info you choose, and go to another site like Orbitz to book the flight.

Learning to pack light and to pack efficiently saves you money on extra bags or overweight bag fees, and it means less junk to carry around. If you can get it down to just carryons, you save a lot of time and headache as well as money. For women, a great option are simple lightweight silk dresses with a crinkled finish can be rolled up into very small balls that can fit into your shoes, and are wearable if you hang them in the bathroom while you shower in the morning. And you can hand wash them in the sink at night and wear them again the next day, with different accessories (lightweight silk scarves are a good match. You can have 4 or 5 of those with 2-3 dresses and a few different pieces of jewelry and easily get through 2-3 weeks). Men have it a little tougher, but again, sticking to lightweight silk and linen where possible, and rolling them up tightly will keep things compact. Don't try and pack a different outfit for every day (or worse, several for every day). Pack things that will mostly go together so you can have multiple combinations. For men, even if you don't typically wear one, go out and get a sportcoat (go for simple, like a navy blazer or a khaki sportcoat). They're a bit bulky, but less so than a sweater, and much more versatile. As long as you're wearing long pants, you can wear a sportcoat. (jeans and a t-shirt are even OK if you're being casual) It changes your look more than changing your shirt or pants would, it's warm if the nights get chilly (and you can take it off and give it to your lady who's freezing in her dress). You can bring a few different lapel pins and pocket squares if you want to make it look different every night without adding much bulk to your packing. Throw in a couple of ties and you can be almost as dressed up as in a suit -- perfectly acceptable for "Cruise Elegant" nights. Keep toiletries and makeup to a minimum -- pick up some small cheap plastic or glass bottles and jars from somewhere like Sunburst Bottle and only bring what you expect to use (decanting your cologne/perfume into a small vial with a roller cap is a good way to save weight, space, and reduce the chance of breakage). Cut back on electronic devices if possible. At a minimum, if you're bringing a laptop, don't pack chargers for devices that can charge by plugging into the laptop (unless they charge much more slowly that way). But if you like to read on vacation, bringing an e-reader if you have one - they're much lighter and less bulky than books. And you can put it in a zip-lock bag to protect it from the elements and still be able to turn the pages. If you need luggage and don't plan to use it again, try to borrow from someone, or buy old luggage at goodwill (just make sure it complies with modern sizing requirements). If you want to buy new luggage for your vacation, consider the Porter Case brand (facebook.com/pages/Porter-Case). They don't advertise much, but are the go-to luggage for a lot of pilots and professional photographers. They're no more expensive than most other luggage, and are built to withstand years of daily travel. They're sized to fit down the aisles of any commercial airliner, they're lightweight but rugged enough to protect even expensive camera gear, and they have a built-in luggage cart you can put your other bags on top of instead of dragging several bags around tied to each other or taking up all your hands.

From Nancy Roshto:
Inexpensive vacation tips:
National or state parks near your home: websites have all the info you need.
Swap homes with someone who lives in an area you would like to visit
Travel with another family/couple/individual & share the costs
Local or nearby museums, zoos, parks (check City web pages)
When you get to your destination, check with the locals about good deals that may not be advertised
Bring "$x" and spend ONLY that cash. Shop/tour outlet malls or Outdoor specialty stores (i.e.Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain)
Bring a picnic lunch for the first day of travel. Bring an insulated container with water and bring your own soft drinks and snacks (chips, fruit, nuts, granola, homemade cookies).

From Jodi Jandreau-Guy:
Frugal Vacation Tips:
When we take our annual family vacation, we rent a cabin at a KOA. It's pretty much half the cost rather than a hotel room. It's barely furnished [bunk beds, a small table/1chair, & electricity] but the one we've been using has very clean public bathrooms/showers. We've been doing this for the past 5 years and have not had a bad experience yet. The KOA employees are also helpful in pointing out area attractions to see.
We also meal plan and pack our own groceries for the trip. For the inevitable need of condiments, we fill jelly jars with what we'll need and bring it along rather than buy new bottles - which take up a lot of room in a small cooler. A bag or 2 of ice is inexpensive compared to eating out every meal along the way. We try to plan sandwiches for lunches so we can bring them with us wherever we happen to be having our daily excursion but a small propane cook stove (or the charcoal BBQ at the campsite) allows us to have a hot meal at the end of the day. Bringing our refillable water bottles omits the need to buy bottled water.
It takes some planning and careful packing, but we're always able to stick to our meager vacation budget.

