Tips: Dumpster Diving Tool Kit

[kyndmamaof4]

I don't tell anyone about this site. Only my one good friend, and my mother. My friend and I go dumpster diving together, so no secrecy there, and I share my extras with my mom.

Each time I go into a store, the cashiers ask where I get my coupons. I always repeat what I read here when I first found this place.

"I buy 20 papers every Sunday" and also I never tell anyone that the target coupon generator exists. I just send them to the website.

HCW is my little secret and i like to keep it that way.

[mueytaiexpress]

I have two "diving" options where I live. There are big newspaper boxes at a few grocery stores (kinda behind the parking lot) and they are drop boxes for ppl to drop thier papers. They are made of wood and have a large opening, like 2x3 feet. If they are 3/4 full you can easily reach in and dig around, but, if they are only 1/4 full, I've been known to stand on the curb and struggle to reach the bottom....I've only once been "caught" when a boy leaving the store came up to me and said "why are you digging in the trash?" he was about 12...I said honey this aint trash it's newspapers (he looked at me like whatever lady!!" but, then he said the manager of the store told him to tell me to "get out of there" ~
Lucky my option number 2 is the local recycling center...like the transfer station listed above..but, there are "coupon ladies" besides me - who normally beat me to it....if you aren't there in the "window of opportunity" when the papers are dropped off then you are out of luck. They go from the "receiving" box the the metal containers and once they are in the containers they are off limits. The coupon ladies make it a point to be there when they arrive. So I'm usually SOL since I have to wait until hubby gets home from work to watch the kids....But, on his days off...guess where I am at 9am right along with the other vultures!!!

[greenfrog57]

Originally Posted by sbp My recycle bins (hee hee, like they are really mine, I kinda wish!!) have 3 sliding plastic things that slide over windows that are probably 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall (guessing) with a horizontal metal bar smack dab in the middle, so there's no way I can crawl into the opening, but I can stick my whole arm in to grab stuff. I'm a little afraid to stick my head in. Can you imagine getting stuck and having to call for help to get out? I'm sure it would make the local newspapers. I should take a picture because I'm not sure I described it well enough to create a visual..

I got a visual -- of you calling for help with your hand on the outside and your head stuck on the inside and nobody on the other end of your cell understanding you....

[frgonmysox]

I'd love to dumpster dive, but I can't find any places around here. I am going to be checking out my neighbors recycling bins on recycling day though.

[catnerd714]

Being new at this I am trying to get my hands on as many coupons as possible. Whenever out and about with my DH and DS I try to swing by one of the local Recycle Bins (we only have two in our city). At first DH stayed in the car. Then I guess he got a little curious and got out to assist me by hoisting me into the dumpster and collecting my finds. On our last trip he said, " I'll go in the dumpster and get the coupons for you." It was just fabulous to see him tossing papers left and right trying to find the good stuff!

This is great validation!! At first he thought I was crazy with all of this, but now in his own way he is saying it is awesome. He is really not the kind of person to willingly get dirty in a dumpster, that is more my department, so I know he is happy about all this.

[tebar]

That's fabulous! My DH still doesn't get it. He still thinks because we don't NEED certain things right now that "why bother" shopping for them... :shrug7:

Do you find any particular days are better than others at the Recycling bins? I do have a couple in the area but haven't been able to stop yet.

Teri

[silly_momma]

ROFL! Hooray for your DH!!!

DS and I did our first dive this weekend. Got a LOT of Qs, but none from yesterday's paper. Since our recycling bin is at a church parking lot, we figured the best days to check would be Monday and Thursday, after the parishiners dropped off their papers. ;)

[Mitchiesmom]

That is great! My DH thought I was crazy at first but he started to come around a couple of weeks ago when the electrosol Q was in the paper. The past two weeks he has tried really hard to make friends with the night cleaning ladt at out local paper distribution place. Last night he put her cones out for her in the rain and she gave him 4 bundles of inserts!!! That 100 papers worth Next week he wants to take her a gift!!! He is so funny!

[Shadowchasy]

yeah way to go on getting the DH involved.









Mod for Brookshire's

[Cynthiabutterfly]

My DH would probably have a stroke if I told him I wanted to go DD. Oh well, for now I'll pay for my papers and count that as part of my grocery bill.