Every year Americans dispose of two billion batteries, a waste of money and a great source of pollution from heavy metals. Rechargeable batteries can be used up to a thousand times and only cost a few dollars, saving you money. You can buy a charger that recharges normal alkaline batteries, but I don't recommend them. Regular batteries are not designed to be recharged and may explode. One brand of alkaline battery, Rayovac, can be recharged up to ten times in a special charger.
Rechargeable batteries do have their drawbacks, however.
The types sold at hardware stores can only hold 50 to 70 percent of the energy in a regular alkaline battery. You will have to change batteries more often. Also, if you keep recharging them before they are spent, they will not live very long. The batteries will lose their charge over time so do not use them in low-use appliances, such as smoke detectors. Some toys use the batteries so fast a rechargeable battery cannot keep up, but generally you can use them anywhere else.