yeah i find most people will definitely let you take the batteries they have laying around their house if you ask.... if they're not home i actually leave a little business card i made up in the mailbox... advertising myself as a battery recycler who will pick up and pay... now that i'm getting $10 per battery at the yard, i usually offer $2-$3, they always take it, and a lot of times offer me to haul of bigger stuff...especially if they're older folks who cant lift up junk thats been cluttering up for years... but with gas getting so high in price i may need to offer only a dollar , or only be able to come if there is more to me to take...