Scavenging

[Imladris]

<a href="" target="_blank"></a><div><br></div><div>I began scavenging a few years ago when I lived in an apartment and saw ppl throwing perfectly good things in the dumpster: vacuums, tv stands, hampers. I salvaged as much as I could, used what I could, and sold as much of the rest as I could. Ever since I started doing that, I've slowly gotten more and more into it. I now live in a house, but about a year ago I even began scavenging for food (google "freegan). I have been thinking that this could be a good way to make money on the road. Salvage and resell. Have any of you had any experience with this? I feel very strongly about wasting things that are perfectly good, or even mostly good that can be fixed or repurposed, mainly because I was scraping the bottom of the barrel for so long financially that it irks me to think that good things are being thrown away when others who need them &nbsp;could be&nbsp;benefiting from them.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

 

[dprogram]

Freeganism is the way to go if you're low on cash. You might like this site: squattheplanet.com. There is a lot of information which relates to scavenging. It's a tad more oriented towards the train hoppers and hitch hikers but I have gained a really good perspective on thing of this nature. <br><br><br>

 

[vonu]

I used to work with a guy who lived in a school bus behind the shop with his wife, 10 year old daughter, and new born son. &nbsp;He would go out to the landfill after work on the days that the grocery stores threw away their outdated food, and always had enough to feed his family, usually offering extras to fellow employees, most of which couldn't get past the expiration date.

 

[Dust of the Sun]

Living in rural virginia we have these strategically placed dumpster centers scattered around the county...some are fenced with like 20 dumpsters where the rural folk take their trash...many of these locations have a FREE HOUSE ...a little playhouse type shed-like open building where FREE stuff of value is left by people and others come and check out what's being left for free...I've found decent quilts and tools and tricycles...basically just what you are talking about...stuff that can STILL be used....I have some friends who make the circuit and often sell what they find at flea markets and make a few bucks....yup, we live in an extremely wasteful society.<br><br>But I have noticed that the giant Ruritans Thrift Shop locally has less really nice stuff for sale that used to be donated...the Ruritans take the money they make at the Thrift Shop and donate CASH to the rural Rescue Squads, Library...stuff like that. Now, I think so many people are in financial distress that what used to be donated, people now try to sell at yard sales cuz they need the money.&nbsp; Hence, the shop has noticeably less nice stuff on the shelves.<br><br>

 

[gipsyweaver]

One name for it is dumpster diving. <br><br>Most of my kids' early clothes were&nbsp;from curbside,&nbsp;thanks to my ex-MIL (a very sweet person) who worked for a garbage collection company. The people on the runs in the well-off neighborhoods would keep out and&nbsp;pool the almost-new clothing these families invariably threw out and divide them up among everyone who had kids the right age. To be cautious, I used to wash and dry them once, bag them up for a couple of weeks, then run them through again. I was stunned that these people couldn't be bothered to donate the clothes (usually they threw out a large bag of clothes at once, obviously enough to make a very short trip to a&nbsp;center worth while).<br><br>However, be careful about local rules. Dumpster diving is illegal in many places, sadly. Sometimes, it's a concern about liability, but often, I think, it's just pettiness.<br>

 

[vonu]

One name for it is dumpster diving. <br><br>Most of my kids' early clothes were&nbsp;from curbside,&nbsp;thanks to my ex-MIL (a very sweet person) who worked for a garbage collection company. The people on the runs in the well-off neighborhoods would keep out and&nbsp;pool the almost-new clothing these families invariably threw out and divide them up among everyone who had kids the right age. To be cautious, I used to wash and dry them once, bag them up for a couple of weeks, then run them through again. I was stunned that these people couldn't be bothered to donate the clothes (usually they threw out a large bag of clothes at once, obviously enough to make a very short trip to a&nbsp;center worth while).<br><br>However, be careful about local rules. Dumpster diving is illegal in many places, sadly. Sometimes, it's a concern about liability, but often, I think, it's just pettiness.<br>

<div><br></div><div>Many concerns about liability are petty.</div><div>I used to drive a trash compactor, and I could have filled a pickup every day with usable throwaways, had there been one available.</div>

 

[Butternut]

<font size="3"><font face="Georgia">Holden Mass has a Free Store, I'm a total addict. Instead of bringing stuff to salvation army and goodwill, it all goes there and three times a week they open and we ransack the place. I've never seen another like it (not attached to a dump site) but I'm sure there are. One man's trash...</font></font><br>

 

[karl]

My ex mil lives on Cape Cod- years ago her husband bought a truck "to go to the dump"....it was loaded heavier on the way home than going to....especially after Christmas when he brought home new and even still gift wrapped stuff, much of his take was redistributed to folks who appreciated it.<br>&nbsp;Sadly, there is now a ban on such activity in that wealthy 'hood.<br>Whatawaste....<br><br>

 

[gipsyweaver]

<font size="4">I have to agree, it's a horrible waste, and there's something so sad about people who not only refuse to donate things to charity when they're done with them, they want to make sure no one CAN benefit from their castoffs. I can't wrap my mind around that kind of selfishness and contempt for people less well off.</font><br>

