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
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DeAnnaSpencer is the Publisher of Prospecting and Presents.
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