In many cities, homeowners are required to move their garbage cans to the curb for collection (and back again). For many homeowners, this is not their favorite task, and they wouldn’t mind paying someone else to do it. You probably won’t get anyone to pay you a lot, but if you get a lot of customers, it can add up.

PROS:
— Little start-up costs

CONS:
— Early morning work, including school days
— The garbage cans may be heavy when full

How to Get Started:
To promote your business, you could go door to door, or you could pass out fliers around your neighborhood. If your neighborhood is set up for Nextdoor.com, that would be an excellent way to spread the word.

How Much to Charge:
Most customers should be willing to pay $10 per month — that’s only about $2 per week. Remember, this is a simple task for which you cannot charge a lot, but you will make a decent sum of money if you get a lot of customers.

Try starting out with an introductory rate of $5 per month for the first month. You’ll give customers the chance to see how convenient (and reliable) your service is at a rate that is too good to pass up.

Taking it to the next level:
Ready to upgrade your services? Try these tips:

  • Offer other related services to your customers. In many cities, residents can place more than household trash at the curb — yard debris, for instance. Offer to move yard debris to the curb for a slightly higher monthly charge. You can even offer to gather debris, which might require raking leaves or picking up twigs and branches that have fallen from trees after storms.