Make Money with....Your Old Loo Roll! (2024)

By Ricky Willis | last updated 10th April 2019

Now you need to be a little patient on this one and hear me out. I am being serious when I say that you can make money with the little cardboard tube from the middle of your toilet roll.

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This may sound like a load of cr*p (excuse the bad pun) but this seems to be a real and legitimate way that people are making money right now.

What do you do with that little cardboard tube when you’ve finished with it? Does it go straight into the recycling? Does it go into the arts and crafts box ready to become a spaceship, robot leg or whatever else a child’s imagination can make it? Or do you keep a stash hidden away to make a mint off?

I’m guessing not many people have ever tried to make money from their old, used cardboard tube that’s left over from the toilet roll.

I certainly never have but, after browsing on eBay the other day I think I may start soon (I’ve already got a collection of 12 and counting).

I don’t know why I found it. I never really know how I find half of the stuff I do but after spending a few minutes on the eBay app looking for something to buy, I came across people who sell their toilet rolls on for cash.

The thing is – people buy them!

I really like eBay. There are so many things that I’ve been able to pick up on the cheap and I’ve been able to use it time and time again to get rid of the old stuff that I no longer want. One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure certainly rings true here as people love using these little tubes for arts and crafts, for planting seeds and even to make their own Christmas crackers.

The toilet roll tubes do sell as well. Not all of them and not at first but they do sell.

The sale average price for the middle of a toilet roll is about £7 (including postage) for around 50 rolls.

This type of money is not going to set the world on fire, it won’t clear a mountain of debt and I doubt you’ll be able to turn it into a full time business like I have with this blog but it’s a start and it’s more than if you just put them in the bin.

For an item that most would just throw away, by spending 10 minutes taking a photo, adding a listing and heading to the post office if they sell, you really could be onto a winner.

It’s not just toilet rolls that sell either. Check out my guide on selling your rubbish on eBay for profitwhere you’ll be surprised what junk you can sell and get a decent price for!

Top tips to sell your inner tubes froma toilet roll

I don’t quite believe I’ve put that as a heading but I’m really not joking!

1. Sell them in sets of 25, 50 or 100, rather than individually and take some good photos in natural daylight. Spend a bit of time getting the listing right and you can just copy and paste it every time you want to sell some more.
2. Offer free postage on the item as it looks more appealing as a buyer (build in a postage cost to a buy in now price). They are going to be very light so they won’t cost a huge amount to send anyway.
3. Head to a supermarket and see if you can get boxes to use when shipping your goods. The last thing you want to be doing to fork out loads on an expensive box as it’s eating into any profit.
4. Ask friends, family and work colleagues if they’ll donate their used cardboard tubes. You should tell them the truth of why you want them (it’s a bit devious making money from your friends if they could do with the cash too) but they may be happy to help with your business endeavours.
5. If you are making money selling stuff (no matter how small) you need to register as self-employed with HMRC and declare your earnings. It may only be a few quid here and there but if selling really takes off you do need to pay your taxes.

Just think, how many toilet rolls do you get through each month?

Looking for other ways to make money? Check out:

How To Start a Blog on WordPress with BlueHost

How to Make Millions on YouTube

7 Ways to Make Money Recycling Your Stuff

How to Make Money Selling Your Stuff