Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

You threw away what?!

237 50 June 21, 2012 at 05:05 PM in Finance
I decided to put my log book on this forum so you can all see the crazy amount of free stuff in good condition that I find while walking my dogs at night in NYC. My girlfriend and I recently moved into a new apartment on the Upper East Side and we had been noticing how much brand new (or antique) stuff is left out on the curb.

So for fun (and because we are both as cheap as they come), we started grabbing stuff that is in good condition. Either we use it, try to sell it, or give it away.

Oh, and keep in mind, bottles and cans have a $0.05 deposit on them so we return those.

We just started keeping track, here is what we have so far:

6/18 - 18 books, 1 milk crate, 4 deposit cans ($0.20)
6/19 - Aero-Swiss Humidifier (Valued over $100), Keurig Coffee Machine ($120), Small Dust Buster, Best Fitness Leg Developer (Over $100), 11 deposit cans ($0.55)
6/20 - 7 deposit cans ($0.35)
6/21 - 37 bottle deposit cans (took the dogs on a long walk this afternoon) ($1.85)

That's the last four days, I'll update this as we get new finds.

Anyone else do this either out of necessity or as a hobby?

Stephen

Check out the new blog @ http://youthrewawaywhat.wordpress.com ... my site where all I do is talk about garbage!

Community Wiki

Last Edited by stephenNYC July 30, 2012 at 06:41 PM
Here is the master list of all of our finds to date! It also includes what has sold, the upcycle projects and any other benefits we have gotten from our trash!

Found:

TOTAL: 8 milk crates
TOTAL: 635 My Coke Reward Points
  • 18 books
  • Aero-Swiss Humidifier
  • Keurig Coffee Machine
  • Small Dust Buster
  • Best Fitness Leg Developer
  • Giorgio Armani Sunglasses Case
  • June issue of Backpacker Magazine
  • Verizon Phone charger
  • 7 dresser drawers
  • 2 Wilson Titanium Tennis Rackets
  • Large Kitchen Garbage can
  • Michael's Arts and Crafts drawers
  • A crochet purse
  • Shannon Hand-Crafted Lead Crystal Cake Plate and Server
  • Cooks Panini-Maker
  • 3 Magazines -- Elle, Cosmo, and Glamour
  • 2 Picture frames in their original plastic
  • Film Quarterly magazines from the 1960s and 70s
  • CAT5e Ethernet Cable
  • DesignForLiving Water Bottle
  • Broyhill Nightstand
  • Cheese Grater
  • NIB Wilson Titanium Tennis Balls
  • Some eating utensils
  • Two Hard Rock Cafe Glasses, NIB
  • 254 my coke rewards points.
  • Black and Decker mixer
  • Frying pan
  • Lemonade pitcher
  • Coffee table
  • HP1040 Fax Machine
  • HP Floppy Drive & Smart Card Reader
  • Dell Keyboard
  • BodyBlade Classic 4
  • Bake King Cupcake Pan
  • Step stool
  • United States Annotated Code Chapters 28 (Federal Rules of Evidence) and 42 (Public Health and Welfare), 2001 edition with the 2012 supplements.
  • A Trash Can
  • Laundry Basket
  • Kelty Kids Ridgeline Backpack
  • Budweiser Billiard Cue
  • HP Toner
  • CAT 3 Cable
  • Holmes AccuTemp Window Fan
  • "The Naked Nude Nude" screen print art
  • HP OfficeJet Pro K850
  • 2 Electronics Stands
  • Laptop Desk with Built in Fan
  • Signed Artist Proof, Fragment by Arline Sherman
  • Small screwdriver set
  • Players Image Alignment Golf MIRROR Training Aid
  • 2 Family & Friends CPR Training Kits with Manikins
  • Pantone Color Tint Selector by Pantone Library of Color
  • 3 Books on Woodworking
  • 10Base-T Concentrator
  • A bunch of cedar shoe-horns
  • S-Video Cable