From Natalie Linder:
Travel/vaca tip, when staying a few days or more in a hotel, opt for a room with a kitchenette. Eating out is one of travels biggest expenses. A kitchenette will cost a little more but you will save by being able to make your own meals.

From Susan Trodden:
1. Use groupon or similar to ensure half price entries
2. Ask around, lots of people have family holiday homes in not too far away places that they will rent out relatively cheaply
3. Go on holiday with another family and halve the accomodation costs (and get to ease the load of childcare/we're bored symdrome/cooking and cleaning - this is my favourite and ensures fun for everyone!

From Tara Knott:
I have learned a few things that make traveling with kids easier and cheaper: Carry different size ziplocks with you. You can always bring home leftovers in them, or separate bigger boxes into snack size portions and bring with you. We always bring a box of granola bars, crackers and a box of fruit snacks with us. These can be shoved in a purse, backpack or pocket and stretch out the time until you have to eat a meal. This is especially helpful in an amusement or theme park where a snack could cost more than a meal!! In our luggage, I pack plastic cups, bowls and old spoons and a box of cereal and juice boxes.Breakfast is important and outrageously priced for little boxes of cereal which is what my kids want. I can buy a small thing of milk and keep it in the mini fridge and feed the kids for next to nothing.

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I found this post that is being passed around on Facebook and the internet.  I do not know who wrote it or who to give credit to. 

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 ...per gallon. My line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon:
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline.. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
 

Money Saving Tips From My Readers -

Here is a collection of money saving tips that were sent in by those who read Frugal Sally on Facebook. 

From Dany-el B.

• Money saving tips:
  
  Instead of using kitchen paper towel, use a tea towel as they can be washed and reused countless times. The same goes for cleaning cloths. Use old face washers instead of disposable wipes.
  
  Tie a ribbon to the front wire guard of pedestal fans. It will flutter when the fan is operating and serve as a visual reminder to turn it off when you leave the room.
  
  Before printing, ask yourself: does this need to be printed in full colour or will a black ink only setting in a draft format suffice? You can save a fortune in printer ink by only printing in colour when it is necessary.
  
  Buy bananas when there is a glut in the market (and they are at their cheapest) and then store them with their skin on in the freezer. They stay good for months like this. I also store bread in the freezer, only taking out a few slices as needed. A few seconds in the microwave and the slices are as soft and fresh as the day you bought it.

From  L.E.


When I finish a tube of hand lotion, face cream, facial scrub, ect, I cut it in half. You would be amazed at the amount still left inside that you can't get out. Usually enough for quit a few more days.

From  Anonymous

I volunteered at a thrift shop, and gladly took their rejects, which I could alter or mend. Because I let the ladies know I was open to broken items, they were happy to send them my way as a thank you for working there. We joke that we don't shop at thrift stores, we just take what the thrift stores won't sell .

We also used cloth wipes....pee only, so just us girls. And I use cloth menstrual pads, just not on my heaviest days. Still a big savings over time.

From Reader Julie G. G.
Go garage sale/ yard sale shopping with a list... Just like you are going to a store. Ad swap lists with friends, so you can cover more sales and keep an eye out for things each other is looking for. A friend found me bunk beds she knew I was searching for. Also be sure, if you are looking for something particular, tell people. I got a (then) $400 double stroller for $50, because a friend knew exactly what I wanted and stumbled upon someone who had one they no longer used. It was a happy accident, but saved us a lot of money. Friends are great help when it comes to being frugal!

Another big money saver for us is leaving ourselves "margin"... Spending less, pushing the envelope less, and not filling up every single minute! Leaving a time margin means you have time to pack that snack before you leave the house, or to make that stop for the really great sale, or thinking creatively about how not to spend money at all. A packed full life is a huge drain. Slow down, leave breathing space...margin...it's the empty space around the edges.

From Linda E. M.

