Dumpster diving store, great time

[Nickleanddime]

I am a avid dumpster diver/ trash picker. A friend of mine let me in on something he does. He will dive department stores that don't sell parish able food. Heck we hit family dollar one time and filled our car up with brand new unopened products. We even took the unopened food and drinks. The sad thing is none of the stuff was outdated even!!!! All were in clean trash bags and didnt stink. Since I've hit a lot of store my best find would have to be at TSC. I got a brand new push mower, only thing wrong no nut on the wheel, I've gotten bags of clothes hundred dollar pairs of boots all kinds of things. I just seen the thread about colleges the other day. We have a high end mostly foreigner college here I'm hitting up the next graduate and semester end. Can't wait, good lick and happy hunting!!

 

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[vpnavy]

Dang Nickleanddime - makes me want to jump in the car and run over to family dollar!

 

[SilverForBrains]

I'm heading out to dive right now, will have to check behind the family dollar!

 

[SilverForBrains]

Dang they had padlocks on their dumpster

 

[Nickleanddime]

Yeah someplaces do anymore. Their starting to catch on. I hit mine last night and they forgot one lol. I got a bunch of towels and some laundry detergent. Hey i sell that detergent for 5 bucks and it'll be gone by tomorrow!

 

[giniro]

I have decent luck with Big Lots, sure lots of just outdated food. Expiration dates aren't "poison on this date" just "we guarantee best flavor up till this date" especially on non-refrigerated stuff. But also when something in a case breaks they throw the hole case out, got lots of dish soap, shampoo, etc. Got a coffee maker the display model with one piece missing(drip tray). Oh the best was a wireless keyboard and mouse set they threw out a couple of those because people returned them saying they were missing the dongle but it was just they didn't take the time to read the instructions that the dongle was inside the mouse. I basically don't buy cereal anymore. One bottle of olive oil breaks and they throw the other 11 out, boom years supply of olive oil. One can of energy drink breaks making the rest sticky bam free case(-1) of energy drink.

Oh also great resource for scouting places out to see if they have a dumpster or a trash compactor, surprisingly Bing maps. They've got birds eye view that you can rotate to look from 4 different angles. Sure you can't tell if they are the type of dumpster with a lock on them but you can easily tell the difference between a dumpster you could access and a trash compactor which is 100% a no go.

 

[Nickleanddime]

I hit the TSC last night and only thing that was in it was a barn fan. But I had no use and figures it was definitely broke, with electrical it's kinda a hit and miss. I've been vomit playing going and getting it tonight since my wife's off. She can keep the trunk open and keep a look out. I also hit the thrift store last night, found a boot brush, and 2 old film reels. Worth 20 a price on etsy shouldn't have a prob selling those. But the cool thing about those is people take camera tripods and turn them into tables and they sell for a couple hundred!! Ills me my 2 and get a hundred for both hehe. I love diving!

 

[Nickleanddime]

Hit the TSC and family dollar tonight. TSC seen a shoe with security tags on it so in I went. Sean around for a few but couldn't find the other one. But did find a bag of candy, 2 big bags mms and 5 Reese penut butter bars. Then hit family dollar, found 6 bags of ruffles and thought I hit the motherload!!!! Went to the video stores dumpster and there was tons of DVDs!!!!!! Well jokes on me all empty lol went to hit the GameStop but there's a gym across from it with tons of people watching so ill hit it tonight first thing. Good luck out there.

 

[Clay Fisher2]

Uh huh....so that's what was going on. I was in the local pharmacy drive thru and an employee came rolling out the back door with a buggy load of expired merchandise to the dumpster. The usual snack foods, broken stuff and looked like unopened packages of over the counter meds. Thought the car behind me was in line with me but as soon as the employee went back in the store, the guy pulled up and quickly cleaned it out. I imagine he took all and sorted thru it later. Couple other observations now is the employees probably sort thru for their personal taking before they throw out, too. Depending on the stores damaged goods procedure, they probably chunk stuff that is actually good because stores don't want to get caught with expired items on their shelves. Be great to have a friend that is employed and can give you a heads up! That seemed to be the case in this incident. My grown up kids kill me with their quick discard of expired date items. Depending what it is, I would not keep something way past the date but come on! That date is set for the merchant as a sell by date.

