How I Parlayed Picking Up Cans Into a Job

I have been in situations were there was no way to get any money. Do you know this phrase, "Can't get money, because no Job. Cannot get job, because no money."

I prayed to God, telling God that I can not see anything I can do. The answer came to me. I live in a residential were people throw trash out their cars. What I am talking about is cans.

These cans are free to pick up, I just needed to go out and collect them. This was able to bring me some money, that allowed me to get a job.

I weighed cans, and on average I got 0.4 ounces. It takes 16 ounces for 1 pound. That means 40 cans will make 1 pound. With the rate of aluminum at $0.45 a pound. Each can is worth approximately $0.01. All of those cans on the side of the road are pennies at $0.45 a pound.

Before going out and picking up cans. You must first decide were you are going to sell them. You need to call a recycle center (buy back center). Ask them what they are paying for aluminum cans. After that decide if you are able to get the cans to them. And see if it is worth going after them. Call around, sometimes one buy back center will have different prices than another. Be careful of the ones that steal.

Let me give hints on picking up cans. When picking them up, make sure it is not to hot. It is best to only do it early in the morning, and in the evening. When you go out, make sure you bring water with you. It is a good idea to bring gloves if you can. These old cans can be nasty to the touch.

When picking them up, crush them before bagging them up. With the cans crushed, you can put more in your bag. This way you can bring more to the scrap dealer in one trip. Making it more worth while. The way I would do this is step on them, and poke them with the poker, then bag them. When I was using a bicycle, I did not carry a poker. I would run them over with the bicycle tire, pick them off the wheel, or from under me, and then put them in the baskets.

Watch for dogs. Here in Florida were I live, there are dogs all around. When they see you in the ditch picking up cans, they can get crazy. People on bicycles are strange to them, and if the see you in their ditch getting a can, things look even more strange.