Do You Save Your Aluminum Cans?
By CatsandDogs
@CatsandDogs (13963)
United States
December 23, 2008 4:00pm CST
I DO! I save all of my soda cans as well as my cat food cans that are made of aluminum to turn in for cash. I don't save a bag or two but about twenty bags and then turn them all in at once. I was saving them to give to the animal shelters to help them out in hopes the animals would more time to find loving homes BUT, my parents are in dire need of money so I've been saving the cans for their behalf so they can pay their bills and get the groceries that they need. I've put some things on the craigslist in hopes to sell to make a buck or two more. Anything and everything helps! Right? I hope they sell that darned house in January and then they'll be in much better shape than they've been for these past few months. It would be so awesome if that were to happen!! Pray that it does!!
Now my question is, did you know that some of the cat food cans are made of aluminum? Did you know you can turn them in for cash just like the soda cans? Yup you sure can!!
1 person likes this
15 responses
@surveytaker29345 (489)
• United States
24 Dec 08
My family used to recycle soda cans all the time. Then we realized it would be smarter to cash them in. We have just started saving our soda cans, so we shall see how long it takes before we can cash them in. I think it might take quite a while before we are able to have 20 bags full. I figure that we already pay for the can of soda, so why not get something back for it. I have never heard of donating them to the animal shelters before, but I think that it is a wonderful idea. Perhaps we will do that with the proceeds from our cans.
When you cash them in, it has not harmful effects on the environment and is similar to recyling. I see no problem with recycling soda cans, I just hope that it pays off.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
24 Dec 08
It takes us a while to save up that many bags too but that's what we do to make it all the more worth while when we take them in. One reason it takes so long to get that many bags is because we crush our cans so we can get more in each bag which means more money. We just put the bags in the shed until we have roughly 20 bags then we'll take them all in and then give the proceeds to my parents to help them out some.
@surveytaker29345 (489)
• United States
24 Dec 08
Yes, we crush our cans too. It would take up far too much space if we did not do so.
1 person likes this
@chantalgiardina (2523)
• United States
23 Dec 08
i never knew this...where do you turn them in to get money?
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Dec 08
There should be a recycling station/center somewhere in your area. Ask one of your neighbors or friends where one might be. Some places will pay more when the soda cans are crushed and some don't care if they're crushed or not and give the same amount either way. You could also check your local phonebook and see if there's one near you. The recycling centers will take anything that's made of aluminum, not just soda and cat food cans.
@chantalgiardina (2523)
• United States
24 Dec 08
wow i never knew that..thanks for the info ill have to check around in my area.. im sure there is one somewhere as i am in a large city..
1 person likes this
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
24 Dec 08
I do save our soda cans. I didn't know about the pet food cans, although we don't get the wet food. I wonder if other cans like cans of vegetable are made of aluminum.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Yeah pet food cans too but only the ones that are aluminum, not all of them are. Like 9-lives isn't made of aluminum but friskies is and there are others as well. Look at the cans, you can tell them apart. I doubt the vegtable cans are because all I've seen is metal. Wishful thinking though!
@WayneCAlderman (26)
• United States
24 Dec 08
sure do get about $200 each time I sell them
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Deg gone!! Really? I've never heard anyone making that much at one time when turning in aluminum cans.... That's quite impressive....
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Who care's if you have the room, at least you're doing it, right? I agree, why not recycle and get paid for it. Kind of dumb not to.... lol
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
I've never seen an aluminum dog food can. Which brand is it that you buy? Depending on if my dogs like the taste is whether I'll buy it or not, and of course the cost of it. Don't forget that soda cans can be recycled too!
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Dec 08
Every little bit helps cheryl, every bit of it helps! I do it because there are so many homeless pets out there in dire need of homes and giving them that extra day or extra week gives me such joy! All the while I'm helping the invironment too. I applaud you for doing that!!
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
23 Dec 08
My son crushes all of our aluminum cans and he gets the money from them when I turn them in. It is one of his chores and he gets to keep the money as his payment. I did not know that about the cat food cans, but then again our cats only eat dry food. I think it is nice of you to save the cans to save money for your parents. I hope that they manage to sell their house soon so that they will be in better shape financially.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Dec 08
That's a great incentive to get your son to do his chores! lol I'm glad the cans can be turned in so we can make some money back as well as it helps the environment. Wish more things were like that, we'd all be looking to make a buck or two then, wouldn't we? lol
@aidenofthetower (1814)
• United States
24 Dec 08
We used to save our cans and bottles because there was a 10 cent deposit that made it really worth turning them in. Here we make 70 cents a pound for aluminum and living in an apartment means that it isn't worth trying to find storage space for that much aluminum. Plus we don't drink much soda and don't have any other source for aluminum.
