Tips: Dumpster Diving Tool Kit

[greenfrog57]

REACHER ALERT: I bought a nice reacher from MultiReach for $3.99 at Big Lots yesterday in the hardware department. It's like the ones at WAGS for $20. I was so excited. Now, if only I had it before I went to the recycle center yesterday where I couldn't reach a single insert....

[Jhaea]

I first read this thread yesterday, and our recycling station is less than a mile from my house! I thought JACKPOT and totally planned on digging in today. We live in a small upstate ciy, so I packed the kids in the car this morning and off we went. I took a bag of newspapers, Just in case.

So I was pumped, I pulled in only car, but the dumpsters are GAURDED. Yes, two men, walking around them, checking them out, just missing the guns. They asked me if I needed help. I said no and quickly dumped my stuff, only to see that the inside of the dumpsters were shallow and long. I could totally did in there is I weren't guarded! They even had step stools! I think I am going to try again, and just not worry about the recycling bodygaurds.

[abond0017]

I was wondering if anyone here knew if DDing is illegal in Georgia.

I finally got the courage to try it at our local recycling drop off and had a guy drive up in a small truck. I think he might have been some kind of security...Im not sure though...He was far away and it was dark....It did look like he may have had a light blue type security shirt on though.
Maybe I am just psyching myself out....I just dont want to get in trouble.

He didnt seem to have any other reason to be there other than checking on me. He just pulled up...opened his door and stepped out...he looked at me for a second...then walked by one of the containers...then stood behind his door where I couldnt see what he was doing...but he was doing something and looking at me a couple of times. He had nothing in his hands when he walked to the container so I know he wasnt throwing anything in. I am concerned he took down my license plates or something. I wonder if I could get in trouble just from my license plates.

Any help? I looked online and couldnt find out.

[cashqueen]

I was inpspired as I read through these threads yesterday and then looked up the location of the closest recycling center. I decided to do a 'drive by' after work just to see how things were set up. There was one big bin for newspapers and cardboard - with STEPS right up into the opening! I got out and right there on top were 2 bundles of newspapers. A quick sift through them yielded a set of inserts from this past weekend and a SS from a prior week. I'm sure there more in there but I didn't have any more time and I was feeling quite conspicous out in the open. I will definitely go back!!

[detectivemac27]

After reading this thread early early this morning, I found myself greedily eyeing every green recycling bin I saw on the side of the road. I can't wait to do this. My boyfriend will not serve as a lookout for me, but I'm in the process of recruiting a friend. Weeee! I can't wait.:dance3::dance3:

[dasher27]

I have so loved reading this thread - I thought I was the only person who was mad enough to do things like this

In the UK we have curbside recycling boxes and I have taken out papers/mags from these when there's no-one around (much to my kids' disgust), but we don't have dumpsters as such, so I'm looking forward to investigating those when we move to Texas later in the summer. Some brilliant ideas here, the "I've dropped my sunglasses/thrown away an important bill" excuse I will definitely be using.

[Nerice]

Going to go tonight for the first time. Scouted it out today but it is summer school and parents was dropping off their kids. I did see a lot of papers in there though. :)

I already determined I am going to have to get in, no matter what, so will be ready.

[GourmetMelts]

This thread is awesome. I've never went dumpster diving before and I want to try it so bad. So I have a few questions:
- Which store dumpsters are the best to get stuff out of it? Is it grocery store or is it more like convenience stores?
- What time is a good time to DD at apartment complexes?
- What do you usually tell people if they asked what are you doing?

Thanks in advance!

Olivia

[WillUBMyKnight]

Hi...my name is Michelle...and I'm officially a dumpster diver.

Yay!!!

I asked my gas station what they did with the left over Sunday papers, and, being the BEST gas station in upstate NY, they said they "put them in a special Newspaper bin out back." I asked if I could scavange, and they said "Of course!" This really wasn't the week to get excited about with only 1 insert, but I scored 32!! Plus 2 from a different paper (that has better Q's)

The fact that the trash barrell is for papers only makes it super fast and super clean. I'm so excited! (whooda thunk someone could get THIS excited about being able to go through the trash LoL)

I've learned that "just asking" really is the easiest thing to do. I asked the grocery store and they said no...but I think I'll have all I can use at the gas station any way.

I'll still have to buy the (10) Philly papers (the BEST Q's) but atleast now I can cancel my daily paper subscription.

to everyone for giving me the courage to ASK!

[WillUBMyKnight]

Originally Posted by teri037 There is a recycle bin right outside my front door for the community of 700 homes that I live in, literally right outside my front door.

Have you ever thought of asking the property managers if you could place a garbage can next to the bin marked "Newspaper Only"? And then every couple days you could go through it and toss the unwanted's into the recycling bin...

Tell the property managers that you need it for school, or a friend's son/daughter needs them for school...if you use an excuse they may be more willing to "bend."