Kroger stores have rewards cards. We buy restaurant gift cards for when we go out to eat and get 2X fuel points for each purchase. We buy Subway, Frisch's etc...Then 2X per year, they have 4X fuel points for all gift card purchases, that is when we buy the bulk of our holiday, birthday gift cards etc....they have a HUGE selection of gift cards and it really saves us on gas b/c you get 10 cents off per gallon for every $100 you spend and if you double or quadruple that, it's awesome!

From Laurie L.

I accept every meal invite out I can. I take with me fresh eggs from my brother, game meat or veggies from my garden.

From Beth Anne

It's not an odd trip, nor - I'm sure - unusual, but my most important money saving trip is about mind set. I "channel my grandmothers" when looking at how to manage my household more frugally. Both my grandmothers lived through the Great Depression and then the second world war. The shortages they experienced taught them to make the best of every single thing they had. Those habits stayed with them all their lives. It is because of my grandmothers that I save string and elastic bands, wash out and re-use plastic bags and containers from the grocery store, carefully fold and store brown paper bags, iron tissue paper from gifts and packing so that it can be re-used, save those last slivers from a bar of soap to be grated and used elsewhere...You get the idea. They didn't waste things and, thanks to their good teaching, I try to be less wasteful too.

It may seem counterintuitive to spend money in order to save money but, if you purchase a pressure canner, the canner will save you its cost many times over in the course of its lifetime. Make a point of canning homemade stocks and soups in order to use up bits of meat and veg left in the fridge at the end of the week - even if only working in small batches. You'll reduce the amount of food waste in your kitchen and provide yourself with a supply of convenient meals in the pantry. Those meals will save you the cost of take out on days when you're too busy to cook.

From Kay A.

I cut up frayed towels, stained clothes and old socks to use for rags. (When the maintenance men come to the apt and need a "paper towel", he then remembers: you don't use them, do you, when I hand him a rag).

 2. I also cut off the buttons if they are on the clothing.

 3. Another idea that I use is when I print coupons or whatever on the computer, I cut the remaining unused paper to use for scratch paper. I also take the envelopes that comes with the mail and cut them up to use for scrap paper as well. It saves on buying posted notes. If I need to post it, keep tape (you can get 2 rolls for $1 at Dollar Tree) on hand and use a tiny piece to post it on something.

 4. When I use to work retail, I would gather the unused seasonal envelopes that the vendor was going to trash. I would make seasonal note cards by stapling them or binding them with ribbon and give on a package in place of ribbon.

 5. I use to use old tube socks to hold up my tomato plants.

6. This is an idea that I picked up from an elderly Italian woman. She had way too many seasonal address labels. So, she would cut off her name/address and leave the remaining (snow man, Santa, reindeer, etc) and use them to place on the seal of her envelope. She said that she began that when they printed her name wrong and she didn't to throw them out since they were so pretty.

From Anonymous

I too use cloths instead of toilet paper. It works well! I use the old wee baby facecloths that I had lying around but it's easy to be creative in this department. it has saved us a ton of money.

From Lisa C.

We have eaten possum (actually very good! we had a predator take a chicken so we set out a trap and he had come back for seconds) and we re-heat coffee sometimes 2-3 days before we make a fresh pot. (adding fresh water if it got over-brewed. I reuse ziplock bags. Oh! and I make my own toothpaste, havent bought it in more than a year, only spent $1 for an ingredient I didnt already have on hand...

The toothpaste is very unscientific.. about 3T of baking soda, 1T of bentonite clay ( at health food stores, the only ingredient that i had to buy, its cheap) and 10drops of essential oils to taste .. I use spearmint and peppermint, sometimes add a drop or two of lavender or eucalyptus.. its very random and based on my moods... mixed up good then you dip your wet bristles in and thats it... we keep it in a little tupperware container on the sink... it is only the two of us so we dont worry about germs..

From another anonymous reader

 A GREAT idea for saving $$ for people who have problems regularly saving $$.

Some people can easily arrange to have a certain amount of their paycheck to savings each time they're paid. The "out if sight, out of mind" or "I won't miss it if it's never available" is an easy way to save. Others need tangible "evidence" to reinforce the sacrifice in their spending habits.

Every time you forego that morning latte or attend a movie matinee instead of a primetime movie screening, transfer/save the $$ or the difference in the $$ you save.

If you watch your own DVD @ home or get a freebie rental (from a friend or library), save the difference in $$ from a DVD rental or movie in the theater.

