How to make money by recycling rubbish through high-street retailers
While household budgets continue to be under pressure, high street retailers are getting into the second hand and recycling markets. Previously an area that was the domain of market places and second hand shopping apps, they offer money-saving rewards in exchange for items such as old clothes and even empty bottles.
These companies are paying their customers for packaging which can be reused. This even includes items that would go into the recycling bin, such as empty bottles and containers.
@thecomplainingcow How to make money from recycling take old clothes and beauty products to stores to get vouchers. #Environment #Recycling #Recycle #Discounts #Vouchers #MoneyTipsAndTricks #MoneySaving #Rubbish
How to save money at Marks and Spencer
Under the Shwopping scheme you can donate old clothes to Oxfam and receive a £5 voucher to spend on purchases of more than £35 at M & S.
Make and save money at Boots
Boots offers the Scan2Recycle scheme for items that can be difficult to recycle at home. These are products made of composite mixed materials, such as metal and plastics, non-recyclable materials like toothpaste tubes and lotion pumps. It will also take small cosmetics, such as travel minis, samples and mascaras. See the full list of all the items that can be brought to their stores.
Download the app, wash the empties, then scan them and wait 24 hours for validation. Drop your approved items into a participating store and scan the QR code on the deposit box. If you recycle 5 empties or more you will receive £5 in Boots Advantage Card points when you spend over £10. Be aware that rewards are valid in-store for only 3 days.
Lauren Prentice says she has recycled masses through the Boots scheme including nappy packets, wipes, shampoo bottles, scoops from formula and old make up that would normally have been rotting in a cupboard or going in the bin.
The Boots points are fab, you have to spend £10 but I just buy essentials that we’d need anyway, oat milk for my 2 year old, nappies… nothing fancy, but I save the points and always try and buy something frivolous (I just got a laser hair removal device!)”
In fact Lauren has recycled 101 items (so around £100 in points back) and using the recycle:me app has made an incredible £130 of savings so far in the last couple of years.
How to save money at The Perfume Shop
Bring any empty perfume bottle – which does not have to have been bought at the store – to receive 15% off a purchase made that day. The Perfume Shop will also plant a tree.
How to save money at River Island
Drop off at least three items of clothing in a box in over 200 stores nationwide. Or organise a courier online, which it will pay for. As part of its Take Back scheme River Island will give you a £5 gift voucher to be used off a minimum spend of £40 which is valid for a month.
Donated clothes do not have to be from River Island.
How to save money at John Lewis
John Lewis runs two schemes which are not as generous as other retailers. Nevertheless, its BeautyCycle offers a £5 voucher to use when you spend more than £50 at one of its stores. You need to take in five or more clean and empty beauty product containers to any of its beauty counters. But the containers must be from a B Corp certified company and these are: Arkive, Aromatherapy Associates, Aveda, Chloe, Clarins, Elemis, Evolve Organic Beauty, L’Occitane, Le Labo, Liz Earle, Medik8, Neom Organics London, Pai, Rituals, Sunday Riley, The Inky List.
As part of its FashionCycle scheme, John Lewis members can get £5 off a clothing rental costing over £50 in return for 5 items of clothing. Check what they will accept, as there are a number of exceptions.
How to save money at Lush
Take any qualifying Lush packaging to a store to receive 50p per item used in store that day. Lush also offers 5p per 10ml sample pot. Or you can choose a face mask in return for 5 items.
How to save money at H & M
Bring a carrier bag of any brand of unwanted clothes or textiles, in any condition, to a cash desk at H & M, to receive a £5 voucher for use on purchases over £25.
Michelle Rowley, dressmaking tutor and writer at The Sew-Cial Gathering, has made lots of savings. She says:
“We are a family of five and I sew my own clothes so there is always a pile of old clothes and fabric scraps that I need to find an environmentally friendly new home for. I regularly take a bag of textile waste, including old shoes, to H&M for them to recycle. In return, I receive a £5 voucher which I can use with purchases over £25. With three teens to buy clothes for, it’s very easy to spend £25! So the voucher goes on clothes I would have bought for them anyway!”
So, check your wardrobe and what you are about to put in the bin because it could make you some money!
Ways to save money on almost anything
