scrapping ontop of a 9-5? help!!

I have contacted a few local computer repir shops about collecting e waste, and had a proposal presented to me by one owner. We are both looking to get into e waste and he would like to discuss doing something together. Sounds like a great idea to me. That being said, I also work a 9-5 and not sure my schedule would match his, and also not sure if I myself would have the time in a day to make it work.

Anyone else out there been in the same situation? I was really only looking to do pickups here and there, a few days a week, but this could turn into something very lucrative, and I don't wanna pass this up. Looking for a few opinions from anyone who scraps a large amounts ontop of working a 9-5.

I work Saturdays as well, with the option of taking a Monday off, just rarely did it cause the pay was good. this may work to my advantage though. Any input would be greatly appreciated. :)

I think you have to look at what you can earn scrapping vs. what you can earn in your regular job and decide if having the freedom of working for yourself is worth any difference there might be in pay.

A lot of the scrappers I see posting here say they try to achieve a particular dollar-per-hour figure in their work. A number I see frequently is $25/hour. $25/hour X 2080 working hours in a typical year = a gross income of $52,000/year.

In my case, my regular job pays considerably more than $25/hour, and I'm not entirely sure I can achieve $25/hour scrapping in the first place with my current scrapping skills. So I scrap as a hobby because I love junk and I love extra cash.

If it was the other way around, and I could earn more scrapping than working a 9-5, I'd be scrapping, simple as that.

So what you need to do is look realistically at the potential income. If the regular 9-5 looks better financially, then you're a part-time scrapper at best, and this deal with the computer shop won't work out. If it doesn't, who needs the 9-5?

--Geoff

If the computer guy was a drop off and you did tear down on at home on off hours and take say the first Monday of the month off to do pickups. You could try something like that for a while to see if it will work for a more long term thing.

I work more like a 7-7 job. It varies day to day. That's why I started curb shopping. It was as flexible as I needed it to be, when I wasn't working a long day. If I had an option to take a day of for scrap I would. My days off or short days are random without warning. I keep what accounts I do have very flexible. I also now have a trustworthy partner who can handle things if I cannot.

On a side note: a lot of my big scores are aquirred through work. So, its hard to say what or how well I could do without my job. At this point in my life I'm willing to take a shot. I find the freedom and competition in scrapping fun and challenging.

In the end whatever you results you have will be determined by your choices and efforts.

Well I can't quit my job, I'm in the middle.of a 4 year apprenticeship so I need to keep at that, but the pay SUCKS.. so almost anything would be better than that. and what I'm scrapping now, if anything, brings in very little. My county doesn't allow large items to be thrown out, so nobody puts anything to the curb. It's very difficult to find scrap around my area, so I want to try to make this work if possible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jord0690

Well I can't quit my job, I'm in the middle.of a 4 year apprenticeship so I need to keep at that, but the pay SUCKS.. so almost anything would be better than that. and what I'm scrapping now, if anything, brings in very little. My county doesn't allow large items to be thrown out, so nobody puts anything to the curb. It's very difficult to find scrap around my area, so I want to try to make this work if possible.

---

Ideal. Since they don't allow large items to be put out, you advertise to take them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mick

Ideal. Since they don't allow large items to be put out, you advertise to take them.

---

As Mick said advertise on craigs list under services. I think many use the moving section. Ask a fee for removing large items. Try to the owner to move the items out of the house so you don't have to worry about any damages. One of our members does well with this arrangementl. (another example of why I suggest reading the old threads) Mike.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by miked

One of our members does well with this arrangementl.

---

That would be me. I absolutely will not go into houses.

Everyone and their uncle offers this service in my town. Iv posted ad after ad, and have had no luck. Just too many people do it. And offer the service free. Its tough but I'm coming up with other strategies like in my first post above.

Take that Monday off to see if you can't start making things happen.. I work a 4 day work week then when I get off work I do 2~3 hours of break down almost every night, 12 hour work days. Pickups MOSTLY Friday, sat, sun and sometimes after work. Usually put in about 20 hours of break down time during the weekend as well. You can do if if you want to, I still have time to go do something cool every now and then, fish, hike, longboard, keep the house and vehicle in decent shape, garden etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jord0690

Everyone and their uncle offers this service in my town. Iv posted ad after ad, and have had no luck. Just too many people do it. And offer the service free. Its tough but I'm coming up with other strategies like in my first post above.

---

Craigslist is like a worn out hooker in my part of town also.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ggariepy

I think you have to look at what you can earn scrapping vs. what you can earn in your regular job and decide if having the freedom of working for yourself is worth any difference there might be in pay.

A lot of the scrappers I see posting here say they try to achieve a particular dollar-per-hour figure in their work. A number I see frequently is $25/hour. $25/hour X 2080 working hours in a typical year = a gross income of $52,000/year.

In my case, my regular job pays considerably more than $25/hour, and I'm not entirely sure I can achieve $25/hour scrapping in the first place with my current scrapping skills. So I scrap as a hobby because I love junk and I love extra cash.

If it was the other way around, and I could earn more scrapping than working a 9-5, I'd be scrapping, simple as that.

So what you need to do is look realistically at the potential income. If the regular 9-5 looks better financially, then you're a part-time scrapper at best, and this deal with the computer shop won't work out. If it doesn't, who needs the 9-5?

--Geoff

---

If you are a true scrapper it encompases your whole life...........I spend around 12-14 hours a day scrapping, buying, searching, dismantling, auctions, etc,etc,etc.........9-5 my ass LOL........More like 7 am to 11pm if not longer days.....I might make 50,000, to 60,000 a year but it's an all day every day thing but I wouldn't do anything else