If you have lived in your home for some time, then the chances are pretty good that you have accumulated some junk over the years. It has an insidious way of creeping into our closets and drawers, our attics and basements and the worst place is the garage. The type of junk I’m referring to however might just put a few dollars in your pocket.
I’m talking about metal. Now you won’t make a fortune from selling your scrap metal but you can make a few bucks and clear the clutter at the same time. It’s a much better proposition than say a yard sale where you spend hours setting up, sit around all day and wonder if anyone will stop and buy your wares. With this, you simply load up your truck or van, haul it to the scrap metal yard and collect your cash.
Naturally the heavier the load is, the more you stand to make. Some metals are worth more than others too so you’ll want to sort them as best you can.
Old appliances are great for this because they are weighty. Stoves, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, air conditioning units, water heaters and boilers can all add some substantial coin to your purse. You’ll want to remove any copper or brass as these are more valuable.
Old bicycles, lawn mowers, power tools, pots and pans, hand tools like hammers and saws can be piled up. Chain link fencing, old aluminum siding, and steel from buildings and even your broken microwave can all be exchanged for cash.
Once you clean out your house and garage, you can ask family, friends and neighbors if they have any metal they want haul off. Often they will be more than happy to let you keep the proceeds in exchange for the convenience of having you haul it away.
Some people supplement their income by driving around their neighborhoods on trash day and collecting metal items others have set out with the trash. I’m not suggesting this is for everyone but in a pinch you could make some cash quickly.
Even if you only sell your own scrap, you will have accomplished several things. First you will have cleaned up your own home and made valuable space. Second, you will have done your part to keep goods out of the landfill and gotten them into a recycling program and that’s good for all of us. Last, you will have traded your junk for cash which is never a bad thing.