On the other hand...I know several recyclers...which is something I have done in the past, but it isn't easy in this location and tossing it all in the garbage is so much easier.
Of course...we are feeling pretty desperate for money these days...I may have to find a way to change my ways and make every penny count.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Yeah, it would be a bit hard to save the cans when living in an apartment. What about a storage area? Do you have one to put your things in storage, maybe you could put them in there? Most apartment buildings have a storage area for the renters but not all of them. Good luck!
@dropofrain (1167)
• India
24 Dec 08
It is really great to have extra income through these ways. I used to save the cans for teh reason was different. I guess now I will also be saving in a lot of cans for this specific reason. I mean now I will drink more and save more. Thanks a lot for this suggestion buddy!!
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Awww you're welcome!! lol I'm hoping what ever amount I get from the cans that I have helps my parents out and when they get that darned house sold once and for all, I can start helping the humane society and homeless shelters for animals in hopes to buy more time for them to get good homes.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I don't save my aluminun cans. I should start, my neighbor saves them and the man across the street used to save them. I would keep the cans that I have for them. I told my neighbor that I am going to start saving them now because I need the money he said the we will have to fight for them then.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Dec 08
LOL I'm sure he was joking with you. They don't bring in much but dang, every penny helps when in need of it. I have about four bags in the storage shed out back and want to save a few more bags before turning them in or rather wait till about mid January to turn them in because my parents really need the money now.
@sweetbabyjane (1929)
• United States
24 Dec 08
Oh Yes, I recycle too. I have been recycling many years. My Daddy, when he was living, really enjoyed walking around the loop where we used to live and picking yup thos cans. We used to save up cans until we had around $60 to $80 and then take them in, but now we no longer have a truck due to a wreck, so we have to take them in the car. I save any kind of aluminum cans. Some people have told me that they take their magazines in to recycle and get paid for that. I tried to save glass one time and didn't even get enough to pay for the gas to take the load in.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Dec 08
Wow! One could save that many to get that much?! Dang! That's a lot!! lol We did have a truck too but we had to sell it because my husband is trying to get disability and making those kinds of payments was right hard. We hated seeing it go but we had no choice. We hope to get another one some day. But I save the cans to help my parents but after their house sells, they'll be in better shape then I'll give them to the homeless shelters for animals and the humane society.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
24 Dec 08
I do save my cans. I take them to the recyclers when I get a good load of them. My husband laughs at me and asks me if I really think it is worth the effort. I tell him that it not only helps the environment, but it helps us a little too.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
24 Dec 08
If only he could see how it helps the environment and saves you two some money then he would laugh so much. Every darn penny helps! Besides, when going in the direction of the recycling center, it's not like you're wasting a trip there when you're going to be near the place anyway so you save even more money doing it that way.
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
24 Dec 08
I have always saved aluminum cans because there is some good money there especially if you have a place to keep them until you get a lot. The funny thing is my kids always hated that I would do that. When they would through a can away I would get on to them and they would grumble that it was too much trouble to save cans. Eventually they grew up and moved away, at least one of them did.
So one day I went to spend a few days with my daughter and after drinking a soda I threw the can in the garbage. After all she was the most vocal against saving cans when she was growing up. Imagine my surprise when she finds the can in the garbage and goes off on everybody for throwing cans away.
It just goes to show that kids learn whether they want to or not.
So one day I went to spend a few days with my daughter and after drinking a soda I threw the can in the garbage. After all she was the most vocal against saving cans when she was growing up. Imagine my surprise when she finds the can in the garbage and goes off on everybody for throwing cans away.It just goes to show that kids learn whether they want to or not.1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
24 Dec 08
LOL that is a funny story! Yeah kids learn by their parents ways no matter how much they grumble and growl. lol That's a good thing because she's helping the environment as well as making some money back. Way to go mom!! lol
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I knew that some states charge a deposit so one would return them to get their money back but I couldn't remember which states did it. All I recycle is the cans and plastic bags, other than that I throw away.
