Christy Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 You are driving through lovely countryside, minding your own business. Picked up and old freebee hand sewingmachine and are on your way to a nearby gorgeous little seaside town. To pick up some touristic brochures to send someone with Dutch ancestry from here. Humming along as you love driving and coming through a tiny hamlet you suddenly hit the brakes, HARD. Cos it's Big Trash day there and loot is standing at the kerb waiting to be picked up. You drive by slowly and inspect every item from the car. Make a half-hearted embarrassed attempt to get out of the car to further inspect one interesting looking object. Suddenly it hits you, you've become one of those garbage looting ladies. Yes, you have now joined the ranks of those that drive in an unknown place, looting people's trash. No bags mind you, just the bigger items that stand outside for pick up. We've not stooped down to bags yet but you can feel the beckoning. At this point, you might want to say to yourself: "Step away from the loot and no-one gets hurt. Three steps back and you can will yourself back to the car. Come on now, people are looking at you, you can back away and take nothing and no-one will ever know". Please, if there is anyone out there who regonises this, stick up your hand and let me know I'm not alone. Either that or adjust my medication Link to comment
gofish Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 It is God way providing for you . I thought the towns counted on this so they did not have to haul it away. Am I wrong. Do I need medication too? Most important will it fit in the car. After all they don't konw you and will not see you again. Unless your going by on another BIG TRASH DAY. I will stand by the thought that you only need help if you knock on the door and ask if they need help taking more out to the curb. :wink (2): Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Hello, my name is Michael and I dumpter drive. OK so I was brought up on this, seeing my Mom was the Queen of dumpter driving back then when we were growing up, and we were not poor, she just couldn't see something going to the dump that SOMEBODY could use. How bad was it? we used to have people call on the phone when they got home (remember when you had to do that? LOL) anyway they would call up and tell her they saw '__________' on the side of the road or in front of so and so's house did she want to go and get it. How bad is it now? Well Lori's old car was getting ready to go so we started looking around for something new ( well new to us anyway). But here is the kicker.................... She says she wants a hatchback this time as it is to hard getting some things she finds on the way home from work into a 2 door car. LOL Did I teach her right or WHAT! Link to comment
CityChick Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Raising my had as well! Funny one time I was driving my daughter to a class and we spotted a turtle sandbox in the front yard next to the curb. My girls yelled out STOP! Go get it Mom! But it looked practically brand new. I couldn't believe someone was tossing it. (We were in a swanky neighborhood). So, I rang the doorbell and asked just to make sure. The man answering it was holding a small child and had another one next to him about 4. He told me that his kids were too old for it now. We were welcome to take it. Funny, the kids I was taking it for (my own) were 9 & 6 at the time and were so excited about the sand box! We have towns here that call their big garbage days in the spring "Treasure Days". Link to comment
Christy Posted March 27, 2010 Author Share Posted March 27, 2010 Mercy be praised, I'm not alone Yes, we call it lovingly liberating unwanted stuff left by heartless owners. And indeed, the only criteria nowadays seems to be, does it fit in the car? Now you know how I managed to have very low income and yet a houseful of stuff. Link to comment
Dee Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Oh yeah, dumpster diving is fun and satisfying. My father in law used to deliver cheese to grocery stores all around the state. As they took the bread, donuts, etc. off the shelves they put them in big garbage bags and then in the dumpster. He'd grab the bags and bring them home to sort through. We all got some and the rest went to the chickens. My DH was the garbage man in our town on Wednesday's for years and years. The amazing things he brought home at times were treasures BUT there was alot of junk he couldn't resist too. :faint: Link to comment
Crazy4Canning Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 My best and literal dumpster dive was when I started back to do my doctoral studies. I had a new computer and needed a larger bag for it and a huge pile of 3" 3-ring binders for classes. I went shopping and was astonished that the bags *started* at $65 and the binders were about $12 EACH, on SALE. Regular price the binders were $15. Needless to say, I didn't have a couple of hundred bucks to buy it. My then boyfriend (now husband) was cautioning me not to spend money I didn't have...so I went home and was antsy...I prayed...and slept a restless sleep because I REALLY needed these things. So, next morning, I'm cleaning up and take out the trash. I flip open the apartment dumpster and what do I see???? Three boxes of binders (d-ring no less!) and a practically NEW laptop case starting at me. Now, I did a whoopty-hollee and a "Oooooo thank you Jesus!" and ran inside to get me an apron because it was a *dirty* dumpster. I tied that apron around me a dove in, my red hair flying and feet kicking for balance. I had these boxes out of there and in the living room in no time flat. What do you know - it was the PERFECT SIZE for my laptop. Extra pockets for my junk and it didn't cost me a cent. When my guy came by later and saw them in the living room, he began to get mad. "How much did you spend? Really. Tell me." "Not a dime," I said, "Not a dime. God loves me." If he hadn't known me so well, I don't know if he would have believed the story. Seems the lady in the next duplex over was moving had didn't want to pack these three boxes all the way to Seattle. Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 The nearest small town has a recycle center that is open 1x a month. When I've gone to drop stuff off there are several people with trailers watching for good stuff to "recycle" at their own places. Link to comment
Skagitgal Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 "Garbage looting Ladies"..............that was a hoot. Now I know who I am! Link to comment
DonsCountryGal Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 "Garbage looting Ladies"..............that was a hoot. Now I know who I am! Actually...I believe we are 'technically'....Dumpster-Diving-Divas! Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 "Garbage looting Ladies"..............that was a hoot. Now I know who I am! Actually...I believe we are 'technically'....Dumpster-Diving-Divas! WELL! Not ALL of us are. LOL If only more people were like us it would cut down on all the 'good' trash going to a dunp. Lori reminded me about what we do - if we have something we no longer need we put it out by the road with a sign 'free for the taking'! (have one all made up adn covered in clear contact paper and on a stick ready to go). Once I had something big so the sign said 'Free for the taking - honk and I will help load' Within a half hour . . . . beep , beep! Some guy with a pickup was outside smiling and saying how happy his wife was going to be when he got home. Made his day! and mine too know SOMEBODY got it. In the spring we put out extra plants - "FREE , take some but NOT all, lets share" and extra produce goes on the stand out front with the same sign - "FREE , take some but NOT all, lets share" Link to comment
michelle Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 So then we've decided we don't need medication for this condition? That's a relief! Link to comment
ScrubbieLady Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Amy Dacyczyn (Tightwad Gazette) called it treasure hunting. Link to comment
Deerslayer Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 ok--i will admit slamming on the brakes a "few" time myself! I drive a big ol" pickup--so just about everything will fit too!!! We put good things (that we just don't want anymore) in a tote at the end of the drive with a note to take the things and leave the tote. That tote has been working for over 3 years--I am completely amazed that it is still there--and ALWAYS empty!!!! If I have several things (like books etc) I even put in some Wal mart bags--to insure my tote stays. I know who gets the items--I don't care at all--I am just really happy that it is not going to the landfill!!! If I have some nicer things--I bag them up and take them to the people who usually get my stuff---they have a garage sale once a month Link to comment
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