| Author |
 Topic  |
|
chris6084
Penny Collector Member
303 Posts |
 Posted - 11/23/2009 : 19:02:59
|
quote:
Originally posted by RyanAKL
last winter i was pushing snow in a k-mart parking lot and went back to throw empty salt bags in the dumpster and found three brand new mini fridges. from my understanding stores like walmark kmart throw all the displays away when they are discontinued or new stuff comes in. i have also found alot of software in the dumpster behind staples and officemax. but some of these places have the inclosed dumpsters, keep an eye out for the open ones its always worth it to take a peep.
Sometimes this is employees throwing stuff out there to steal it. They go back after work and pick it back up. I worked in an office supply store, and a dumpster diver lady told us she found three new laptops back there. It was frome somebody trying to steal them. We were supposed to damage beyond repair anything of value that we threw away. |
 |
|
|
GA-Silver
Penny Pincher Member
USA
238 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2009 : 19:57:29
|
| I don't go dumpster diving on a regular basis, but I'll pick stuff up if it is obvious. How many of you here go around looking on the ground when you go to malls, stores, school, etc? You can really find some good stuff that people drop. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2009 : 03:52:42
|
quote:
We were supposed to damage beyond repair anything of value that we threw away.
That's horriable! I hate that kind of wasteful thinking. Sure perhaps not give away laptops for free to costumers, but at least donate them to charity. To be able to buy a cheap computer could be gold worth for a poor family. |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2009 : 09:55:18
|
I live in Washington DC so there are tons of young transiants comming to work for the federal Governemnt. They leave crazy amounts of stuff in the dumpsters! Roughly 50% of the stuff in my apartment was found in the trash. We are talking nice stuff. my recod player, amp, speakers, entertainment center, CD player, table and chairs, shoe rack, garbage cans (Nice stainless steel ones) lamps (crate and barrel) a number of shelves, exercise machine, side table.
My problem is I have limited space in a one bedroom apartment. So I have found two other spaces to work with, 1) our apartments bike room and 2) my community garden plot.
Over the years I have found roughly 75-100 bikes in the trash. I fix them and sell them. At times I have as many as 20 bikes chained up in the bike storage room. I have probably made a few thousand dollars from bikes over the last 4-5 years.
My community garden plot has been completely outfitted with trash finds. From the cans and pots I use to the table I built, to the greenhouse, and tomato cages. the garden plot produced almost $900 worth of produce!
When I am not growing stuff in the garden plot i collect scrap metal. Over the last 2 years I have found about $300 in scrap cans.
Also, I sell some of my trash find funiture and I donate some to the goodwill as a tax write off.
All in all I probably make about $1000 per year off trash. I am almost convinced that if I quit my job and went full time into scavengening and other stuff I could easily make a living in an urban enviroment. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2009 : 05:10:41
|
| That's amazing! I should move to DC, the whole city sounds like a big gold mine. I mean this poor excuse for a town I live in never offers any bikes in its dumpsters. I'll sell my gold candelabras i found soon, but other then that ther's not much to talk about. |
Edited by - n/a on 12/14/2009 07:18:16 |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2009 : 08:00:38
|
So last night I found 2 speakers, a stereo, a mountain bike, 2 vcr's , and a high end shelving unit. I kept everything but the 2 vcr's and stereo.
Also, the night before i found a Roomba vacume cleaner. (The robot type) It dosen't work well, but I have repaired them before. Awesome! |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2009 : 03:52:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by searching4silver
So last night I found 2 speakers, a stereo, a mountain bike, 2 vcr's , and a high end shelving unit. I kept everything but the 2 vcr's and stereo.
Also, the night before i found a Roomba vacume cleaner. (The robot type) It dosen't work well, but I have repaired them before. Awesome!
This makes my finger itch... making a good find gives such a rush. Presious metals like silver and gold scrap is the best.
Should perhaps check out the student quarters in my city. Doubt I'll beat your findings, but still might find me something good.
|
Edited by - n/a on 12/16/2009 02:54:41 |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2009 : 07:10:16
|
| On my scrap/ trash run last night I found broken christmas lights and some perfectly good under bed pastic storage containers. Not as exciting as the other finds, but I need the storage and I can scrap the Christmas lights for copper wire. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2009 : 03:20:09
|
I went to the student quarters last night to dumpster dive and I finally struck gold: 2 mini laptops. You know these eeepc:s and they were in really good condition. I'm putting them up on ebay when I get home from work today.
