If you want to make some extra money on the side without getting a classic job that takes away from your regular job and family duties, consider scrapping metal. Some people turn this type of hobby into an actual career to pay all their bills, while others do this just for fun to make a few extra dollars.

However you want to make money, one thing you're asking yourself is this: can you actually make money scrapping metal? Use this guide to help you turn a random hobby into a decent profit so you can enjoy more financial freedom.

Scour your own yard

To start off scrapping metal, start in your own yard. You likely have old car parts, metal from old remodeling projects, or even cans lying about that you can turn into a small profit. The goal at this point isn't really to make money, but to learn how to identify scrap metal in unlikely places. Check your shed, garage, attic, even your kitchen — appliances that are worn out may have copper coils or cores that can make some money — to see how much unused metal you can find.

Research metal recycling prices

In order to really branch out and make some money scrapping metal, you need to learn what current going rates are for metal at the recycling centers. Aluminum, steel, copper, and other metals each carry their own value, so you want to learn what will make you the most money. When you do your research, you'll also learn that metal prices fluctuate, just like gold and silver prices do.

Branch out in your community

The best way to make money scrapping metal is to acquire large appliances, old and broken vehicles, and other large pieces of metal or equipment containing metal — at either no cost or a very low cost. This can be easy to do: people who have junk in their yards don't want to have to pay a garbage service to haul away their unwanted items and they don't want to have to take time to haul away their own things, so you can volunteer your services to gain metal worth scrapping without paying for it.

To make your services known, advertise in local social media boards, in the local newspaper, and even on local bulletin boards. You can get a lot of metal to scrap, which can give you a larger profit, in a short amount of time if you stay diligent.

Contact a company like Falcon Metals to learn more.