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How to Turn Your Metal Junk into Cash

I’m not just talking about homeless people collecting pop cans here.  I am talking about a full blown system for finding and recycling metal for profit.  Can it be done?  Well, take a look at your yellow pages some time and you will be surprised how many companies make a full-time profit out of recycling old junk!

I wrote previously about and mentioned that I truly believe that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure in my article about “How to Make Money Selling Used Golf Balls.” Now recycling metal is very LITERALLY cashing in on other people’s junk.  It doesnt get any better than this.

This is a great venture for a home-based business.  You need no money to start.  Just start collecting metal parts that you see laying around your town.  You don’t need any skills other than an eye for old junk and the ability to pick it up.  And lastly, you will actually be doing the environment a service by cleaning up!

 What also makes this home-based business opportunity great is that it can grow into a full-time income.  I have personally advised a company that does metal recycling.  They started out of their garage, let people know they wanted old junk metal, and have been successful at it full-time for over 20 years!  People bring them recyclable goods and the company then takes it to a major recycler and gets paid by the type and pound of metal it is.

I won’t pretend to know all the answers about collecting and making money from scrap metal, but here is a great article on the subject: How to Make Money Recycling Scrap Metal.

Essentially, here is the process:

1. Find the scrap metal (read the article for more ideas)

2. Sort and Store

3. Take it to a recycling dealer

4. Learn more about metal to make more money

The price of metal is constantly changing; however, you can contact a local dealer, and they will be able to give you up to date prices. 

This can be a fun little hobby (if you consider collecting old metal parts as fun), or you can certainly get more serious about it and start a side business. 

The key to success is establishing a network for receiving metal.

• Let friends and family know

• Contact local companies (you may be surprised how many are willing to give you their junk lying around…many of them will even PAY you to take the metal off their hands)

• Work with environmental organizations

If you want a sneek peak at one metal recycling company: Watch this metal recycling video. 

If this sounds fun or interesting, its a great idea!  It’s a tried and tested business.  Companies do make money at this and its good for the environment as well.

What are your thoughts?

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