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Whats the secret

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    mjg1021 started this thread.
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    Whats the secret

    So as you all know I am very green but I have an important question...WHAT'S THE SECRET?

    In order to get big money you need big loads, in order to get big loads you need big vehicles, in order to get big vehicles you need big money! I'm so confused...

    Can anyone help?



  2. #2
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    Right now, the key is in more than scrap value items. Let's do some math at some pre-crash prices out here.

    Say that I purchase a 1 ton truck and gooseneck trailer for $7000. That isn't a lot of truck, but you could get a useable workhorse for the price. I can haul (Legally) 10k pounds with this setup. Steel paid $75/Ton at the time, so that's $375 per load. We'll discard the costs of registration and insurance, along with maintenance. We'll say that it takes 50 gallons of fuel to collect that load and haul it in to the yard (We're a rural area). Oh yeah, the truck is gasoline, and gasoline was roughly $2.75 this summer. That's $137.50 in fuel. That leaves me with $237.50 profit potential per load. So, to pay off the truck hauling scrap (My time is worthless in this calculation), you would need to haul about 30 loads of scrap, or more exactly 147.39 tons of steel. That's not going to happen very quickly out here.

    What comes into play is using trucks for something else. I have a 1986 Dodge that I use to haul scrap in sometimes. But, I've used it this year to haul firewood and to deliver straw bales. That covers the truck costs, not scrapping steel. If you can find copper or E-Waste, the picture can be different. But, steel won't pay off a large truck (And the hypothetical setup is pretty tame in the grand scheme).

    Right now, the crash brought steel prices down to $0/Ton, so a truck will never pay itself off out here. You can't charge- farmers don't care if their old All Crop sits for another 20 years. It's been sitting where it was since Gerald Ford was President anyways....
    More than Scrap Value Shipment Tips: http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...tml#post242349

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    What's the secret ? If they told you then it wouldn't be a secret anymore !

    Seriously .... maybe check this out.

    Grow Rich! With Peace of Mind: Napoleon Hill, Rob Actis: 9781469236131: Amazon.com: Books

    If you were to ask most successful people they would agree that these business principles are sound. Work hard, put the principles into practice, and with a bit of good luck you can have your piece of the pie too.

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    Pay attention to what matador just posted and read, read, read the old threads. Why read? It will make you aware of possibilities you won't be exposed to otherwise Lots of reading on the forums IS the fast way to get there. Mike
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

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    no secret if you are starting out with very little in the way of capital ($$). You have to start small, SAVE and grow...sometimes slowly. There is no "GET RICH" button...otherwise I would have already pushed it....ALOT.

    Spend all you can learning, here especially since it is mostly free knowledge. Figure out a business plan...ie what the heck are you going to specialize in. Do NOT say EVERYTHING, you will be mediocre/jack of all trades instead of being REALLY good at whatever you choose. Once you have that, write the goals and figure out the costs to get there. Write them down in manageable bites (mountains can be moved, just one rock at a time). Go after each goal tirelessly....put in the work. Check off each goal and then you are on to the next one....rinse & repeat.

    After awhile, you will look back and realize how much you are making NOW vs then....keep going. On and on as far as you want to take it. Shoot for the stars...even if you only hit the moon, the view is pretty **** good.

    Charles
    PROFIT is made when you BUY/ACQUIRE NOT when you sell

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    YES,
    the BIG $ECRET that many seek and few find is in all honest fact,

    NOT a big secret.

    it's mostly in the known and honest odds.

    how we view and treat those odds is what decides the payoff.

    I myself don't bother trying to "beat" the known odds as I don't believe in the same sort of magic that most odds require.

    the "magic" I seek is not of this world simply put.

    But as for the popular SECRETS that many believe they are seeking.

    YOU are in control of the ATOMS that you are personally constructed of.

    How many "middle men" do you use to communicate and connect with the person that you are?

    Yes it is deep, but that is where the REAL root of secrets dwell.

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    No secret here turn in metal get $. But as you find your way thru this site you WILL find a few answers on how to make more money from that metal or electronic device you have. Even with the drop in prices you can still make money and with the info here make MORE MONEY!!!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by childhooddream View Post
    yes,
    the big $ecret that many seek and few find is in all honest fact,

    not a big secret.

    It's mostly in the known and honest odds.

    How we view and treat those odds is what decides the payoff.

    I myself don't bother trying to "beat" the known odds as i don't believe in the same sort of magic that most odds require.

    The "magic" i seek is not of this world simply put.

    But as for the popular secrets that many believe they are seeking.

    You are in control of the atoms that you are personally constructed of.

    How many "middle men" do you use to communicate and connect with the person that you are?

    Yes it is deep, but that is where the real root of secrets dwell.
    mind....blown!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by webuyselltradestuff View Post
    no secret if you are starting out with very little in the way of capital ($$). You have to start small, SAVE and grow...sometimes slowly. There is no "GET RICH" button...otherwise I would have already pushed it....ALOT.

    Spend all you can learning, here especially since it is mostly free knowledge. Figure out a business plan...ie what the heck are you going to specialize in. Do NOT say EVERYTHING, you will be mediocre/jack of all trades instead of being REALLY good at whatever you choose. Once you have that, write the goals and figure out the costs to get there. Write them down in manageable bites (mountains can be moved, just one rock at a time). Go after each goal tirelessly....put in the work. Check off each goal and then you are on to the next one....rinse & repeat.

