With the skyrocketing prices of everything in today’s world, a little extra cash is something everyone yearns for. By selling your scrap metal you can earn some extra money. Other added benefits being you can help the environment by recycling your old metal. Scrap is a by-product for the metal fabricator and raw material for scrap metal recyclers. Hence, you can sell your scrap to such scrap metal recyclers and earn profits. Getting the maximum amount of money from your scrap metal is one of the most significant goals when you begin scrapping. Here are a few tips to help you maximize the value of scrap metal.
- Identify your scrap
The very first step is to rightly identify your items, and accurately price them before selling. It is very important for scrap sellers to have knowledge about the item they are selling. Knowledge is power; it can easily help you get high prices for products. 5-10 minutes on the internet searching for listings can help you understand the prices. Know the metal you are selling, break alloys into weight percents and sell accordingly, use analytical instruments to identify the composition of unknown metals.
- Separate your scrap
This is the most important tip for maximizing the value of scrap metal. Traders always prefer to buy clean load. Instruments such as alligator shears can cut scrap metal into smaller pieces and separate different material types, thus helping you earn more money from your scrap metals. Use large bins, boxes, or containers to store the scrap material separately. You can use a permanent marker to label such containers.
- Remove all contaminants
Clean metal is much higher in value than dirty one. So be diligent and get your scrap cleaned before selling. Rust, dirt, mud and all such contaminants must be removed before making a sale. Clean scrap metal will allure the buyer and help you in maximizing the value.
- Weigh your material
Always be sure to weigh your scrap metal before sending it out of your place. The reason is simple when the buyer weighs your material and writes it down how you know if the weight they write is the same weight which you delivered. If you do not weigh your material beforehand you will have no clue. You can be easily manipulated and fooled if you are not fully aware of your own material.
- Check the scales
When the buyer weighs your scrap metal, and it does not tally with the weight you had measured, demand to see the scales with which the attendant is weighing your metal. Many scammers can manipulate the scales, thus decreasing the value of your scrap metal and lowering your profits. Be wary of the portable scales, they are never trustworthy.
- Make connections
To make maximum money on your scrap, you need to collect more. Instead of doing pickups from same places over and over again take time to expand your connections and get more clients for pickups and cleanout. Hand out flyers and business cards to friends and family. This will increase your chances of getting more customers and hence more profits.
- Get organized
Use your calendar and make a proper schedule, this will help you in being organized and efficient. You can plan your days of picking, separating, and unloading at the scrap yard. Look out for bulk garbage days, you can find some electronic devices on such occasions. The proper organization helps in both getting more collections and also efficient selling, which leads to maximization of the value of scrap metal.
Follow these simple yet effective guidelines to enhance the value of your scrap material.
