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Looking back over your time as a scrapper, how has your approach to the business changed? I am simply a part-time scrapper putting in only six to ten hours a week, but I've changed from a curbco shopper to an efficient scrapper with six accounts that I can cover in about an hour or so each day. In five years, I will retire from a forty year teaching career, and I hope to take in many more true clients and supplement my income in about 20 hours a week.
I am part time as well. I used to be exclusively a curb shopper, and mostly metal. Now i curb shop very little. I deal with mostly e-waste that i get off of craigs list or other avenues. I also advertise now. I have had recent success with yard sales, ecspecially community church sales, as well as thrift stores. I also now have 2 regular business accounts, not large but a steady supply.
One thing sort of led to another and i got into e-waste a few years ago. I can't say that my approach to business has changed because i've been self employed since 2001 with something else. If anything ... it's been applying the principles already learned to a new venture that has a very thin margin of profit.
It's fun, challenging, and the landscape is constantly changing. It really keeps you on your toes ! The technology is evolving so rapidly that i'm spending at least a couple of hours a day in study just to keep up with it.
The long term plan was to have the e-waste venture established & running smoothly sometime over the next ten years and then gradually transition into that as i got closer to retirement age. It's not a bad gig for an older fulla and the potential is there to provide a supplemental income source during the golden years.
** Fair warning ! ** Most of the self employed old farts that i know maintain that they're working harder now than they ever did before retiring from their regular job. Aside from the aches & pains of old age most seem pretty happy. Their days are full and staying active gives them a sense of purpose.
I am a retired educator that took early retirement. Starting out, I was loading metal by hand and hauling directly to the scrap yard. All of the scrap money was reinvested into tools and equipment. During down times I was building trailers to haul equipment/tools and metal. Originally I looked at it as a learning experience and entertainment. Although I still approach my business this way, I have learned what I can sell for more than scrap value, what non ferrous metals are worth the time and effort to recover, and how to maximize my loads (weight and how to sort.) I also learned what items could be recycled into other uses (tools, art, and practical everyday objects.) A natural step in rural scrapping is clean ups which led to branching off into farm restoration.
I have been learning about e-scrap from the forum. At this point I am only collecting until I am confident that I know enough to maximize the return.
So I have gone from loading steel by hand to using machinery, loading entire machines onto trailers to saving valuable components, hauling everything at once to sorting and determining value by weight to value being based on materials. I like to think of it as my evolution into scrapping.
As an educator it is assumed you can appreciate this: Metal does not talk back. Good luck in your retirement.
I am also a 1/2 time scrapper , I collect computers and electronic all year but only break down in the winter, I hardly ever been CURBCO but if it is there I will pick it up , I get much of my junk from networking , friends, church members and relatives, I do a clean out of houses and apartments sometimes, which is pretty lucrative both in scrap and cash, only thing I have done different is I now strip my wire, it helps to make up money lost from low prices but it does take time
Full time scrapper here.
I started out as a hot shot trucking company but over the years, I lost all my regular customers except 2 due to a weak economy.
Most of the tractor and equipment dealers here closed down.
I usually work 6-7 days a week gathering, sorting and loading shred into roll off bins.
There is absolutely no curbco here-not allowed by city bylaw so no easy pickin's so to speak.
I have quite a few regular scrap customers and have more regulars now due to small timers getting out of the business due to extremely low prices here ($45.00 M/T).
The job market here sucks due to our federal government pushing employers to hire temporary foreign workers ( the White spot restaurant here fired every local worker they had and hired all foreign workers).
Even the oilfields in Alberta are doing this and record numbers of Canadian citizens are losing their jobs so lower paid foreign workers can be hired.
Anyway.
Lets hope the scrap prices rebound now the Greece bankruptcy has been avoided.
I hand load everything and I only have 1 machine right now-a 10 amp Milwuakee mini grinder that I cannot live without.
All my other tools are hand tools but hopefully when things pick up I can get a skid steer-I really need one!
I see your collecting E-waste.......You need to keep it in at LEAST a dry environment........Any re-usable parts will be ruined if they get wet or expsoed to the elements.......In this market that is the only way to really maximize your computers........Don't just think those old computers are worthless either........Check my ebay thread just sold one this evening for about 25 times scrap value.......Good Luck!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Patriot76
For Patriot:
It can be a bit daunting at first because it's something new(ish). Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started on the pile of stuff you've got on hand. It does get easier as you go along.
I hate to press but time is of the essence if you want to maximize your returns. A month from now, today's " Better than Scrap" item will be obsolete.
Even e-waste scrap items are losing value. (E-waste scrap is expected to gradually trend downward for the next few years because the generation of electronics entering the waste stream today is much lower in recoverable PM's.)
Anyway .... that's all part of the fun ! The landscape is constantly changing so you have to change and adapt with it. Trying to stay on top of it all keeps you from getting old & set in your ways. :)