[QM]

Today was garbage day and I drove around a few streets to see if there were any "goods" people were throwing away. I did this in my parents' old "ritzy" neighbourhood (from when I was a kid). Someone had a good-looking Evenflo front-facing carseat (with the expiry of December 2013) at the side of the road. I phoned a friend to see if she could use it, but she said that someone at their church definately could. So I picked it up and gave it to her. Before driving away, I noticed the owner of the house drive in the laneway so I asked her if the carseat had ever been in a car accident...she said 'no'. Good to know!

A couple weeks ago I found three cereal boxes (visible from the top of the people's recycling bins) that had coupons for free food. I picked those up, typed the codes online when I got home and got coupons for the free products. Woohoo!

What have you found in the past at the side of the road on garbage day?

 

[savvy_sniper]

Hubby walks the dogs in the evening and he brings home all sorts of stuff:

3 Coleman lanterns - he used the worst one for parts on the other two; so now we have two working lanterns for free
Wheelbarrow - just needed air in the tire! It is old and rusty, but there is nothing wrong with it.
DVD rack that matched one my step-daughter already had
Metal shelving - we already had some in bad shape; so hubby mixed and matched and came up with several good sets of shelving for the garage
Brand new fence boards - don't know why the fence had been taken down and replaced. The boards were brand new.
Firewood - we are always on the lookout. We load up the truck, bring it home, let it season, cut it up, and use it in the fireplace.
Hubby stops and tears Coke points off of Coke cartons sticking out of trash cans all the time. We have gotten all sorts of free stuff with the points.

 

[wanderlusting]

I get tons I live on base housing and the underground trash receptacles are across the street from me. The trash company does bulk trash pickup every Monday. So Sunday night I just periodically look out my window and if I see something that catches my eye, I go out and grab it.

This past month I got:
-Step 2 toddler picnic table for our backyard
-Step 2 toddler dining table (gave this to a friend)
-Toy Story 2 toddler table and chairs (gave this to someone looking for Toy Story decor)
-little smoky grill- we're going to use this as an outdoor fireplace
-tricycle

It helps that people are constantly moving and trying to get rid of things quick to stay under their household weight limit.

There is a tradition here in Germany called "junking". Off base, there is a twice yearly bulk trash pickup per village. When we lived off base I remember seeing vans of people driving by to see what treasures they could find

 

[oheoh's momma]

oh lots of stuff
a onion bin
a vaccum
christmas tree
a fireplace candle holder
lamps
baby stuff would scrub it with bleach and give it to people
toys same scrub and give away
book shelves
probably more just can't think of it all

 

[Hamada]

My latest is a step for exercise. Guess one of the perks of living in an apartment complex. The dumpster can be your friend.

 

[abeautifullife]

My latest is a step for exercise. Guess one of the perks of living in an apartment complex. The dumpster can be your friend.

Absolutely! It was even better when I lived in a college town - lots of free stuff during the dorm move-out and when students were leaving over the summer. It got to be so lucrative that companies popped up to collect junked items on the spot. I've gotten small refrigerators for free and one of my brothers got an ipod from the trash.

 

[eofelis]

I live within sight of 3 dumpsters from small apt complexes. We have gotten *a lot* of decent enough furniture just from keeping an eye out every day. Small tables and shelf units, even the desk I'm sitting at right now.

We are not into buying furniture at all.

We have two large cat trees that came from those dumpsters. A little cleaning up, and our cats love them!

Someday when we are done with all that furniture we'll just set back out next to the dumpster for the next person.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

hockey sticks,new batteries in pkg,hangers,computer keyboards,baby tender (Gf w/ twins),dresser,valances,preschool kitchen,suitcase,drywall,flower pots,a vase,pens,pencils.
So much over time.
It is a tradition to leave stuff on the trash can if its good.

 

[jantana]

I remember when I was 10 years old, a lady down our street threw away a small table. My dad told me to go get it off the side of the road. I was so embarrassed to walk down there, get it and carry it back. The lady came to the door when she saw me out there. I told her my dad wanted it and she said sure (it was on the curb). I carried it back to the house hoping no one would see me. My did was a carpenter and fixed it, restained and a new table it was. When my dad passed away 27 years ago, my mom thought it was appropriate that I get the table. It now sits in our living room with a picture of my dad rests on it. I now keep my eyes open for items on the side of the road for projects.

 

[lottaLove]

We got our mattress and box spring from the hallway in our old apartment building. We have also gotten a 29 gallon fish tank with stand, a kids easel, a rocking chair, many clothes, a swiffer mop, a wooden dresser (has some scratches on it, but its real wood and not that particle board so easy to fix up!), a computer chair, a few spare power cords for computer and monitors, a baby basinette, a cordless RCA headset that you connect to your tv (it was missing the power cable for the base, but we had spares. It works perfectly!)
I'm sure there are other things we have collected over the years that I cannot remember. Living in apartment buildings seems like a freecycle gold mine sometimes. People get rid of things that I would pay money to buy at a second hand store or on craigs list!

 

[Ali Lee]

A concrete bowl for my bird bath. A good find for me!

 

[Sue Anne]

An old rocking chair that had a loose arm. Put it in my garden and put a flower pot in the seat. Lasted two years and looked cute!

Old unusual window with all the glass out of it. White chippy paint. paired it with a small white chippy paint table and now it looks like a console. Hung a wreath on the window and have cute stuff displayed on the table.

 

[TigerGirl1226]

A lawn mower (just needed a new oil filer), Fisher Price basket ball goal, and tomato cages.

 

[KingsHighway]

It's amazing what people will throw away.

I've found books, Barbie dolls/clothes and a perfectly good zinc bathtub.

 

[Hamada]

Ended up taking ANOTHER floor lamp. It was standing right next to the dumpsters. Am planning on painting it either black or an mahogany color since it is a golden blond in color. Have all dark wood here.

 

[Jetruth]

I have found a chair, bookcases, dining room tables. I love dumpster diving. You should check out a site called RoadsideKill.

 

[frugalfranny]

I have never had the guts to do this.........around here it could get you into trouble.

Our street people (drug addicts) go down each street looking for soda/beer cans in the recycle bins.

 

[ladykemma2]

in my starter neighborhood in katy texas, it is customary to put stuff you don't want on the curb on non-trash days. it is a way of recycling we do here.

 

[mamamia]

One of my brothers is a garbage man in NYC. I could go on and on with what he's brought home, but the BEST of it has come from old buildings that are being renovated or demolished. Not just furniture, but architectual pieces from these places, like original molding pieces and fireplace mantels. Along with it all, he's gotten tons of antiques, and his basement truly qualifies as a museum in it's own right. I'm truly jealous, but to my hubby's dismay, I have picked up quite a few items myself.

Large lighted china cabinet
Luggage
Tons of outdoor furniture and garden stuff
Lamps
Toys

Lots of other small stuff, and if I wasn't always with my hubby when I spot things, I'd have LOTS more....lol! Anyway, loved reading about everyone's goodies, especially Sue Anne's creativity with her's!

Theresa

 

[josantoro]

I always wonder, if a garbage man sees something great he wants to take, where does he put it? Say it is something good size like furniture.

Around here (rural) it is not so much curb side but people will put out a "free" sign next to their stuff. I always try to stop, can't resist.