Are you looking for a way to earn fast money? If you have a large utility vehicle, such as a pickup truck, you can retrieve and return shopping carts for a cash reward.

Most medium to large grocery, variety, and department retailers have a stock of shopping carts on hand. They are purchased by the store, of course, so customers can use them when they shop at your store.

Shopping carts are expensive. The average cost to the retailer for just one is between $75 and $100. The big ones, like the ones found in club and wholesale stores, can cost upwards of $200 or more.

Most retail stores have dozens of them; Busy big box stores may even have hundreds of them. Purchasing enough to meet a store’s demand and traffic levels requires a significant outlay of cash.

Therefore, it is in the best interest of the retailer to protect that investment. Most retailers go to great lengths to ensure carts remain on store property. However, shopping cart theft is very common. The average store loses about $8,000 to $10,000 per year due to this problem.

Because they are so expensive to purchase, many store owners and retail businesses pay cash rewards for the return of their carts that have been stolen (or “loaned”) and not returned. Cash rewards typically range from $25-$50 per cart.

Here’s how you can retrieve and return those buggies for cash: Contact the retailers in your area that have shopping carts. Find out if they pay for returned cars. Many do, but they won’t give cash rewards to just anyone. (The store owners don’t want the public to abuse the rewards system by stealing the carts themselves to get the reward.) Usually, you must sign a cash recovery contract.

You will need to provide some forms of identification, usually a driver’s license plus one other item (such as a credit or Social Security card). You may be required to sign a waiver that absolves the store of liability in the event something unforeseen occurs.

You can make arrangements with any or all of the retailers in your area. The more contracts you have, the more money you can earn.

If you’ve lived in your town for a while, you’ve probably seen common dumping grounds for stolen shopping carts. Visit these areas regularly. Also, get in the habit of keeping your eyes open whenever you’re out and about. You will probably see discarded shopping carts on a regular basis. You can pick them up and return them when you find them, or keep them at home until you have several.