craigslist is a great to place ads for wanted but be carefull what you wish for

Should never take TV's for free, but none the less good score. Several hundred dollars if all towers are complete, plus another 2 or 3 hundred in rims.

You can't charge to take TVs here in the Dallas metro area... put one up on CL as "free on the curb" and you'll have literally 50 responses.

Originally Posted by mattscrapmetalinc

Yea small lot tv are not worth my time I require a min of 10 tv for free pick up one or 2 is a 10 dollar fee to pick up to cover gas

Not enough of a fee. For me at least.

I pick up TV's free of charge all the time. That's how I build my customer base. This time a TV, next time a truck load of electronics.


But it is free for me to dispose of the stripped carcass too.

Originally Posted by mattscrapmetalinc

Yea small lot tv are not worth my time I require a min of 10 tv for free pick up one or 2 is a 10 dollar fee to pick up to cover gas

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

Not enough of a fee. For me at least.

Gotta start somewhere. The little guy just starting out probably won't get much work charging what you charge. I think of things like that as a form of marketing. I like to try to chat folks up and see if there's any information I can put to use.

Originally Posted by shendog

thats a great load! Using the "careful what you wish for mentality" I think my next CL ad will be brutaly honest and will read:

Wanted: computers! Tons of them actually, the more the merrier! I may even pay you for them. I'll also take those dump-truck size loads of steel you have laying around, plus all that copper tubing and wire behind the garage. Any mainframes, i'll take them off your hands for a slight fee (they are hard on the back). Gold jewelry, coins, grandma's sterling dinner set? Ya, I can take that too. One call does it all!.

very nice ad, im gonna try it

Originally Posted by billygoat

Gotta start somewhere. The little guy just starting out probably won't get much work charging what you charge. I think of things like that as a form of marketing. I like to try to chat folks up and see if there's any information I can put to use.

Attitude, my friend, attitude.

If you go out every day with the attitude "My time is valuable." it will come through in your being. Not faking it, knowing it. Practice saying in front of a mirror: "I'm sorry, I cant take the truck out of the lot for less than 50 bucks.". Say it til you believe it, because it is true! Then start saying it to customers. They will respect the value of your time.

As to how "big" someone is: how does a customer know how big you are, really? A lot of people on the forum make the assumption I run a really big operation, because I TALK like a big company, but the truth is I have one truck ( two actually but one or the other is always broke down with some **** thing or another) and two guys and a little warehouse. But because I TALK a good game and I value my time, customers respect me and believe me to be worth what I charge. And I am.

Originally Posted by jrpbullrider

I will pick up any thing in my town (Lampasas Tx) for free for one main reason I have lost count of the times I picked up some thing small and not worth my time or gas BUT it turns into some big stuff. ie. A man called and asked if I can drive all of his al cans to the yard and let him keep all of the cash (he is a disable vet) I said yes I would showed up on time and gave him it all. others found out about it and called me up and said I was nice for doing that so can you come and get XX and made a killing at the yard. do to that one thing I did I got 4 new contacts and made over $500.00 from other jobs I got due to him telling others. so yes I am a big fan of doing small item or a freebe or 2. Not all of them work out like that BUT when they do it is good.

What percentage of them work out that way? How much time and gas do you waste on unprofitable pursuits? Please note I am NOT saying don't be generous and help someone in need, but when you're working just to keep gas in your truck you're wasting your time. Even with my usually careful scrutiny of a job before I go do it I sometimes book losers. Remember people are calling you because you have something they don't, a strong back, a truck, a willingness to get dirty...they NEED you and should be willing to pay for the service.

Now everybody wants the best deal they can get, it's just human nature, but there are two sides to a deal. If someone wants something done for next to nothing, in order to PAY next to nothing, they have to find someone willing to work for that amount.

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

Attitude, my friend, attitude.

Hope you don't mind if I steal that from you. I want to write it down and put it on my wall.