Buy a new coat? Find one @ a consignment or Thrift store & save the difference.

Multiple small savings add up to big savings- you'll be amazed & motivated by your bulging savings account!

 

From Cha'kwaina M. E. E.

Cloth diapers with heavy cotton or wool covers,wet wash clothes instead of baby wipes, breast feeding, laminated (therefore reusable) practice writing paper for grade school children, cloth menstrual pads and tampons, denim coverlets from old jeans.

I have the grands use china pencils or wax pencils on the laminated paper. Cheaper than wipe off owns and they don't mess up the felt ends by pressing too hard. And when they get real paper it's always their best. The mistakes are wiped away. I also laminate puzzles like word finds, mazes etc. or if a book paperclip a piece if hard plastic to it like a transparency film to it. My grands are using the same books their parents used.

From Maggie F.

One tip I was told about a long time ago, for those of you who are paid weekly, or even fortnightly is, make your weekly shop last an extra day, e.g. 8 days instead of 7, then after 7 weeks, you end up with an extra weeks pay......dont think it would work for monthly salary earners...although you never know.....

From another Anonymous reader

  I keep on using mittens, by wearing mismatched ones, especially while driving. I use mismatched sheets and pillowcases. I keep thin socks, even mismatched ones, to layer (double sock) in cold weather.

From Wendy B. and Yana

Here is a good one for those folks who get their milk in bags.

When you are done with the milk, cut the bag open at the very top and wash it out - they make awesome freezer bags.

From Sylvia T.

Short on napkins, but need a clean-ish thing to wipe your mouth on? Turn a lightly-used one inside-out.

From CiCi M.

Money saving tip; when you buy hamburger, buy it in bulk and divide it into smaller packages. Mix in quick oats before freezing. The oats absorb the meat juices and when you cook it up you cant even tell the oats have been added. Along the same line when making tuna dishes, mix the quick oats with the juice or oil off of the tuna and let it sit to absorb the juices (about 10 minutes) Mix it up and precede as normal making your tuna salad.

  I make my own tv dinners from leftovers. We saved tv dinner trays and got family and friends to save them. We wash them and reuse them over and over. We are horrible about eating leftover from the fridge so instead of letting them go bad, leftovers get put in a compartment of the tv dinner tray. It sometimes takes a while to fill all the compartments and I use frozen veggies to finish them up since we seldom have leftover veggies. If I need something in the third spot I save them until I have several that need it and open a can of pie filling and spoon it in and top it with a "crumb" topping (1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 c butter - mix until just crumbly.) These end up being more filling than the store bought tv dinners, better for you, cheaper and just as easy to take to work and heat in the microwave.

From Melissa F.

Make my own bread, my own pizza dough, laundry detergent,clean my kitchen with vinegar and water, make my little guy homemade arrowroot cookies,i re-use freezer bags, grow my own tomatoes for pasta sauce/chilli use, cloth diaper, hang my laundry in the basement instead of using the dryer, make pore strips at home too (these things probably already mentioned...just diggin through my brain matter tryin to remember what else I do to save a few cents here and there)

 Using a freezer bag full of freezies. Who needs to buy icepacks and its re-useable. I always use mine when my heartburn comes to kick my butt

From Pati F. S.

I've been making my homemade laundry detergent for over a year!
It costs less than $20 and lasts about 4-6 months.
Super easy too and all ingredients are at the grocery store
4 lbs baking soda
4 lb box borax
4lb box arm and hammer washing soda
1 tub oxy clean ( get the store brand) it's about 4 lbs
3 bars fels naptha laundry bar soap ( grated)
I use my food processor or enlist your kids with the box grater
You need a large container with a lid to mix all the ingredients ( a large bucket works well- we've asked our grocery bakery to save leftover large buckets with lids for many projects!)
I've also made homemade hand creams
Shower cleaners
And frebreeze!

I've made homemade hand creams for gifts for coworkers and teachers and just put them in clean jars with pretty ribbons tied on top!


To keep spiders out of your house to mix coconut oil and vinegar equal amts and spray along baseboard and in corners.



From Faith B. K.

