Noticed more competition out at curbco recently

Just thought I would mention that I saw 3 different scrappers out on my usual monday route. Ones I've never seen before too. Im thinking the combination of economy going to crap, unemployment assistance ending, and scrap prices on the rise are going to cause the perfect storm of flooding the market with new competition! Get out there and sure up all your connection now before someone else snatches them up!

Due to the slim picking and increased competition I may quit curbco and just focus on my 5-6 people I pick up from, at least until spring when the days get longer, it gets warmer, and people start cleaning out basements/garages again

Just sayin!


Also just saw this:

"China to allow ferrous scrap imports from Jan 1 China will allow imports of recycled steel raw materials from Jan. 1, 2021, ending its two-year ban on ferrous scrap imports, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced Dec. 31."

There's a saying around here that everyone is poor after Christmas. It's generally slim pickins through the winter. What i usually do is keep a few repair projects around for this time of year to keep me busy. I get them all good to go for when things open back up in the spring.

I was talking with one of the office workers at the scrapyard a few months ago. We were discussing scrap prices here in Maine as compared to out of state. The office worker's opinion was that there are quite a few people getting back into scrapping because they don't have anything else to do. The yards seem to be taking a pretty wide margin simply because they can. Folks are hard up for money.

The dumpster at my new location has given me a few things. 20 lbs of romex, an older working craftsman circular saw, a brad nailer, and a few other things...

Yesterday I pulled this Sony 400 disc cd/dvd changer. Very nice condition. I plugged it in and heard the familiar grinding from failed belts. I have two replacement belts coming now for $4 (I no longer have my stockpile of old junk to pull parts from). This will go on ebay to hopefully net me close to $200.

There will always be people throwing away things, that is what people have been taught to do. Old, throw it away and get something new. Broken, definitely throw it away and get a new one.

I will pick these things up, fix them, and sell. I don't go curbco, but there is plenty of stuff out there to stock a thrift store. I think it will always be this way, and those people who can, should take advantage of it.

I do the curbco thing, but only if I happen to see something while I am on my way to some other place. I don't intentionally drive a route looking for stuff, it is too random.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ChildhoodDream

I don't understand how people make enough picking things up "curbco" to make it worth their while. I have piles of the things I hear that people find and I don't see the value in taking the things apart or messing with selling them whole or mostly whole If I have to haul them somewhere to sell. I do enjoy taking a few things apart for the fun of it and seeing how it's made and such.

So I have just been sorting the things such as microwaves, dehumidifiers, junk T.V.s and such out on pallets and I have a few vehicles stuffed with smaller electrical appliances of many types.

I realize that there is a market for some items found along the streets and roads, items that work or are a easy fix and such. But as the condition of the economy worsens and the better quality items of the far past become harder to find, it seems that there is little found these days that is worth much when new as it is a throw away society.

I have so many things to choose from for something to do that I mostly choose the "ea$y $tuff", or what interests me enough to do it. Most times I will think on things for years before I get to them.

I could go much farther into what I see and think on the matter, but that would just anger some far more then is reasonable.

Just something that has been on my mind for quite awhile.

Where is the overall "money" profit in MOST curbco?

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If I had a steady enough stream of stuff from businesses or people, I would likely not do curbco, just because I probably wouldnt have time. It is by far the least PROFITABLE. You say you have piles and pallets and tons of stuff, so you would rather spend time going through and getting rid off stuff than acquiring more stuff. The volume of stuff I get is usually small and moves through quick. So most of the time Im doing curbco it is just because I dont have anything elese scrap related to do.

As far as where the most "money" is from curbco, for me so far it is a combination of 3 things this year that netted me the most from curbco:

1) Bikes - people dont know what their bikes are worth and dont care to fix them or sell them when they get a new one. I have found bike in the trash and putt air in the tires and powerwashed them and sold them for $200+ the very same day. In addition, I have a "bike guy" who I sell bike that I dont feel like or know how to fix up, for pretty decent money, a lot more than scrap value anyway

2) Treadmills - depending on the model of treadmill, the motor controller boards from the treadmill sell on eBay for $50-100. Then take the 100-200lbs of steel and the wire and electric motor, and each treadmill I pick up off the side of the road ends up being a $50-$100+ bill

3) computers - few and far between in my state since they are technically illegal to throw into the trash, but i still find them every once in a while. I have found laptops that I have put a $20 SSD into and flipped for $200..... desktops with i7 cpus that go for close to $100.... etc.


I think curbco is the most fun, its got a treasure hunting vibe and I enjoy just cruising around with the radio on looking for treasure..... but it is the least profitable and most expensive (uses a lot of time and gas)



My net earnings per hour from curbco is probably around $5/hr if I am being generous..... where as my earnings per hour from a pickup from one of my handful of people I pick up may be closer to $50-100/hr..... but my earnings per hour watching TV is $0/hr... so.... curbco ain't so bad for now. But I got a kid on the way. Once that comes out I am estimating my curbco time will go away