First problem I saw with all you collectors who would like to sell tabs is you keep putting them in milk jugs, 2 liter bottles, etc. STOP THAT! The proper way to store pull tabs is in zip locks, or boxes if you're into larger amounts. I have sold over 40 million of them to support my 3 charities.
Those who oversee larger collection drives do not have the time to shake 3,000 tabs out of a milk jug, and insurance companies may not want them using knives to cut them open. And the scrap yard is just going to turn you away. Recycle the milk jug instead.
Now, selling tabs, E-bay is where the market is, but you got to play by the buyers' rules. Take your tabs, sort them by type, and color. Remove the damaged tabs, now remove the tabs that are not aluminium (use a magnet if you're not sure). Next, it's needle-nose pliers time. Remove that annoying curly thing, it takes up 36% of the space due to the coat-hanger effect, and accounts for 4.4% of your shipping costs.
Count your tabs into 1,000 count baggies. This bag, which containes 26 cents worth of scrap aluminium, is now worth $4 to the person who needs them for arts and crafts. Colored tabs $20 per 1,000, MONSTER tabs $50 per 1,000. In every case, the buyer pays shipping.
Now, as for the curly things, they are also scrap aluminium. Dump them in the bag or box which has the damaged tabs and drop them off at McDonalds. These tabs will be recycled to allow families to remain near their hospitalized children, and you're making 15 times scrap for the tabs you sell.
I never thought of selling the tabs on ebay, thanks for the advice! We save our aluminum cans to sell to recycle on Earth Day every year when we usually get 30-40 cents a pound. I may put the kids to work going back & removing all the tabs :D Thanks for the tip!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How much will I get with a 2 litre container filled with can tabs? Where can I exchange them for money in Johannesburg, South Africa?
By Refeletse
Donate them too charity, schools, churches etc. I saved 11.5lbs in the states (yes 11.5lbs) I received a grand total of 5.50 USD$ I was told that charities get more for them at a better rate.
I buy beer and pop can tabs and will pay half a penny a piece (i.e., 1,000 tabs = $5). Ship them (at your expense by the least costly method) to me.
I want sell my Coke can tabs? I have six bottles of two liters tabs.
Godi
It's worth checking on eBay.com to see if there is a market for selling them to people making recycled crafts.
I live in east Los Angeles, California. My husband, for quite some time now, has been saving the soda tabs because he found out they are worth money. Where can I exchange them for cash?
Essentially the tabs are not worth much, about 3.5 cents for 100 tabs at a recycling business. You can try a search for find more information online and also try the Snopes.com "Rumor Has It" site below that addresses the many tab rumors:
www.snopes.com/
I am in East London. I collected about 7 bottles of pop tabs and now I don't know where to sell them.
By Vero M from East London
I don't think they are worth more than selling aluminum cans back to a metal recycler. There appears to be a company in East London that buys scrap, F.E.W. Metals. I would contact them directly.
I know that some people do buy Pop Can Tabs on eBay for use in craft projects. That would be another avenue to pursue. Good luck and let us know what you were able to find out.
E-bay is your best bet. Go there and do a search for pop tabs. See what others are selling theirs for and do your similarily.
