The Money is in the Cans!

There have been a few times (more like many...) in my life, where I've been scrounging around the house for money. I’d find loose change in the couch and sometimes just lying around on counters, but where did I find the most of my money? The collection of returnable bottles in the basement. I've even received a solid $10.00 from returnable bottles. My family would drink excessive amounts of pop and other canned beverages, throwing the empty cans in the corner downstairs. So, I’d return the bottles for them. This was convenient for them because they wouldn't have to go all the way to the store to return bottles, and it was VERY convenient for me because I’d cash in on their bottle build up. Maybe others aren't as lucky as I am and their families don’t have a big enough bottle stash to make decent money off of. When this is the case, one can always ask aunts, uncles, cousins, and even neighbors if their bottles may be taken to be returned. They might even be happy to rid themselves of those pesky bottles!

One thing to keep in mind when returning bottles is whether or not the store you go to has a bottle return section. If you end up going to a convenience store, they’ll still take your returnable bottles if they sell the brand of can you’re returning, but it’ll take way longer for the cans to be sorted through. Plus you might be dealing with some cranky people who wish they weren't going through bottles…

When I return bottles, I typically go to Meijer® because it has a VERY big bottle return section. There are also Michigan First Credit Union branches within some Meijer stores, including the Meijer of Rochester Hills, the Meijer of Fraser and the Meijer of Lincoln Park (exact locations here.) This is pretty convenient because the moment I'd cash in my bottle return slip, I would deposit the money RIGHT into my Michigan First Credit Union account (which is free for First Gear account holders!) Talk about convenience ;).

So next time you’re in a pinch for money and you don’t know where to look, make sure you look around for some returnable bottles; that’s where the REAL money is that. I promise you won’t regret it!

Until next time,

Vicky :)