 

[vonu]

<font size="4">I have to agree, it's a horrible waste, and there's something so sad about people who not only refuse to donate things to charity when they're done with them, they want to make sure no one CAN benefit from their castoffs. I can't wrap my mind around that kind of selfishness and contempt for people less well off.</font><br>

<div><br></div><div>They may not understand the utility of something they are throwing away. &nbsp;Many people don't understand those having less than they do.</div>

 

[Imladris]

I found out that even a lot of thrift stores get so many donations they have to throw out a lot of stuff they don't have room for. I look for alternative means for getting rid of my things as I downsize to go mobile. Craigslist wanted section has provided me with a womens shelter and other random ppl who need basic things and I can be more certain that they will not be wasted.

 

[Les H]

Years ago, I worked for a major nationwide retail store chain. If one dish was broken in a box of a setting for 8, it went into the crusher. Same with the shirts that were returned with a missing button. Torn to shreds, then run through the crusher just to be sure there was nothing usable left. Many places still do this. Most resale shops will not accept clothes with small rips or stains. Even charitable thrift stores sell stuff that is brand new with tags ( overstocks, irregulars, etc). Here in north ga, there are TONS of thrift stores, resale and consignment shops, and I agree, it says something of the state of our world...
I was dumpster diving for years, even before there was an" official "name for it. I still collect (ahem) stuff that will become something else one day....
When I built our house, about 1/3 of the materials were recycled. In my van the cabinets were taken out of a house when I was paid to replace them, and the bed is reused plywood, 2x4 and hinges. And I still think nothing of grabbing some curb gold if the opportinity arises.
Les

 

[gipsyweaver]

Charity stores vary a lot. Some of them overprice the goods for second hand, which pretty much prices them out of the range of most of the people they're supposed to be helping. Some of them&nbsp;appear to&nbsp;let someone pick over the items before putting them out because the only things that get put out are close to useless. <br><br>A&nbsp;lot also&nbsp;depends on the community. Austin Texas has remarkably good charity stores, though the&nbsp;"chain" ones tend to be overpriced there. But I now live in a smaller city in Texas, and virtually nothing useable makes it into the charity or thrift stores. And believe me, I have a very broad idea of useable. I had a friend who volunteered at one of them, and she told me that most of the donations from the well-off&nbsp;fell in the category of "getting a tax deduction for donating your trash and white elephants." Her belief was they got the things that the consignment shops rejected.<br><br>Me, I only throw a piece of clothing away when it can't be repaired, is too ratty to donate, and after I've&nbsp;cut out&nbsp;quilt patches, zippers, buttons, etc.<br>

 

[Butternut]

<font face="Courier" size="3">I just learned this the other day and am a little disappointed.<br><br>Good Will (and probably other second hand stores) allow antique dealers and other merchants first dibs at donations. I dropped off a bunch of books and was talking to the warehouse guy. He said that all books (and other things) get put aside until the book dealers have a chance to look them over. According to him this is common practice.<br><br>When I donate clothes, furniture, books, etc to these organizations it's because I want someone who needs them to get them cheap. I understand that Good Will makes more money by selling to dealers, but come on!</font><br><br>

 

[vonu]

<font face="Courier" size="3">I just learned this the other day and am a little disappointed.<br><br>Good Will (and probably other second hand stores) allow antique dealers and other merchants first dibs at donations. I dropped off a bunch of books and was talking to the warehouse guy. He said that all books (and other things) get put aside until the book dealers have a chance to look them over. According to him this is common practice.<br><br>When I donate clothes, furniture, books, etc to these organizations it's because I want someone who needs them to get them cheap. I understand that Good Will makes more money by selling to dealers, but come on!</font><br><br>

<div><br></div><div>You could put them on eBay instead, and donate the proceeds if you want to be in the loop.</div>

 

[Rake]

<font class="Apple-style-span" size="4">There are groups on Yahoo called "freecycle" &nbsp;you post what you have that you want to give away and someone emails you back and comes to pick it up. &nbsp;Ive got rid of a lot of items that are still re-usable&nbsp;this way, also picked up some real treats, such as a full and complete water bed suite!</font>

 

[stude53]

<FONT size=3 face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Rake, good tip!<BR><BR>I also scan local Craigslist for free items, including insulation, paint, hardware, cabinets and other building materials that can be reused in van builds, and have found a lot of good deals at low cost there too.<BR><BR>Bob (aka stude53)<BR></FONT>

 

[gipsyweaver]

I used Freecycle some when it first emerged. But in our area, professional sellers just about took it over. Anything someone offered worth having, they jumped on it as soon as it was listed, and usually had it listed on Craig's list within 24 hours.. Pretty much put an end to most people's participation because there didn't seem to be any point. Myself, I wouldn't mind a dealer asking if they could have it if no one else wanted it, but if I offered something, it was for someone's personal use. The idea is great, but there didn't seem to be anyway to limit a few people from abusing it.<br>