    After awhile, you will look back and realize how much you are making NOW vs then....keep going. On and on as far as you want to take it. Shoot for the stars...even if you only hit the moon, the view is pretty **** good.

    Charles
    I really relate to this post. I started a few months ago collecting everything and quickly became overwhelmed. So I really thought about it just a few days ago as I was disassembling stuff and hurt my shoulder. At that point I went blind with pain and fury so I picked up a three pound sledge and started hitting a weedwacker motor that wouldn't come apart easily...it came apart.

    I decided that working or fixable items for resale would be my go to. Electronics, furniture without fabrics, vacuums and such. Wish I thought of that before I hurt my shoulder

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    Quote Originally Posted by matador View Post
    right now, the key is in more than scrap value items. Let's do some math at some pre-crash prices out here.

    Say that i purchase a 1 ton truck and gooseneck trailer for $7000. That isn't a lot of truck, but you could get a useable workhorse for the price. I can haul (legally) 10k pounds with this setup. Steel paid $75/ton at the time, so that's $375 per load. We'll discard the costs of registration and insurance, along with maintenance. We'll say that it takes 50 gallons of fuel to collect that load and haul it in to the yard (we're a rural area). Oh yeah, the truck is gasoline, and gasoline was roughly $2.75 this summer. That's $137.50 in fuel. That leaves me with $237.50 profit potential per load. So, to pay off the truck hauling scrap (my time is worthless in this calculation), you would need to haul about 30 loads of scrap, or more exactly 147.39 tons of steel. That's not going to happen very quickly out here.

    What comes into play is using trucks for something else. I have a 1986 dodge that i use to haul scrap in sometimes. But, i've used it this year to haul firewood and to deliver straw bales. That covers the truck costs, not scrapping steel. If you can find copper or e-waste, the picture can be different. But, steel won't pay off a large truck (and the hypothetical setup is pretty tame in the grand scheme).

    Right now, the crash brought steel prices down to $0/ton, so a truck will never pay itself off out here. You can't charge- farmers don't care if their old all crop sits for another 20 years. It's been sitting where it was since gerald ford was president anyways....

    you had me at math!!!!

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    My father's a lot better at it than I am!

    Another tip- don't invest in equipment until it's needed. My largest mistake was purchasing a box van to do collection events with. We ended up doing a total of 5 events, and that van was used at only 2 of them. You don't want equipment that you're trying to find a use for.

    I use older Core 2 Duo machines to wipe hard drives. Shinier machines don't do the job any better. The more you can cut costs, the better. It makes it a lot easier to profit.

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    Who let him out again!?

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    Find anyway you can to make money. If you have extra land, have the timber cut or use it for hay. If you have a trailer, advertise a hauling service. If you have a skidsteer, learn to do some grading. If you're even okay at a trade, use those skills to sell crafts. I sell forks that clamp onto tractor buckets that I sell all day long for $250 a set because I am an okay welder, so why not try it out? Find something you like to do and make money at that.

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    Know what the value of your metal is.
    The more effort you put in the more money you make.
    Don't take unnecessary risks.
    Having a partner halfs your profit.
    Know when to stop.
    Don't trust anyone 100%.
    Work safe.
    Only invest when you 'Know', not when you 'think'.
    Having a partner doubles your profits.
    Don't tell anyone your secrets.....
    Last edited by eesakiwi; 11-13-2015 at 03:15 AM.

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  28. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by eesakiwi View Post
    Know what the value of your metal is.
    The more effort you put in the more money you make.
    Don't take unnecessary risks.
    Having a partner halfs your profit.
    Know when to stop.
    Don't trust anyone 100%.
    Work safe.
    Only invest when you 'Know', not when you 'think'.
    Having a partner doubles your profits.
    Don't tell anyone your secrets.....

    Thanks man, is everyone in NZ a bit...loony?

    I am trying to get there for a vacation, may be a pipe dream though.
    Scrap long and prosper

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    its simple, find the amount of work that you want to do to keep it fun and productive, spend the money you make wisely and invest with the growth of your business with out loans, treat people to the best service and they will fill your wallet. plan your business as a business for the good and bad so you can pile in the cash in all weather lol

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    We all start at the bottom. But it goes pretty much in the order of the first post. Small loads often = $. Save $ from each trip for a truck = big loads. Big loads = big $. In that order. Don't change anything you do now, debt wise. The secret... PATIENCE

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    I like to drink Natty Lights with an occasional amber beer thrown in to make things interesting, but not too expensive. The secret is to adjust your costs so that you can afford to drink the beer you want to drink while you do your scrapping. If you cannot afford the beer you want to drink while scrapping, no amount of secret sharing will help you.

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  36. #20
    mjg1021 started this thread.
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    Quote Originally Posted by nutpie View Post
    We all start at the bottom. But it goes pretty much in the order of the first post. Small loads often = $. Save $ from each trip for a truck = big loads. Big loads = big $. In that order. Don't change anything you do now, debt wise. The secret... PATIENCE
    Copy that!


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