Dumpster Diving Toolkit

[teri037]

Hi everyone...I just started couponing seriously in March. 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. I have become addicted to couponing and I can't imagine ever paying full price for groceries again....My problem is that everytime I go past the recycle bin, I want to go digging through it, and I must say I am a little embarrassed for the neighbors to see me plummaging through the bins, so I wait until dark and go armed with flashlights and so forth...I'll find a few inserts and then hurry back back inside...then sit and think about it and go back again, grab a few and hurry back inside.... its making me crazy....lol...one day soon I am going to get the courage to plummage through it in broad daylight!!! I am so lucky to have it right in front of me!!!

[cyberjf]

My newspaper told me that they are instructed to destroy any extras they have... I have gotten extras from a newspaper carrier before though... so if you know any that would be a good place to start probably.

Also - for those of you that go every day and get TONS of inserts - how do you organize yours? My current method isn't working well with the volume of inserts I am getting DD.

This is how I have been doing it: I have a box of clipped coupons that I take to th store with me. Then for all my uncut inserts I have put together 3 ring binders. I have a sheet protector for each week's V and SS (one each) and then I staple the like sheets together so I can cut in bulk when a sale comes. But - they are breaking the sheet protectors because I have been getting too many inserts when I go DD.

[irishsheila]

Originally Posted by scrapbooker46

I got my grabber from WAGs. the one AS seen on TV "the Gopher " for 9.99 reg price. It folds in half for storage. It also has rubber things on the gripers to keep things from slipping. (like slippery coupon inserts)

My local WAG also has a Medline one at my local Wags for 9.99 reg price with a $3 ESR. (april) However I thought the one I bought was a little better.

Shelly

Ooo, I have my $10 Aveeno RR to use this week. Guess I found something to use it on! Hopefully mine has them. I repped ya for the info.Thanks!

[tdgirl]

I bought the Gopher for $5.49, after tax using some ECB's at CVS. They didn't have them with their Seen on TV stuff but almost hidden at the end of the aisle.

I used it again yesterday and got nearly 50 inserts!!! It is the BEST thing I've ever purchased, although now I'm thinking of adding a stool to the mix because there were inserts that I couldn't quiet reach even with the grabber. If anyone is planning on regularly dumpstering, you MUST get one!

Yesterday while dumpstering for coupons, I felt like that cartoon from the 80s, or maybe 90s Duck Tails, I wanted to dive in the bin and swim in all the coupons I saw like the rich Uncle in that cartoon used to dive in his coins. I was so afraid a police man would drive by and stay 'Lady, step away from the coupons!' lol, I had so many in my hands!

[eroom08]

I would have never thought of looking thru recycled news papers! Great tip on how to build my stockpile

[temroy2]

So yesterday morning I had a stop at the recycling bin nearest my house. I haven't gone in awhile but was hoping to find some inserts from Sunday's paper because I didn't get the paper early enough in the day to see the awesome (to me) inserts and get more papers. bummer. So, I parked my car near the dumpster in peeked inside. There were GOBS of what looked to be whole newspapers. And a wheel. I kid you not. Someone had dumped a tire and rim (looked kind of like a donut) into the recycle bin. Well, I didn't have a grabby thing and no stool so I was going to just let it go and head on to work. I even started to leave the school parking lot, but then backed up. It took me a few moments to get up the courage, and I even started to leave again, but finally put the back bumper of my car almost right up gainst the dumpster. I then grabbed the sheet from my trunk (left over from a disasterous attempt at driving to the mountains with the dog...my car broke down...the sheet was to protect the backseat from his fur but ended up becoming much more useful as shade as we were stuck on the side of the road for FIVE HOURS) and put it on the lip of the dumpster. I couldn't reach in too far, but I was able to grab a paper and see it was only from last month and boasted $900 worth of coupons. Unfortunately, it was minus those $900 worth of coupons so I didn't bother with any of the other papers. I just knew, though, that if I didn't look, I'd be wondering all day if I'd missed out on some good coupons. But it made me realize that I need to get a grabber thing and a stool. ...And maybe check the bin earlier in the week (truck comes on Thursday).

