There are many unique opportunities for earning a living these days. One such niche is scrapping metal. Certain scrap metal removal services in Clare, MI, accept metals in return for cash. You can actually get money for items which are considered trash by their previous owners. If you’re willing to work hard, you can supplement your income or even earn a decent living by selling scrap metal. Here are some tips on getting started.
Understand the Pricing
Scrap metal is bought and sold by weight. Your local salvage yard will pay a certain dollar amount per pound, depending on what type of metal you’re dealing with. Ferrous metals, which are the most common metals, usually pay the least. These contain iron or stainless steel. Anything else, such as aluminum, copper, or brass may pay more, so it’s worth separating the metals out if you can.
The fact that pricing goes by the pound means you must be prepared to do some heavy lifting. On average for appliances as an example, you may only get $20 for a washing machine, and less for a dryer. However, that’s bringing only one item to the scrap yard instead of having to carry several smaller but heavier individual things. Older appliances often weigh more than newer ones, and may bring in a little bit extra cash due to their weight.
Establish Your Sources
Once you run out of things to take to the scrap yard from your property, you may turn to friends and neighbors. If you plan to make a living out of this, you should establish some regular sources that can supply you with scrap metals. For example, you could introduce yourself to the managers of local apartment complexes and offer to pick up their scrap for free. If you show up reliably, they’ll keep calling you. Supplying recycling bins would help even further and save you time in the long run. You can also use the Internet to look for free scrap metals near your location. Local Facebook groups and Craigslist are full of free listings, but you normally have to act fast.
Get the Equipment
If you’re planning to haul appliances to the scrap yard regularly, you need the means to do it. A used trailer and a dolly can go a long way into making this process as easy as possible for you. Having both also allows you to get it done faster, so you can earn more money in a shorter amount of time.
Don’t Scrap Everything
Sometimes, you can make more money by repairing or reselling the items you secure. It can pay to be open to that possibility. More people are looking to buy used appliances, and if you’re handy, you could repair them and resell them for much more than simply scrapping a machine that actually works. Alternatively, you could sell the appliances you find to someone who will fix them up and resell them. As you can see, there are many ways to make cash from scrap metal and appliances, so do your homework first before starting up a scrapping business. You never know, you could make a living off of it.