Upcycled:
  • Two dresser drawers into kitchen shelving
  • Film Quarterly Magazines into Art for wall

Converted to Cash:
  • HP1040 Fax Machine, Recalled for $100 rebate. Used to buy new printer
  • Bottle Deposit Returns: $16.30
  • HP Toner and HP1040 Ink Cart, HP OfficeJet Carts/Toner (11) -- $26 @ Staples
  • BodyBlade Classic 4 -- $68 via Ebay
  • Michael's Storage Drawers -- $25 via Ebay
  • Air-O-Swiss Humidifier -- $25 via Ebay
  • Both Wilson Tennis Rackets -- $27 via Ebay
  • Kelty Kids Backpack -- $36 via Ebay

380 Comments

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 12:36 PM.
06-26-2012 at 12:36 PM.
Quote from Jabbit :
Woohoo! You used my suggestion for a name! hug

Looks like an awesome haul from yesterday - nice work.
We loved your suggestion. I think we are going to make T-Shirts and sell 'em at some point haha. I would love to wear a shirt when we are out diving that says "Seriously.... YOU THREW AWAY WHAT?!"

Maybe we can have a SlickDeals design contest haha
Reply
Joined Apr 2007
boop bloop?
> bubble2 422 Posts
195 Reputation
blo0op
06-26-2012 at 01:17 PM.
06-26-2012 at 01:17 PM.
wow great haul last night! how did you even manage to carry all that home along with 3 big dogs???
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 01:32 PM.
06-26-2012 at 01:32 PM.
It was a challenge. I'm going to post a map tonight (without street names) to give an idea of how small our search zone has been. We have gotten good at hidinthe big stuff under piles of trash in key areas so we dont have to carry all of it
Reply
Joined Dec 2008
Don't let's be silly
> bubble2 1,270 Posts
3,407 Reputation
nessykins
06-26-2012 at 01:48 PM.
06-26-2012 at 01:48 PM.
You should buy a foliding cart. Wal-Mart has this one [walmart.com] for less than $30
Reply
Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
5,366 Reputation
Schooby
06-26-2012 at 02:36 PM.
06-26-2012 at 02:36 PM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
In the blog there are some "higher end" thrift stores with some great Antique finds. Don't know if that is what you are into (my gf and I are big antique hunters so we scrounge for those). They are priced higher than normal thrift stores, but are still waaay below normal prices for stuff like that. Plenty of good smalls to bring home. If you are in Hell's Kitchen, it will be a very easy trip over to the big SA.

Actually, speaking of antiques, my grandmother (who passed away about 8 years ago) found this trunk (picture below) sitting on a trash pile about 30 years ago. She dragged it home and it was left to me in their estate. It's a late 19th century, fully original piece. The "repair" tag is dated 1902. She was a dumpster diving legend -- high society Greenwich Village philanthropist with an eye for the unusual.
Cool story and how much for the dog? Smilie
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 04:11 PM.
06-26-2012 at 04:11 PM.
Quote from nessykins :
You should buy a foliding cart. Wal-Mart has this one [walmart.com] for less than $30
We have been talking about buying one of those actually. We were thinking more for when we go cross-town to Trader Joe's but you are right that it would really come in handy. The problem is that if I go buy one... I'm sure one will show up in our hunt within a week. I'm gonna keep an eye out.

Quote from Schooby :
Cool story and how much for the dog? Smilie
Haha thanks! He isn't for sale. I took Frankie in March 2011 as an "aggression foster" -- aka the rescue organization (that I helped start) was afraid to put him into a foster or adoptive home because he was showing aggression towards other dogs and people. After 3 months with me, he was completely turned around and by that time I was hooked on him. He's part of my pack!
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 04:19 PM.
06-26-2012 at 04:19 PM.
Oh and FYI -- SlickDeals has resulted in the blog getting 60 hits on its first day Smilie thanks everyone! leave me some comments!
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
5,366 Reputation
Schooby
06-26-2012 at 04:52 PM.
06-26-2012 at 04:52 PM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
We have been talking about buying one of those actually. We were thinking more for when we go cross-town to Trader Joe's but you are right that it would really come in handy. The problem is that if I go buy one... I'm sure one will show up in our hunt within a week. I'm gonna keep an eye out.



