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I'm conducting an experiment of sorts. I'd like to know how much fuel you burn on a "curb shopping" trip and how often do you go shopping. Alternately, if you do like I used to and just drive around looking for stuff, how much fuel you burn per day and how often (average) do you drive around?
I drive a Ford Explorer and pull a 5x8 utility trailer. I burn on average 2.8 to 3.5 gallons of fuel on my Thursday night curb run. I have done the fill up drive around and top it off a few times to get these numbers. Gas is 3.55gal right now so I need to score at least $12.43 for the night. Thankfully in the 2.5 years I have been scrapping there have only been 2 or 3 times I didn't cover my fuel for the night.
I learned when I first started doing it that planning in advance is the best way. I learned garbage days for different companies and planned out a route to follow on different days to max my efficiency kind of like usps or fedex and places to burn less gas. also I combine trips like if I am going to get groceries and stuff I work along those routes and most of the time even end up paying for what I just bought. I also live in a smaller college town of about 80,000. so i stick to a budget of $50 week so about 14-16gal depending on gas prices.
I also have a place on each side of town to be able to drop off bigger items like grills that may fill my truck faster to help with gas on trips since I work from both places
I'm still using the 98 Lumina (minivan coming...) and I use the general rule of putting $10 in for my tour around a given area. My town is divided into 4 sections, each getting a pick up once every 2 weeks. Here in Canada, we like to use the metric system, so I usually put about 10 litres in, depending on the price of gas, I just keep it to $10 to minimize the loss if I strike out (thankfully not too often).
It still hurts to have to drive past bbqs, fridges and stoves, but I usually make up for it with the little stuff overlooked by the big trucks and e-waste. I sure do love to find a tower or tube tv (which I have a yard that takes) to fill up the front seat.
Rock the mini-van AA!
An Mick, when I go curb shopping I put about 20 bucks in, an hit the areas near me, maybe...10 mile radius. My sandbar isn't very big, an the three most populated towns on it are all right next to each other in that 10 mile zone for the most part.
I also don't go very often, usually on weekends, after the yard sales. Maybe once during the week. During the summer an after a big storm, I may go more often. More people = more scrap
Sirscrapalot - If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend. - Doug Larson
You might want to keep an eye out on craigslist for a small trailer you could pull behind your van. Would not take too much for a small trailer to pay for itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by AdmiralAluminum
no more than 10 miles from home or job site 2 or 3 times a week
so I'd say 5 gallon of gas a week spent looking or going out of my way to a pickup spot. roughly 1/4 tank.
My neighbor hood has 4 streets so I just cruise those on trashday eve and morning. But if I'm going to another neighborhood for some reason I will take senec route looking for stuff