[ellie1912]

"Also - for those of you that go every day and get TONS of inserts - how do you organize yours? My current method isn't working well with the volume of inserts I am getting DD."

-I cut out 6-8 of each insert for myself and put these into two, three ring binders, using Baseball card holders- one for food and one for non-food (Makeup, HBA, Meds, Baby etc). I carry my "Hot Coupons" in a zip lock bag in my diaper bag/purse (q's that are frees at Target, Food Lion and Wal-Mart), so if I didn't bring my 2 big binders with me, at least I'll have some q's I can always use.

-Up until this week my system of keeping my extra inserts in clear plastic boxes by date (I have 4 boxes) was working fine... and then a few weeks ago I found a new recycle bin that has 100 times more inserts than the other 6 bins I was frequenting 4-5 times a week... so now my inserts from the past 3 weeks are sitting in huge piles in my window seat/nook, here in the computer room... It's a good problem to have I guess. It was easy keeping approx. 60 inserts per week in boxes... but 200 inserts per week is going to require bigger boxes, which I haven't purchased yet... the computer room is turning into a room full of boxes of coupons...

For all you new DDers (Well, I'm new too, only been doing this since Feb) - take courage, I get asked, "What are you doing?" all the time now - as there are always people recycling their papers while I have my head IN the bins... and I always say, with a smile, "I'm hunting for coupons!" :) I do get nervous, but usually I direct that energy into standing on my tip toes and reaching as far down as I can in the bin - DDing really is a workout- I find after an hour and a half, or so my arms are really tired. Also, using a garden cultivator to help overturn/drag the piles of coupons is a great arm workout as well. :)

~Karen~

[scrapbooker46]

[quote=ellie1912;846109]"Also - for those of you that go every day and get TONS of inserts - how do you organize yours? My current method isn't working well with the volume of inserts I am getting DD."

I have went form binder method to file method. I will go about every other day and look for inserts at the local grocery store recycle bin. They empty it 3 times a week. I also go once or twice a week to the large recycling center about 10 miles from my house.

I am a very anal and organized person so this method works best for me. I like to make things simple and time effective. I have a file box where I file the inserts.
I have dated and color coated hanging files so it is easy to locate.

Red for Red Plum
Yellow for Smart Source
Green for P & G

I just collect the full inserts. (I use to even get the loose sheets but it became too much work.) every few days I sort the like inserts and then file them in the appropriate dates.

My plan is to separate each insert by pages. Then if I need 10 of one Q I can just cut all ten in a second.

This week I knew I needed more crest TP Q's. So when I came to the P & G inserts I would pull the page out that I needed and put it aside.

I have a small box that I keep cut Q's in or blinkies or peelies.

I also take any Q books and separate them to like pages. Example the Kmart Beauty in Bloom Book

I have several. I just stack like pages together. Much easier to clip when I need them.

I also have a small file coupon holder size of a wallet that I keep in my purse. Each section is for each store I frequent.
Wags
Target
Walmart
Kroger

This is where I put Q" and rain checks and RR that I know I will use for the week. I also keep all my gift cards in it and my debit card.
all in one place makes it easy

I felt like all I was doing before this system was clipping and sorting. This new method for me is much better.


Shelly

[ellie1912]

"I have a file box where I file the inserts.
I have dated and color coated hanging files so it is easy to locate."

How many of each insert to you typically have? I just cannot see 100 inserts from one week fitting into a filing box... How many inserts do you keep in one filing box? How many filing boxes do you have?

Thanks!
~Karen~

[tdgirl]

I have a big one organizer for coupons I know I won't use and are for trade, and then I have 3 smaller organizers for Health & Beauty, Cleaning/Household and food. But on top of that I keep a spreadsheet, with how many coupons of each product I have, expiration date, etc....let me finish saying that I have no children, I work at home, so I have lots of time to spend on couponing!lol