How to make money with shipping containers – Top 3 ways to earn extra cash

Have you ever wondered how to make some extra money with shipping containers? Are you considering buying a shipping container for your property? A shipping container can be used to generate cash – it’s that simple. 

If you are considering buying a shipping container for your property, or if you have a used already on your premises, it can be a money maker for you.  In today’s economy, a little extra income can go a long way – everybody can use a bit of extra cash!  So if you’re interested in earning a regular passive income, a shipping container can be a great way to do it.  

 Let’s broaden our horizons and learn three ways we can turn a used 20’ shipping container into extra cash. Read on.

1. Converting a shipping container into storage sales business

Storage sales is highly profitable and easy to do with your storage container.  In fact, if your property has some extra space, you could easily turn that space into income, as a part-time storage sales business.  

You see all the storage units around town; people are constantly looking for places to store their stuff; they’re happy to pay that monthly fee – month after month, and year after year.  Think about the money you could be making with one or more storage containers on your property – ongoing, passive income that just rolls in, with little to no effort on your part. 

It’s also a fact that prices are on the rise here in Mumbai and across Australia; you could be benefitting from increasing storage costs by providing a storage service yourself, using durable, watertight storage containers as the base of your new storage business.  Use the existing storage container on your property, or acquire one or more storage containers, to start your own Storage sales service.

1. Using shipping containers as a roadside storefront

These types of storefronts are popping up all over the province and country.  People are utilizing 20-foot shipping containers as small retail spaces.  You’re limited by only your imagination as to what you could be selling – flowers, produce such as fruits & vegetables, lemonade, juice, honey, crafts, woodwork or furniture – you name it, it can be sold by a roadside shipping container storefront!

You may need to check your municipality for zoning and permits required by law to place your container in your desired perfect spot.  You may or may not also want to make some modifications to your storage container to accommodate your new business; but chances are it could take nothing at all, or maybe just an attractive, dazzling exterior paint job to attract passersby to your new shipping container storefront!

Give it some thought – consider what you may be able to sell from the great location you’ve picked out.  A storage container storefront may be just the gold mine you’ve been dreaming of.

1. Airbnb / VRBO – convert your shipping container into a tiny house

In today’s tech-based times, the internet has spurred on all sorts of new business models.  Among the most popular have been short-stay accommodations – the giants include Airbnb and VRBO.  Sharp, forward-thinking entrepreneurs have capitalized on these new platforms to market their extra space as income-generating properties – from homes, to spare rooms, to cottages and beyond.  

This, of course, will require some modification to a standard 20-foot shipping container.  But the truth is, it’s not really that much work, especially if you are renovation adept or have connections to someone who is.  You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, either – there are tons of existing repurposed shipping containers out there which are being used exactly the same way, as small apartments.  

Now, to make it both attractive and comfortable, you will have to take your standard container, and spruce it up some – we mentioned adding windows, for example.  You should also consider how you are going to finish both the interior and exterior, how you are going to hook it up to either AC power or a generator, and how you may have to heat and cool your new purchase unit for tenants; plus you’ll have to provide some furnishings, and of course, some type of washroom/running water access.  

But make no mistake – converted shipping containers have proven themselves as excellent short-stay accommodation, which you can easily list and promote on sites like Airbnb and VRBO, as well as on social media and Craigslist & Kijiji.  The income could be significant; if you have the space and the container, consider it! 

Or, consider acquiring a shipping container in great condition and placing it at the perfect spot to start your own short-stay accommodation business.  Who knows – before long,  you may find you need more than one container… or two… or three…   

Plus, you always have the option of using your new shipping container apartment as a weekend getaway for yourself!

Concluding Thoughts – Earning Cash from a Used Shipping Container

We hope these three ideas for how to make some extra money with shipping containers have been useful and inspiring for you.  It doesn’t end there; you are limited by only your imagination, as to the extra uses and money a shipping container on your property could generate.  Let us know about your ideas – the sky’s the limit when you start to think about it.

Thanks so much for reading! Contact us.