Looking at a drawer full of cell-phone-osauruses and mismatched
charging cords?  Many people wait 3-5 years before they get rid of
their techno-equipment and are surprised to find that it has not
only lost its value, but they must now pay to dispose of it
correctly.  New online resources take the guesswork out of
assigning value to these items and make it easy to put them into
the hands of someone who can use them.  Postponing this decision
will cost you money!

Gazelle
Gazelle is an easy-to-use website for selling and recycling your
reusable electronics. A cool pricing guide offers the latest
information on the best established sales price for all kinds of
digital gadgetry: cell phones, cameras, ipods, GPS systems. It also
suggests ways to recycle.

My Boneyard
This is a great site for tips and information on the responsible
buying, repairing and recycling of digital equipment. You will find
yourself rethinking the whole lifespan of your products!  It is
also a good resource for local collections with links to many
organizations.

Digitaltips
Another great resource for exploring your consumer electronics
options. An Energy Calculator allows you to calculate your energy
consumption and offers waste-saving options. Learn more about
reusing and recycling and earning cash on used products.

Buymytronics
This site is a veritable eBay for all your electronic equipment
with the goal being to make some cash while keeping electronics out
of the landfills. Register, type in the model number of the product
and follow the easy steps to sell a wide range of electronics and
get cash back. The site hopes to start accepting laptop computers
soon too.

Have you tried to buy ONE roll of tape lately? You start to feel like an idiot when you could be buying a 24 pack for what seems to be just pennies more! Not only that but these rolls fit onto a dispenser that could sit on top of your desk and make tape so available all the time. You can also buy it so it attaches like a watch to your wrist and pull it out on precut strips. How did we ever live with those useless single little rolls?

I grew up in a house that just had one roll of tape. It lived in the junk drawer in the kitchen. Everyone knew where it was. Simple! This isn’t about making due. This is about what works, or at least to help you consider buying just one. In a world that sells mustard in sizes that will certainly mandate that it be included in your will—be vigilant to buy what you need, not what you can. Studies show that waste increase for oversized items therefore the “bargain factor” decreases. The joy of owning something you can not care for, use or store slips away.

Here are some questions to help you think about NOT making your next BIG purchase:
Are you buying this because it is novel?
Are you buying it just because it is a good deal?
Where is it going to live in your home?
Will you really use it?
What is it replacing?
It is a quality item?
Are you saving on packaging or processing?

As the school year comes to an end you are probably as eager as I to start the summer and get rid of all of your old school work. It is the familiar mentality of “I never want to see this again!” and there is definitely a feel of satisfaction that comes from dunking your binder into the nearest trashcan. However, this year, think about taking a little extra time and going through those old notes. I do this every year and find at least 200 pieces of paper that are only one-sided and aren’t ready for a fate in the dumpster, they belong in your printer as scrap paper! You might be thinking that this seems like a tedious task but it can actually be fun as you stumble upon old notes and doodles or a good test score. Not to mention you’re saving money along with trees!