 

[Nickleanddime]

Actually the employees of a lot of stores aren't allowed to keep stuff. Health department regs and company regs. It doesn't hurt to eat something past the date, those are just freshness dates. If you've ever been to a food bank some of that stuff is a year over date and taste just as good. Back 10 years ago our packaging wasn't as good as it is now so yeah I would be a little more careful. Stuff like antibiotics or anything that is macrobiotic or alive culture they turn rancid. But canned goods and stuff like that is fine. Those chips and candie bars I found are perfect and it saved me over 25 bucks . Like everything else you have to use your judgement if the dumpster stinks with last nights dinner splattered all over it, we'll the coins are eating good that night lol.

 

[Nickleanddime]

Sorry clay fisher I thought ur post was anti diving for some reason. Lol just woke up. I'm 30 and I'm appaled by what people my age and younger are so I quick to throw out. We are a very wasteful country.

 

[Clay Fisher2]

No problem. Personally speaking, if I were against dumpster diving I would not be on this forum. But I have run across posts in other threads where people were being a little more than negative toward other folk's ideas. I'm actually a curb surfer. Had a booth at an antique mall and needed quick way to add inventory and pay booth rent. Old chairs, tables, book cases, headboards, wood window frames and shudders picked up for free. Repainted and sold.

 

[mercury1]

Actually the employees of a lot of stores aren't allowed to keep stuff. Health department regs and company regs. It doesn't hurt to eat something past the date, those are just freshness dates. If you've ever been to a food bank some of that stuff is a year over date and taste just as good. Back 10 years ago our packaging wasn't as good as it is now so yeah I would be a little more careful. Stuff like antibiotics or anything that is macrobiotic or alive culture they turn rancid. But canned goods and stuff like that is fine. Those chips and candie bars I found are perfect and it saved me over 25 bucks . Like everything else you have to use your judgement if the dumpster stinks with last nights dinner splattered all over it, we'll the coins are eating good that night lol.

This is very true that oftentimes store/corporate policy does not allow employees to take any of that stuff.

 

[cyberdan]

Be great to have a friend that is employed and can give you a heads up! That date is set for the merchant as a sell by date.

Does a daughter count? She just graduated from college but while there she worked at the school's FARM STORE. It was also a touristy store with a lot of overpriced gourmet foods. She always kept a good eye out for expiration dates on foods she liked and school grown produce. She lived on campus ate pretty well which helped me on her food bill. once she brought home a big bag of avocados. We all love guacamole.

 

[Don't Blink]

If you don't mind the dates on foods you might like to try a Salvage Grocery store. I have been to several and have never been disappointed. Sometimes something may taste stale but not bad for you and at the price I paid it was fine. There was lots of gourmet foods and special diet foods at all the ones that I have been to.

 

[Nickleanddime]

If your talking about what I think a salvage store is we don't have them. Our health dept rules are pretty strict about outdated items. The food bank gives away outdated but they come from a different county so maybe they have one in Cleveland. We use to have bakery stores that sold the day before breads but never outdated stuff. I wish we had a store like that it would be great.

 

[Nickleanddime]

Heck yeah I found a 50 dollar bill in the dumpster tonight. Went to my TSC and seen it earlier in there, went back after closing and dug it out. Had some paint on it from someone using it for a paint table. Took a alcohol wipe and off it came. Looked it up 69.99 all day long, I'm putting it up for 50 bucks.
Has phnuematic wheels and can hold 130 pounds.

 

[Nickleanddime]

Well sold it for 25 hey that's free money!!

 

[Nickleanddime]

Another great find last night at TSC. A 12 by 12 sport 2 in 1 canopy!! Brand new box was a little wet from the mist we had. And couldn't of come at a better time, picked it up and on my way home the battery no charge light comes on the car. Selling it will cover my new battery. What a break!!