July 22, 2009
CT Bottle Deposits 101:
How do you get your hard earned money back?
How do you feel about throwing some money out the window every week? Doesn't sound like a great idea, right? If you're not returning your carbonated beverage and beer cans/bottles to a retail redemption center in CT, that's exactly what you're doing. You may be tossing them into a bin and putting them out for curbside recycling collection. Environmentally friendly: yes. Budget friendly: no.
In CT you pay a 5cent deposit for every container of carbonated beverage (including mineral and soda waters) and beer that you purchase. The fee is per bottle or can, not per package (e.g. you pay 60cents when you buy a 12 pack). These fees are in addition in the shelf tag price at the store. If you check your receipt, you'll see it noted on a separate line item marked "bottle deposit."
Feeling lazy isn't such a great excuse for not getting your money back - there's no extra trip required. All major grocery retailers have bottle redemption centers next to their store where they are required to take back all qualifying products that they sell in their store. So, all you have to do is toss a bag of cans or bottles into your car before your next food shopping trip. The machine will accept the bottles/cans and spit out a voucher that you can either redeem for cash or use toward your next purchase at the store. If you're looking for a dedicated redemption return center vs. a grocery store, click here.
If you like buying your groceries on sale and you'd use a coupon if you had it, then there's really no reason why you shouldn't be motivated to get back the money that you're owed. If you don't return your bottles/cans to get it, you've essentially just donated money to a distributor. If you don't want to add "corporate donations" as a line item on your monthly budget, make sure to get your deposits back. Think of it as Reduce. Reuse. Recyle. Refund!
http://www.examiner.com/x-14170-Hartford-Frugal-Family-Examiner~y2009m7d22-CT-Bottle-Deposits-101-How-do-you-get-your-hard-earned-money-back