 Unplug everything I'm not using.washer,dryer,micro..tv's at night,shut off all neon clocks you don't need in the kitchen...... if you ever notice when you plug something in it will make a spark when that item is plugged in it is drawing ghost electricity, SO UNPLUG...the only things that stay plugged in are my fridge,stove and clock bed radio.............for 3 years now my electric bill for a 6 bedroom, 2 bath home has been in the eighties....and put up hot water heater timer....

From Christy P.R.

Save money on prescription medications by contacting local pharmacies and asking for their $4 or discount list. Take it to your doctor and say is there anything on here that can replace a high dollar med I'm currently on?
Walmart and Walgreens I know used to have a discount list.

 

You might be able to find one online.

 

I nearly forgot one of the most important ways to save for college! www.upromise.com All you do is register your credit, debit, and grocery cards, then shop! Hundreds of online retailers participate, including Walmart and Avon (both are for online purchases only though) A lot of larger grocery store chains have cards you can pick up and register. I use a lot of Avon, so whenever I need some, I go to Upromise.com, then go to my rep's website and place my order...not only do I get a percentage of my purchase back, but my rep gets her website fee waived for the month! And then, since Walmart has free site to store, whenever I'm going to make a bigger purchase, I order it online, then go pick it up and get a percentage back that way. I think you can make withdrawals straight from Upromise, but I haven't done that. I have my accounts linked to both my personal student loan account AND a 529 plan for my kids (I recommend www.missourimost.org~the money does not have to be used at Missouri school though you might have to be a resident. Other states have 529 plans, too, I believe)

From Crystal W.
Only shopping the end caps at target, cutting dryer sheets in half, double up with a swiffer pad, first to dust, and then using it to swiffer the floor.


 From Roberta K.

I make my laundry detergent except I have tweaked the recipe.... I use 2 parts washing soda, 1 part borax and 1/2 part baking soda and if using cups for parts then 1/2 bar finely shredded Fels Naptha soap... Love it and it gets the ink out of the front of my work shirt that gets accidentally hit with the pen from time to time..... I love your fabric softener too.... I make it thicker with 2x the vinegar to the water...... I think the last batch was 1-1/3 cup suave conditioner, 2 cups warm water and 4 cups vinegar and I use about 1 to 1-1/2 tbsp per load. Oh and about the same amount of the soap.... I also put vinegar in the bleach dispenser for disinfecting of those things that I prefer that being done to.... socks, underwear, towels & wash cloths..... The clothes come out soft fluffy and the towels are still so absorbent.... and CLEAN -- cleaner than any thing else I have ever used.


From Daphne M.

I roll my plastic store bags into fist-size balls and use them for package fillers when I ship things. They weigh less than newspaper. Newspaper sleeves work well, too.



From Jenny S.

My best tip is reusing my left overs i repurpose non eaten food into gourmet cusine.


From Karly Y.

 We switched to prepaid cell phones because that way we can budget every month for exactly the same amount and we can keep our costs down. I went from $180 to $80 per month by switching to Virgin Mobile and we got better phones and more services! Also - I signed up for the budget plan from the utility company so my bill is the same amount every month.
We were paying between 120-180 a month (not including any data plan) and it was just too much. Since my daughter almost exclusively texts (used 8 minutes of talk time one month) we got her the 300 minute plan with unlimited texting and unlimited data for $35 a month! I talk more so I got unlimited talk, text, and data for $55 a month. More service - less money!

From Holly M.

When the grocery store gives my kids round stickers at the checkout, they always give a bunch, so I use a couple to do my eyebrows!

From Donna Z. J.

My husband likes his coffee pretty strong while I prefer mine weaker. So instead of having him make more that I water down or having me use a second filter and more grounds by making my own pot, I simply run more water through the grounds after his coffee is gone. So essentially, I get my daily caffeine for "free."

 From Lydia L. F.

Money saving tips - Keep a pitcher next to your kitchen sink. When you are needing hot water and running the water waiting for the water to warm up catch the cold water in the pitcher, use this water to water house plants, freshen up the pets water bowls ect... Install a gray water system for water from the washing machine and bath tub to water the flower beds outside.. Check with local codes... Save your egg shells, crush and add to your tomato and pepper plants for calcium... Hope this helps.

From Deb B.
  I buy large inexpensive bags of the same color and type of socks. Should one get a hole in it I keep it until another sock gets a hole in it and then wear the two holeless socks.