How To Make Money On What Other People Throw Away--Your Own
Junk Hauling and Removal Service.
By DeAnna Spencer
Please consult with an attorney or an accountant before you
decide to start any business.
America is a throwaway society. We all know that. We all
have a lot of
junk that we do not need, and just about all of us have things
piling up
relentlessly in out attics, garages, basements, closets and
even in the
back yard.
A lot of people try to ignore the problem until they can no
longer get into
their garage, or when they find it impossible to squeeze one
more item into
the attic. They have too much junk and they need to get rid
of it. Often,
they will pay someone to do just that. This means an
opportunity for you.
You can make a decent living by helping people get rid of
their junk.
To get started, you need a strong back and something to
haul with, such as
a pick-up or a small trailer to pull behind your car. That's
about it. If
you don't have a pick-up, consider buying a used one cheap.
You could
easily find something for less than $1,000. An even less
expensive
alternative is a small trailer for your car. Trailers can be
had for just
a couple hundred bucks or less.
How To Get Started:
This is generally a very community or neighborhood oriented
business. Take
out an ad in your community newspaper saying that you will
haul away
unwanted items or that you will clean garages, basements or
attics for a
fee. You can also print up a one-page flyer and place them on
houses
door-to-door, or on the windshields of cars. Of course you
should also
set up a website for your company and advertise online.
What You Need to Know:
You will need to find a place for all the junk you collect
and remove.
Find out where the local landfills are and what their policies
are. They
may charge you a fee for bringing stuff in, but you can charge
that fee back
to you clients. You also may need dumping permits in some
areas, so check
with your local city or county offices.
It's also a good idea to learn about dumping regulation.
Some items are
more difficult to get rid of than others. For example, you
can't just dump
a refrigerator or an old stove anywhere. Old tires are
another hard-to-
dump item. There are specific places for specific things.
Find out what
goes where. Once you have it all down, however, you have it
made.
You should be able to earn from $7 to $10 an hour. You
will not be able to
charge by the hour, however, because people may give you a
problem about
the pace at which you work, and how much time they feel you
should take to
get the job done. Instead, make an estimate based on your own
judgment on
how long it will take you to clean out that garage or attic.
Once you have
done a few, you will have a good idea about the time
involved. Then give
an upfront estimate. If it will take you a complete day, or
eight hours,
ask for $80 to $100.
Remember also that one man's trash is another man's
treasure. You may find
a market for some of the items many people just want to get
rid off. So
explore the option of sales to second hand stores, or the
possibility of
starting up a second-hand store of your own. Such stores can
be lucrative
like you would not believe. There's big money in junk - and
in getting rid
of it. It takes no special knowledge or education, and you
can get started
with a minimum investment. All that's left for you now it to
get busy!
Copyright DeAnna Spencer 2004
DeAnna Spencer is the Publisher of Prospecting and Presents.
Subscribers get one free ad per week.
Subscribe today by visiting
http://www.pnewsletter.com
.gif)
