People have been collecting, sorting, and selling “scrap metal” for eons.  But I have recently read articles that claim that full-time scrappers make anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 annually.  That’s pretty impressive money.

Take it from one who knows — there is a good deal of scrap metal in our own homes, on the street being trashed, and thrown in dumpsters from coast to coast.  To me and people like me, that’s like throwing away money!  Think twice before you push your trash bin to the curb.  Do you have any copper, brass, steel, aluminum, bronze, etc?  Forget the condition; it matters not if you find a pipe here or an old teapot there.  Here are some tips for you:

MAXIMIZE YOUR SCRAP METAL RECYCLING:

Go to www.metalprices.com and get familiar with what the different metals are selling for.

• Sort various metals into different piles.  Steel should go into one pile and copper should go into another.  You will get more if you segregate the lands of scrap.
• Deal only with reputable scrap metal brokers or scrap yards.
• Keep all garbage out of your scrap metal piles … metal only.
• Always carry a magnet.  You can use a magnet to quickly tell if the material is ferrous or non-ferrous, and then separate your metals accordingly.

© 2011, The Estate Lady