Now perhaps I could afford my wife some bracelet gold! |
Edited by - n/a on 12/14/2009 07:30:13 |
|
|
|
cesario
Penny Pincher Member
129 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2009 : 22:41:00
|
I found a Silverplate dish with the markings WM. RODGERS 838 on the bottom in my neighbors trash. Which was lucky given just the garbage truck was like 5 houses from the can.
Gave it to a friend who's into cleaning and collecting silver (more into cleaning silver actually). |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 03:25:20
|
That's a nice story. I love this thread, it's so inspiring!
"Feed the light of others and they shall feed yours."
|
Edited by - n/a on 12/15/2009 12:23:47 |
|
|
|
kieblera5
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
859 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 10:57:17
|
quote:
Originally posted by searching4silver
I live in Washington DC so there are tons of young transiants comming to work for the federal Governemnt. They leave crazy amounts of stuff in the dumpsters! Roughly 50% of the stuff in my apartment was found in the trash. We are talking nice stuff. my recod player, amp, speakers, entertainment center, CD player, table and chairs, shoe rack, garbage cans (Nice stainless steel ones) lamps (crate and barrel) a number of shelves, exercise machine, side table.
My problem is I have limited space in a one bedroom apartment. So I have found two other spaces to work with, 1) our apartments bike room and 2) my community garden plot.
Over the years I have found roughly 75-100 bikes in the trash. I fix them and sell them. At times I have as many as 20 bikes chained up in the bike storage room. I have probably made a few thousand dollars from bikes over the last 4-5 years.
My community garden plot has been completely outfitted with trash finds. From the cans and pots I use to the table I built, to the greenhouse, and tomato cages. the garden plot produced almost $900 worth of produce!
When I am not growing stuff in the garden plot i collect scrap metal. Over the last 2 years I have found about $300 in scrap cans.
Also, I sell some of my trash find funiture and I donate some to the goodwill as a tax write off.
All in all I probably make about $1000 per year off trash. I am almost convinced that if I quit my job and went full time into scavengening and other stuff I could easily make a living in an urban enviroment.
What part of DC? I'm in Alexandria, VA, right off the metro. |
Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you mercilessly with experience.
Caller number seven gets the Peace Prize!
Get coding tips, tricks, and more at: http://codingmonday.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2009 : 12:46:01
|
I live in Arlington. I am not sure if I should tell you where becuse you might move in on my trash terf!
2 nights ago I found a bunch of lumber 4x4's and 2x4's, a subwoofer, and about 30 law books! I also cut a bunch of cords off stuff i could use and added it to my copper pile.
Please say you don't sort halves too? if so what banks are you using?
|
|
|
|
kieblera5
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
859 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2009 : 15:45:07
|
quote:
Originally posted by searching4silver
I live in Arlington. I am not sure if I should tell you where becuse you might move in on my trash terf!
2 nights ago I found a bunch of lumber 4x4's and 2x4's, a subwoofer, and about 30 law books! I also cut a bunch of cords off stuff i could use and added it to my copper pile.
Please say you don't sort halves too? if so what banks are you using?
Arlington? I go to school in Crystal City, Arlington. I don't search trash, don't worry, I just saw that you live here. Yeah, I sort halves, but not regularly. Just some of the branches near the metro stops. Mainly Wachovia banks. |
Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you mercilessly with experience.
Caller number seven gets the Peace Prize!
Get coding tips, tricks, and more at: http://codingmonday.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
10 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2009 : 03:51:19
|
Update:
Two unused ordinary tires (didn't fit my car though), a pair of gold earrings and the greater part of a hockey set. I think I'll sell the tiers and the erraings and give the hockey set to charity.
