👷 Pallet Flipping: A profitable & legit side hustle

GM. This is Work "After" Work, the newsletter that sifts out all the sand, leaving you only with the gold.

Here's how we're starting the week:

• 👷 Pallet flipping

• 😂 Meme of the day

PALLET FLIPPING

Today we’ve got a simple and gritty side hustle that I never knew existed and that’s flipping pallets. And no, not those mystery pallets with a bunch of stuff on them (because those are all scams).

I’m talking about just plain old pallets. These things:

I spent the weekend researching all about pallet flipping and besides some crazy facts (like 60% of all the lumber in the world is used to make pallets) it turns out this could be a really good way to make an extra $100 - $500 a weekend.

What I didn’t know before doing all this research is that a lot of businesses will give you their pallets for free or even pay you to take them because they would otherwise have to pay a disposal company to come haul them away.

Big box stores particularly always have a huge pallet problem because inventory comes in constantly, it gets unloaded, and that pallet gets set aside. They do that again, and again, and pretty soon these big box stores look like they’re playing Jenga with the amount of pallets they have.

That’s where the opportunity lies in this side hustle. You’re providing value to these stores by taking these pallets off their hands by not making them pay for disposal or recycling and flipping them to businesses that actually need them.

Go wherever you see pallets. This could be as simple as stopping when you see them on your way home from work (if you have a truck) or renting out a trailer on the weekends. Check out construction sites, furniture stores, or small business warehouses. When you come across some, ask who’s in charge and if you can take the pallets off their hands.

Who can you sell them to?Pallet yards are a go-to for making a quick flip. To find one use this directory and it will give you pallet companies in your area. Or simply search “pallet buyers near me” and companies will pop up.

For example, I’m in the Chicagoland area and I see Cardinal Pallet Co. is a family owned pallet business.

I’d call them up, ask if they’re looking to buy pallets and how much they’re willing to pay. Maybe it’s 4, 5, 6, or even 7 dollars a pallet if none are broken and are in good condition.

One good weekend of renting a trailer (that only costs $15 for 6 hours) and gathering 100 pallets could make anywhere from $400 to $700.

How I would go about this

First call around and see who will offer you the most money per pallet. This way once you actually find pallets you know who to go to and what you’ll be getting in case you do have to pay, say, a dollar a pallet.

Then I’d scout around my neighborhood. Go on reddit or facebook groups for my area and see if others and talking about businesses that have a lot of pallets. If you drive to the back of a lot of businesses you’ll see if they have an abundance of pallets.

If you find one, go ask if you can take the pallets for them. Maybe they’ll try to sell them for cheap. That’s okay as long as you’re making more from the businesses who are buying them from you.

It’s a simple side hustle but it’s providing real value to businesses and will make you money from day one. Be smart about how far you’re driving and how much you’re profiting per pallet and this side gig could pay for your whole grocery bill every month (of half considering eggs now cost $5 🤦‍♂️)

MEME OF THE DAY

😂😂

That's a wrap ladies & gents!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.