Dumpster Diving-Garage Sale-Goodwill-Thrift Store & Craigslist Finds

[Gumiho]

the famous quote comes to mind when life hands you lemons make lemonade. Actually if refrigerated they last quite a while.

You can also freeze the rind (peel slices or grated) and juice for later. Make jelly, marmalade, ect.

My finds lately were a power tool kit for $15 at goodwill (Dewalt: two saws and a drill plus charger and battery) that work. I found some books I've been wanting, including a copy of Foxfire.

A few months back I found a 2 story cat cage, in perfect condition for $20 (retail for this same cage is between $350-$400).

 

[ThomasMcD]

I found Boxes of Canning jars in a dumpster. I can't name all the things I have found, but I love buying and selling items.

 

[Gryphon]

This is my haul from the Habitat for Humanity sale. They had all sorts of stuff and I'll definitely be going there again when they do another sale. This haul consists of a dremel grinder bit, three tiles that I'll either paint or use in some art project, super thick copper wire that I may use to sculpt something (OOOH maybe I'll make an egg spiral holder like I've seen some people here have!) a new in box sawhorse kit, a bunch of wood, a jar of copper bits that I have no idea what they're for but I'll use in some crafty thing or other, and best of all, a new in box Fi-Shock electric fence garden kit that I'll put up around my chickens! Total price $15, and that kit alone is over $100!

 

[nayeli]

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?b...onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=38;src=postname

Here is one of my blog posts about yard sale finds last summer. The dog cage pictured in the post I picked up for $5, while this weekend I got a similar one also $5! I found the latest on craigslist.

I also picked up a rabbit cage 30x30 at the beebe flea market for $15... and I plan on picking up some free pallets soon =)

 

[Beekissed]

Love the topic of this thread! I'm a dumpster diver from way back and have made some amazing scores! Nothing more fun than getting something useful for free or ridiculously cheap...it's almost a game with me now and I feel I've won if I've gotten something good while others pay big money to buy it new.

 

[nayeli]

I actually thought dumpster diving was disgusting til watching a documentary. The documentary is about "urban foragers" they throw out so much PACKAGED food that is still good it is incredible. So these people would go through dumpsters filled with packaged foods and take whatever is good out. Then when you find out that perfectly good clothing and other items are also thrown out then it makes it more understandable. I have still never done it but I considered it.

 

[Beekissed]

I actually thought dumpster diving was disgusting til watching a documentary. The documentary is about "urban foragers" they throw out so much PACKAGED food that is still good it is incredible. So these people would go through dumpsters filled with packaged foods and take whatever is good out. Then when you find out that perfectly good clothing and other items are also thrown out then it makes it more understandable. I have still never done it but I considered it.

I've never scavenged thrown away items for food but have scored some wonderful things like lumber, wicker swings, new counter tops, cabinets, baskets, chairs...the list goes on and on. I've scored even more and greater items through doing property clean ups, word of mouth needs, auctions, yard sales, Good Will, and flea markets.

I've scored 480 lbs of red turkey wheat for making bread, an electric wheat grinder, dozens and dozens of canning jars, canner and all the equipment, etc. just on a word of mouth on just one garage and basement clean out~for FREE.

I've scored a cheap and malnourished milk cow and sold her two months later, looking like a new penny, for a $500 profit. I've got countless stories over the years of good scores and profits turned or items repurposed into useful items for around the homestead.

I scored 19 free roosters just this year to process and can into a jar. I've been eating the best chicken soup this winter from all that free meat.

 

[nayeli]

Wow, how did you get cabinets and counter tops!?

 

[Beekissed]

Wow, how did you get cabinets and counter tops!?

Just driving by and see this huge, new countertop out in the yard with a FREE sign on it. I stopped and got it~mounted it in my workshop/shed and used it for a workbench and stored things under it. The cabinets were in someone's trash~mounted them on the outside of my barn/shed to hold livestock paraphernalia.

If you really need some good items to refurbish homes, most dumps have a "free day" once a month and sit big dumpsters out where the public can dump off anything. I've seen guys up in these dumpsters digging out lightly used bathtubs, toilets, shower units, cabinets, etc. that contractors have removed from a house during a remodel. I've scored used carpets that I placed on my driveway to suppress weeds and then had gravel hauled and poured on top of them....best driveway I've ever had.

If you have a lumber mill in your area they often have "seconds" lumber in large bundles that they sell for cheap...our local one sold these for $25 and the bundles are large enough that they have to be loaded with a forklift. We used them for construction of animal shelters and for winter firewood. I even got one that had mostly black walnut boards in it...very pretty. I also used to score free sawdust at the local cabinet maker's shop to use as deep litter under my rabbit cages. As much as I wanted and as many as I wanted. The same guy used to have discarded strips of wood that he put out in a pile that were great for tomato stakes....got those for free too. The ones not suitable for stakes were good for kindling.

 

[nayeli]

Wow, thats pretty awesome. I have never been to the dump, but with buying a new home I wouldn't say no to getting things free. I'm surprised the dump doesn't contact habitat for humanity for home remodel items!