Update 2.0: got $34 for the gold scrap! |
Edited by - n/a on 12/14/2009 07:34:12 |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2009 : 08:35:42
|
| I sort halves every week. I pick up at Sun trust and dump at PNC. I stay to the trash in Clarendon and Corthouse. |
|
|
|
Flbandit
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
851 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2009 : 17:37:25
|
| I haven't done to much scrapping for awhile as I had shoulder surgery, then wrecked my truck. :( I do still pick up the easier items I see though. I found two ceiling fans the other day. I've been knee deep in many dumpsters, you just have to be careful. I've drug home everything from BB guns to washers and dryers. I have a whole shed full of tools I've found in the trash! |
Are you throwing that out? |
|
|
|
cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2010 : 18:30:01
|
I liked this post! I started scraping out of necessity with a borrowed truck. It was my good friends and it needed a radiator repair so in exchange for the repair he lent it to me for a month. Within that month I was able to pay my bills and come across another truck a older gentleman had just sitting in his yard. I started just patrolling the streets to realize the large amount of folks doing likewise. This lead me to pursue other avenues for finding metal. Lowes Home depot and all the major retail establishments have a rather odd policy about returned items. You will notice if you ever drive behind one you will see they have a compactor. Well that compactor is for the merchandise that the store gets credit from the original maker but does not want back. Any way, a Lowes that I frequented had theirs go down. In the interim they were throwing all the items inside a "dumpster". In the month it was down I ended up with 16 different aluminum ladders, a generator, 52 air conditioners (all but 2 worked fine and came in the box) and an ungodly amount of hot water tanks that were just dented.I also received a freezer and many mini fridges that had nothing but a slight scratch. Our society has not a clue as to the waste that goes on among major business. I have no qualms to jump into a dumpster as I have found more than my pride would have given me not to. If you have questions about what scrap is valuable i would be more than happy to share.
|
"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
|
|
|
versine
New Member
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 23:19:38
|
quote:
Originally posted by Farmall
There is a local farmer here that dives all the local store to feed pigs. He has some of the fattest pigs around all fed for free!!
Every year my buddy throws a couple pig roasts. All the food that the pigs eat comes from the local produce market. I've gone with on a couple of pick-ups. Usually 2 or 3 garbage cans full of tossed out fruits and veggies. |
|
|
|
versine
New Member
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 23:24:15
|
| In my college days we used to go all over and pick over stuff. Best find was a perfectly good 19" monitor that I used for 3 years. |
|
|
|
searching4silver
Penny Pincher Member
111 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 10:55:06
|
I have started keeping track of the money I have made from trash and scrap this year. Thus far I have found a drum set in the trash that I sold to a pawn shop for $50 and about $14 worth of scrap.
I find a ton of stuff, but most of it i donate, keep, or give away to friends. Only because i don't have a place to keep it and then sell.
I might start a scheme blog.
|
|
|
|
wavecrazed
Penny Sorter Member
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2010 : 05:16:25
|
| A couple of weeks ago I found about 55 stainless steel toilet roll holders from restaurant bathrooms. Got 158 dollars for them at the metal recycler. |
scrappin" all over |
|
|
|
CrazyTom
Penny Sorter Member
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2010 : 16:57:55
|
A great book on the subject is The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving.
Informative and funny!
I corresponded with the author a while back and shared a tip with him he did not know.
Unlocked car wash vacuums dustbins will always have coins and if you're lucky some jewelry. |
Read Atlas Shrugged if you want to know why this country is in the crapper. |
|
|
|
FormerHSPrincipal
Penny Sorter Member
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 08:15:30
|
| There are many great ideas as to where to find new and usable treasures. One place that always made me smile while finding riches was at the curbside at our local university at the ends of semester. Seems like lots of students around here were either too busy or too tired to load their property, OR in some cases, simply did not wish mom and or dad to find out some of the articles they had. |
|
|
|
Jangles
Penny Sorter Member
31 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 11:50:46
|
My friends and I used to dumpster dive back in junior high and high school. We stuck to those recycle bin drop offs, the ones that have different dumpsters for cardboard, plastic, magazines, cans, etc. We used to find all sorts interesting magazines, free pop/prizes from bottle cap lids, etc. Always wondered why people wouldn’t load up their trucks w/ all the aluminum cans and scrap them for money.
It was always fun, especially when people would throw their stuff in and see is in there haha. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Anyone here dumpster diving?
Forum Locked
