I Dumpster Dive. Do you?

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I can't help it. Every now and then, I get the urge to walk by myself to one or two of seven dumpsters in my area, and go see if there's anything in them that I can use or sell. It's like treasure diving, or metal detecting, only it's pretty much immediate. You don't really have to dig - usually if it's something that you think you can use, it's been placed in there cleanly, with little or no goop on it, and it might even still have the store tags on it! I am a member of a website that talks all about how to live off dumpster diving. I'd be into it if my Hubby wasn't such a grump. We've gone out diving with our car, but did not find much on the two times that we went together. So I do it alone, and sometimes come up with some amazing finds. I've gotten whole boom-boxes (nothing wrong with them!) and stereos, and TVs, and VCRs, clothes (with tags still on them) wireless home theatre gadgets - and the list goes on! My personal favorite is finding body care items that have never been used, like bath bubbles or specialty soaps. My equipment: One headlamp, that I bought at K-Mart for nearly nothing onsale in the camping dept., One "grabber" - it's a grappling arm on the end of a stick. I found mine in a dumpster - it was made for picking cans off top shelves in cupboards. It was a little damaged, but I fixed it. One pair of old gloves. I really don't need anything else, since I don't climb into dumpsters. I'm sort of a prissy diver. I also "curb dive", on big garbage nights in my community. What's that? It's checking out the stuff others put out in front of their houses, and picking up what you like! Simple enough. You can also find free stuff at Craigslist, just go to your local city, and look for the link that says "Free". It's full of stuff that people want you to take away. Sometimes I see very expensive items there. Just be prepared to need a van and four moving guys! You may get a whole houseful of furniture (gently used.) If you'd like to read more about the secrets to diving successfully and legally, go to: http://www.dumpsterworld.com