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Step 1
Identify companies in your area that use food-grade barrels. They may receive their shipments of raw materials for production in 30- to 55-gallon barrels.
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Step 2
Check Pepsi and Coke plants. They often sell their barrels to consumers or environmental nonprofit organizations for less than $10. Contact other soft drink bottlers, pickle manufacturers, juice companies and car washes. A few consumers have reported getting used barrels from local food processors and car washes at no cost.
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Step 3
Try your municipal water department. Some cities collaborate with the Environmental Protection Agency and nonprofit conservation organizations to provide free or low-cost rain barrels and help with construction. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Water Department's rain barrels are free. Montgomery County, Maryland, has "Make-and-Take" rain barrel construction workshops. Austin, Texas, and other cities sell rain barrels at discount prices.
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Step 4
Visit the Global Recycling Network website to find individuals and companies that recycle food-grade barrels. Most are inexpensive compared to retail offerings. You can find barrels for as little as $5 in various regions of the country. You can also post a request for barrels and let sellers contact you with offers.
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Step 5
Search local Craigslist, Backpage or Kijiji ads for rain barrels for sale. Some enterprising consumers buy them in bulk from recyclers and food processors. Then they resell them.
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Step 6
Check your local Freecycle Network or a similar group that facilitates consumer-to-consumer recycling programs. Members who have items that they want to give away post messages in Yahoo! Groups that Freecycle organizes by location.
