Printable View
You couldn't have said it better.
QUOTE=junkisus;238632]I know I have said this before but I've been doing this for 29 years why stop now ? Anything lost in price can be made up in volume with scrappers dropping out. The quick easy money may not be there right now but if you do it like a job there is always good money in this business.[/QUOTE]
I have stopped my processing because it's been to cold to work. I unloaded my truck one night at -5 degrees for about a half hour. I had problems with my hands later that night and got frost nip on both my feet. Very painful. Scrap is still coming in everywhere but running out of places to put it. My storage unit, 10 x 25 is full top to bottom. My 2 garage at home is packed with a curved walk way. I am officially out of business cash tomorrow. I used a personal credit card to pay my rent and borrowed wife's Christmas money to buy more scrap (her fault for not using it, right). I still hanging on. I just bought a appliance hand truck. Yeah I am hanging on.
now's the time to pick up the clients from those who are leaving the business. Service them well now and they will stick with you when prices go up.
Scrap yard should be your last resort. Resell ANYTHING with more than scrap value
for instance
scrap denim averages out to .50 per pound
scrap denim | eBay
for all of those items that you just dont know what to do with but feel they are better than scrap
junk drawer lot | eBay
I haven't stopped. As a matter of fact, as the prices on metals have gone down, my client list has grown. I've made more money in the last 2 months than I did the preceding two months totally based on volume. I'm like TheRecycler, my business model is flexible and can adapt to the changing conditions.
I guess the other big factor that has played into it is that I'm still in school. I had found that going out even one night a week was seriously affecting my grades and it was adding to my stress levels. I had been thinking about quitting for a little bit just for the grades sake. The money was the reason I didn't quit. Scrapping paid more than working at McDonalds. Then the price dropped, so I scaled back, and my grades improved. I don't go out of my way to get stuff any more, especially shred. If I see it, I grab it, but no curb shopping for me.
When I first started in 2004, shred was only paying $0.75 per hundred..and then in 2008 when the market tanked all metal was 2.25 across the board, for everything. Right now I am getting $4.25 for mixed steel. Never stop scrapping. If you stop someone is going to pick up where you left off.
Im still scraping, still not finding nothin curbco, been doin clean outs and hauling trash plus finding side jobs
I haven't stopped but have switched what I am doing. It has been too cold/snowy for most of my sources so I have switched to ebay selling and going through my garage stuff.
My slow down is more the snow .Like below zero to 20 degrees crazy winds - snow . much of my inventory is under it .
Winters have always been a pain . With no disrespect to people of the south & there winters . But some mornings are mad cold here . The type that your nostrils get a crispy ice thing going .
I've mentioned before depends on what you scrap . We all know that 1000 pounds was close to $100 and 1000 # is easy enough to find
so now is $45 worth it , I say yes , sell some Copper & Aluminum a Battery & your having a good day .
But if your a - mix / shred only type and can't increase volume well then your probably not gonna want to scrap with the same enthusiasm.
Price's have popped up a tad by me , so any increase helps.
I for one like this purge. Been able to drive vehicles on the trailer for under 300 that you couldn't touch for less than 600 before. Heck got a real nice Monte Carlo, bad motor, DELIVERED to my house for under 200$! Loving these prices hope it don't go up for another year so I can have bout 50 cars stockpiled when it does go up.
Nope, haven't stopped. I am developing some odd habits, though. I filled my coat pockets with a variety of small copper motors for any occasion where I might have to wait. Me and my copper ball got some strange looks at the doctor's office the other day.
Went to my 85 year old father in laws house and notice some mini blinds in the alley. 10 sets (mostly orange!) I took them! I get paid dirty alum for them as is. If I break them down they only want to pay dirty for the thin alum blades... so its best to turn in as is!
Haven't stopped. Just stopped travelling so far to make a pick up. I will get it if it's on the way and I won't go out of my way to get something.
I try to keep an appliance or big crt tied down over the rear axle in the bed of the truck just to have weight on account of snow and such. I've got lots to keep me busy and I'll take the easy pickings when it's convenient for me.
Shred is $130
Appliances are $110
Another thing you guys might wanna try is to seperate out "baling" it pays better and if you can stockpile I believe it can pay.
Baling is what I understand as sheet steel/stamped no contaminants so like a filing cabinet... no contaminants.
On the other hand stay inside and leave all the scrap for me.
I don't go out of my way for stuff unless it's a nice load. I do run through my 4 streets in my neighbor hood on trash day. I've turned to ebay.
Hoarding my ferrous metals pile is starting to get big. But still turning in my copper and aluminum for now. But finding the things that I can resell is always exciting for me. Just scored a $500 10 speed bike that just needed a innertube thrown in the dumpster. I imagine I will be forced to turn in some shred by next month regardless of price as my yard is starting to look like Sanford and Son. Still keeping my head high though. :)
This started out as a hobby and quickly turned into part time. My wife has been spending a lot of time helping to process everything. Mostly computer and phone equipment and the amount has tripled in the last month. I've been in Oklahoma all week and will be driving back today and will be stopping in Memphis to pick up a phone system. I have already arranged the pick up of 3 more phone systems plus 2 pallets of old computer equipment. And before anyone says anything, yes I plan on selling what I can and scrapping the rest. At this point that's a given and everyone "should" know that by now.:)
Just for clarity, I've never shopped CurbCo. Just not part of my business plan...at all.
I would say run it like any other business. Keep track of the time that you're putting into it. Keep a careful eye on your real operating costs.
(Work vehicle costs are a biggie. There's gas, repairs, insurance, and you have to figure that you're going to have to replace it at some point. Add it all up so that you have a pretty good idea of what it's costing to run it per mile.)
Make a rational decision as to whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze.
There's no sense in working for 2.00$/hr if you could work for minimum wage.
There's no sense in spending 1.50 $ to take in 1.00 $.
I wouldn't recommend basing your decision on a price increase that might or might not materialize in the future. Keep it real and deal with what's right in front of you right now.
If you're running in the black right now a price bump will be a nice little bonus. :)
Taking a break mainly due to the weather right now. My main focus has always been resale though, everything that I load in the truck, it's...can I use this?, can I fix this?, can I resale this?, can I resale parts from this?
Just scrapping everything you find I think limits your income potential, unless your doing this full time and already have the client base and time/manpower to move it quickly.
Will be out there as soon as it warms up...haven't been finding the mowers, trimmers, and stuff like I used to the last couple years due to all the competition. Might be different this year.
So school is the reason you stopped not so much the price. I was surprised when you started this post because you always seemed to have a good grasp on things and enjoyed scrapping. If scrapping has affected your grades then stick with the books!!!! Scrap will always be there, the opportunity to go to school may not. You can always scrap on your days off during holidays, winter and spring break and of course summer. School first , scrap second.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gravitar
I pissed away a mostly free education when I was younger. Learned how to shoot a mean game of nine ball and chased too many skirts in college. I had a lot of fun but if I had the chance to do it again I would have stuck with the books and not the pool cues.
Good luck, study hard and check in when you get a chance, we will be here.