How to Make Extra Money With a Truck

Caleb Foster

Jun 10

2 min read

Updated: 3 hours ago

If you have a truck, you have an unfair advantage. Look at couches and patio sets on Marketplace for a few minutes and you’ll see why. So many of them go for next to nothing because most buyers have no way to haul them.

That’s your opportunity, on both ends.

1. Flip the big stuff

With a truck, large items become your advantage:

The fewer people who can move something, the less competition you have and the cheaper it gets. That’s the whole game.

2. Say you have a truck when you message

When you message about a big item, tell them you have a truck and the help to move it (as long as you actually do). Sellers pick the person who can come quick and handle it over the person who has to borrow a truck first.

Something like: “I can come now with a truck. Can I get the address?” More in Facebook Marketplace Messaging.

3. Offer delivery when you sell

This is the simplest way to make more on every big flip. Buyers are happy to pay if it means getting something they couldn’t get home otherwise.

Charge a flat $20–$40, whatever covers your gas and time
Put “delivery available” in your listing title or the first line of the description
Go further for more money if you want, just set the price up front

Offering delivery instantly expands your buyer pool. It can be the difference between a listing that sits and one that sells at full price.

4. Solve the “why hasn’t it sold?” problem

When you see a great piece of furniture that’s been sitting, ask why. A lot of the time it’s because it’s heavy, huge, or out in the middle of nowhere. With a truck, that problem goes away. Buy it, offer delivery when you sell, and you’ve basically guaranteed a profit. More in How to Know What Something Is Worth.

5. Grab free stuff nobody else can

Free couches and patio sets go to whoever can show up with a truck first. Set alerts for free big items and you’ll have a steady stream of zero-cost inventory. See How to Flip Free Stuff.

What a truck can bring in

Patio furniture alone can be a solid side income in spring and summer. Add couches in the fall, AC units in summer, and appliances year-round, and an extra $500 a month is very realistic. The breakdown is in How to Make an Extra $500 a Month.

A few tips

Keep straps, moving blankets, and a dolly in the truck. You’ll grab deals on the way home.
Measure your bed. Know what fits before you drive out.
Bring a buddy for heavy stuff or offer them a cut.
Check the forecast. Nobody wants a rained-on couch.

No truck? You can still flip. See How to Flip Stuff Without a Truck.