Most of us don't look in our trash cans and see a gold mine, but it turns out we've been missing out on some seriously incredible money-making opportunities.
Genius sellers on websites like eBay and Etsy have been making tons of moolah by turning their garbage bags into moneybags, cashing in on crafters looking for supplies or folks trying to find cheaper ways to fix broken items in their home. Either way, they're earning a pretty penny for things most of us would have otherwise tossed aside.
As the old adage says, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." We've just updated the way we make the transaction in modern times!
Take a look and you'll probably be inspired to dig through your trash to see how much money you're sitting on right now.
1. Egg Cartons
Whether they're styrofoam, cardboard, or plastic, crafters have snatched sets of these up for about a dollar each or a bargain of $40 for a set of 140.
2. Bottle Caps
For both plastic and metal caps, you'll find listings of these bundled up by the hundreds with listings getting as much as $40 for a pile of 500.
They seem to be especially valuable if they haven't been dented with a bottle opener.
3. Broken Crayons
DonnasVintageLoft on Etsy charges $13 for one and a half pounds of crayons stuffed into a bag, but other listings have fetched as much as $24 for the stash.
4. Empty Toilet Paper Rolls
After cleaning off all the residual paper, sets of 50 to 100 rolls have gone for $6.50 to $24 — and the same goes for paper towel rolls, too!
5. Soda Can Tabs
These are sold by the thousands, with 1,000 going for about $12 if they're good quality and as many as 10,000 earning $35.
6. Empty Candle Jars
This obviously depends on the different brands and sizes, but a set of at least two or more well-cleaned jars will range from $6 to over $20 for larger sets.
7. Wine Corks
Sellers save up packs of at least 25 to over 1,000 of these and list them for a range of about $7 all the way up to a whopping $185.
8. Remote Controls
When you upgrade your TV or other remote controlled appliance, don't toss out the clicker — sellers fetch around $7 to $25 for the functioning items.
9. Baby Food Jars
These seem to be mostly listed in groups and priced together at about a dollar per jar in most Etsy listings.
10. Pine Cones
These are especially popular around the holidays, but you can find sellers listing packs of 20 for about $12 on Etsy even in the off-season, depending on the size, shape, and cleanliness.
11. Old Trophies
This obviously depends on the condition of the trophy and whether or not a seller is prepared to part with the sentimental item, but you can find listings of vintage trophies on Etsy going for $42 or piecing up individual parts of the trophy for a few bucks a pop.
12. Empty Ink Cartridges
Sellers have listed these in groups of hundreds and earn themselves anywhere from around $40 to $70. They're also sure to make note of whether the cartridge has ever been refilled.
13. Old T-Shirts
When your shirts start to get holes in them, cut them into rags instead of throwing them out like the sellers who've gotten about $12 to $25 for 25 pounds of the fabric.
14. Empty Product Boxes
It might seem silly, but sellers have made anywhere from $15 to $35 for an empty jewelry, phone, high-end toy box, and several other name brand product boxes that are in good condition.
15. Broken Appliances
Just be sure you're very clear in your description about the appliance not working and you'll still be able to earn a price tag from $15 to $45 from folks searching for parts to fix their own models, depending on the size of the item.
Did any of these unexpectedly lucrative old items surprise you? Be sure to SHARE with your friends on Facebook!