Haha thanks! He isn't for sale. I took Frankie in March 2011 as an "aggression foster" -- aka the rescue organization (that I helped start) was afraid to put him into a foster or adoptive home because he was showing aggression towards other dogs and people. After 3 months with me, he was completely turned around and by that time I was hooked on him. He's part of my pack!
That's ok...Bea wouldn't like another dog in the house anyway. But he is a cutie.
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 05:21 PM.
06-26-2012 at 05:21 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
That's ok...Bea wouldn't like another dog in the house anyway. But he is a cutie.
Wouldn't want Bea to be jealous. You should see my three vying for Chelsea and my affection. They butt each other out.

I just took 'em on a short walk. The day after garbage day is always a depressing one in the diving world! But, I came home with 9 bottles ($0.45) and a CAT5E ethernet cable, which always comes in handy!
Reply
Joined Aug 2007
heartless
> bubble2 9,258 Posts
5,728 Reputation
noungning
06-26-2012 at 05:23 PM.
06-26-2012 at 05:23 PM.
That's a nice Michael's draw set thingy. Cool
Reply
Joined Jun 2005
L6: Laser Lotus
> bubble2 21,668 Posts
1,409 Reputation
shhaggy
06-26-2012 at 05:50 PM.
06-26-2012 at 05:50 PM.
Quote from livinglife :
I didn't realize people dig magazines out of the trash. I throw away close to 30 a month unread, we just remove the address labels. Stupid companies don't know what "remove from mailing list" means!
Someone always grabs my old Maxims, SIs, and Travel&Leisures.
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 08:24 PM.
06-26-2012 at 08:24 PM.
Our First Upcycling Project!

So we found a bunch of Film Quarterly magazines from the 1960s and 70s in a pile of trash and decided to grab them because the subject matter on the covers was so cool. Since we just moved into our apartment and have limited art-work, Chelsea dreamed up the idea to make this into a statement piece for the wall.

She is working on her own blog now that will be the partner to mine for all of her upcycling projects from the stuff we find.

Let us know what you think Smilie
Reply
Joined May 2012
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,853 Posts
197 Reputation
UncleJase
06-26-2012 at 08:30 PM.
06-26-2012 at 08:30 PM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
Our First Upcycling Project!

So we found a bunch of Film Quarterly magazines from the 1960s and 70s in a pile of trash and decided to grab them because the subject matter on the covers was so cool. Since we just moved into our apartment and have limited art-work, Chelsea dreamed up the idea to make this into a statement piece for the wall.

She is working on her own blog now that will be the partner to mine for all of her upcycling projects from the stuff we find.

Let us know what you think Smilie
That is awesome. I am loving this thread more each day.

And great job on the blog, will be checking it daily as well
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
06-26-2012 at 08:41 PM.
06-26-2012 at 08:41 PM.
Quote from UncleJace :
That is awesome. I am loving this thread more each day.

And great job on the blog, will be checking it daily as well
Thanks so much!!

One thing I forgot to mention -- The entire project cost us a little under $25 in supplies from Michaels. Had to buy the poster board, adhesive spray, matte spray and duct tape.

From start to finish, it took about two hours.
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined May 2007
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 506 Posts
92 Reputation
lerlerler
06-26-2012 at 08:54 PM.
06-26-2012 at 08:54 PM.
Quote from shhaggy :
Someone always grabs my old Maxims, SIs, and Travel&Leisures.
Drop em at the library (they sell the old ones) a VA hospital or other charity
Reply
Page 8 of 26
Start the Conversation
 
Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.