I have never been one of those types to gather aluminum cans, car batteries, aluminum gutters thrown out in the trash or old electric wires, and I didn't do this because I am broke and need the money. :) I did it out of a sense that recycling is positive for the environment and also for the fact that the items I cashed in had value to some one (the metal recycling place), even if not to me.
Let me tell you about the biggest money part of the cash in. Having brought items to the recycling place in the past, you notice what are people are bringing to the place to cash in. I saw that regular ole household electric wires were being redeemed. You know, those orange extension cords and the black, white or brown extension cords that we use around the house Well, they have copper wires in them and who the hell ever knew their redemption value?
Some one left a pile of such cords in the trash where I live. Recalling that people were redeeming them at the recycling place, I gathered them and put them in my vehicle. They weighed exactly 23 pounds and guess how much they are worth per pound? $1.20 per pound ! Yes, your regular ole house hold cords have quite a bit of cash in value. So that 23 pound pile of scrap wires that I simply picked up and put in my vehicle, brought me $27.60. It is officially described as insulated CU #2.
Some one was tearing down a part of their roof and in the trash they placed two pieces of aluminum gutter that were about 12 feet long each piece. I flattened them and bent them in half and put them in my vehicle. They weighed 14 pounds and their redemption value is 55 cents a pound. So that brought me in $7.70. It is officially described as OLD SHEET.
Know how when you are drinking a soda or beer at home, when done, you typically throw the can in the garbage and when the garbage is full, you take it out to dump into the dumpster. I did this as an experiment. I said to my self, why just throw this can in the trash, why not clip a plastic bag that you get when shopping at Walmart or any supermarket, clip it on a shelf in the closet and put your empty soda and beer cans in there?
It was not about making money. It was about recycling and feeling good or better about doing some thing better for the environment than simply throwing it in the trash. If you don't know, at current scrap rates, your typical 12 ounce soda or beer can is worth about 2 cents. I personally consume about 60 to 90 sodas or beers in a typical month.
The aluminum cans I saved up in the past month, weighed 3 pounds, at 55 cents a pound, that brought me in $1.65.
The total of the whole redemption was $36.95 and all took no more than a few minutes to do.
Being honest now, I had no idea what these metallic items were gonna bring me when I cashed them in. I did not know if extension cords were worth 20 cents a pound or $2 a pound. The same goes for the aluminum gutters. I just knew they had value to some one, even if not to me. I was shocked when the girl handed me a twenty, a ten, a five, a dollar and 95 cents in change. For junk !!!! :) For scrap junk, I got $36.95.
Another way to look at this, now you can see why those who are down and out, or those who are of more of the street level criminal element, how they would go into an abandoned building and tear out all the copper plumbing from the walls. I gotta imagine that if there are a few hundred pounds of it, the cash in reward is pretty good.
What does $36.95 buy for a hobbyist? Maybe half of a sensual body rub !!! :) ha ha ha Or if ya see Lynn aka MassageThis, whose half hour body rub is $40 currently, it just about pays your whole session fee. Just make sure ya go home and shower and shave prior to visiting her after your metallic cash in. :)
Till next time......
Lord Jesus Most Reverend Pastor Psychedelic PHD VIP HR
I Made $36.95 Today Cashing in Scrap Metal.... :)
