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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

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Joined Aug 2007
heartless
> bubble2 9,258 Posts
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noungning
07-11-2012 at 12:15 PM.
07-11-2012 at 12:15 PM.
You're doing good, now can I have some free coupons? Wink5
Reply
Joined May 2006
Suspected porn star
> bubble2 11,996 Posts
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ForeverDecember
07-11-2012 at 04:04 PM.
07-11-2012 at 04:04 PM.
I love following your blog. I think you and Chelsea have begun a really cool journey. The fan to cool off the apartment was a sweet recent find.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
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PaintTheSkyGrey
07-11-2012 at 04:31 PM.
07-11-2012 at 04:31 PM.
Pretty awesome. Smilie
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
50 Reputation
Original Poster
stephenNYC
07-12-2012 at 11:16 AM.
07-12-2012 at 11:16 AM.
Quote from noungning :
You're doing good, now can I have some free coupons? Wink5
Sure, what do you want? I have hundreds.

Quote from ForeverDcember :
I love following your blog. I think you and Chelsea have begun a really cool journey. The fan to cool off the apartment was a sweet recent find.
Thank you!! It has made a huge difference at night in the bedroom. It helps to circulate the air inside too, the apartment def doesnt seem as stale as it was before.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
Pretty awesome. Smilie
Smilie
Reply
Joined Jun 2006
Jambi-rific in Seattle!
> bubble2 31,436 Posts
2,810 Reputation
Zoe Moon
07-12-2012 at 11:26 AM.
07-12-2012 at 11:26 AM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
Sure, what do you want? I have hundreds.



Thank you!! It has made a huge difference at night in the bedroom. It helps to circulate the air inside too, the apartment def doesnt seem as stale as it was before.



Smilie
Did you see this article? That place is so tiny it set off my claustrophobia. Bigeye

They pay $1,500 for 240 square feet. Is Brooklyn Heights that expensive of an area?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172362/The-NY-couple-making-work-240-square-foot-studio-pay-1500-month-pleasure.html
Reply
Joined Aug 2007
heartless
> bubble2 9,258 Posts
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noungning
07-12-2012 at 11:33 AM.
07-12-2012 at 11:33 AM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
Sure, what do you want? I have hundreds.
Faint I will be sure to contact you next time I need coupons. Smilie
Reply
Joined May 2012
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,853 Posts
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UncleJase
07-12-2012 at 11:38 AM.
07-12-2012 at 11:38 AM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
Did you see this article? That place is so tiny it set off my claustrophobia. Bigeye

They pay $1,500 for 240 square feet. Is Brooklyn Heights that expensive of an area?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172362/The-NY-couple-making-work-240-square-foot-studio-pay-1500-month-pleasure.html
Saw the the other morning on the Today Show. While you certainly couldn't entertain more than 1 or 2 people at a time there, I could definitely live there (if I had to).

Would be tough going from almost 3000sq ft to 240 but I guess I could make do.
Reply

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Joined Oct 2007
No.
> bubble2 4,980 Posts
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damsel.
07-12-2012 at 02:46 PM.
07-12-2012 at 02:46 PM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
Did you see this article? That place is so tiny it set off my claustrophobia. Bigeye

They pay $1,500 for 240 square feet. Is Brooklyn Heights that expensive of an area?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172362/The-NY-couple-making-work-240-square-foot-studio-pay-1500-month-pleasure.html
There's a video of a girl somewhere that shows off her 90 sqft apartment. I think she pays like $750 a month or something. I spend too much time at home, I would go crazy in a place that small. Pretty sure my boyfriend and I would kill each other in a place that's only 240 sqft. laugh out loud
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
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Original Poster
stephenNYC
07-12-2012 at 03:07 PM.
07-12-2012 at 03:07 PM.
Quote from noungning :
Faint I will be sure to contact you next time I need coupons. Smilie
Good Smilie

Quote from Zoe Moon :
Did you see this article? That place is so tiny it set off my claustrophobia. Bigeye

They pay $1,500 for 240 square feet. Is Brooklyn Heights that expensive of an area?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172362/The-NY-couple-making-work-240-square-foot-studio-pay-1500-month-pleasure.html
Quote from UncleJace :
Saw the the other morning on the Today Show. While you certainly couldn't entertain more than 1 or 2 people at a time there, I could definitely live there (if I had to).

Would be tough going from almost 3000sq ft to 240 but I guess I could make do.
I don't understand why people pay such outrageous prices for these tiny little apartments. It is ridiculous. As I've said before in this post, I think our place is around 600 sqft and we pay 2125. I wouldn't want to be in a place any smaller than this. I guess if I didn't have 3 big dogs or a girlfriend, and I wasn't a homebody, I could manage with 300 sqft... but given my current lifestyle, I think I'd go crazy if I had to stare at walls all day.
Reply
Joined Jun 2012
Trash Connoisseur
> bubble2 237 Posts
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Original Poster
stephenNYC
07-12-2012 at 03:22 PM.
07-12-2012 at 03:22 PM.
Hmm need some advice from my folks in here. So I had two separate buyers for the tennis rackets. One sold for $9.50 and the other for $17.50. Both buyers were here in NY state... and I accidentally sent them each other's without realizing.

So today I got two messages from the buyer of the more expensive racket:
Quote :
you sent me the Wilson impact whats the deal i bought the fusion
An hour later (I hadn't seen the message yet), I got a second message:
Quote :
we got the wilson impact we want the right racket if i dont get it i will leave one star feedback
So I wrote back:
Quote :
I'm very sorry, there must have been a mixup. I sent one of each out the same day. Let me get in touch with the other buyer and we will quickly resolve it. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.
I then wrote the other buyer:
Quote :
I accidentally switched the two rackets I was selling and sent you the wrong (and the other buyer) each other's. I got an angry message from my other seller earlier today and I am trying to fix the situation. Would you be okay with me emailing you the prepaid postage, which you could affix to the box you got today, and I will do the same with the other buyer? It would save me a lot of money if you two sent them to each other, rather than sending them back to me and then having me send them back out. Please let me know and I will get it worked out.

Thank you so much in advance, I'm very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Stephen
Am I handling this the right way? If I have them return the rackets, it will cost $5 each to return, and then $5 each to send back out, plus the additional time it will take in travel ($20 total). If I give them the labels to send the rackets to each other, it will be resolved in 48 hours max and will cost me $10. Not sure if it is the right approach though.
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Joined Jun 2006
Jambi-rific in Seattle!
> bubble2 31,436 Posts
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Zoe Moon
07-12-2012 at 03:30 PM.
07-12-2012 at 03:30 PM.
As a frequent eBay buyer, I wouldn't have a problem with that, mistakes do happen but then not every buyer is laid back.
Reply
Joined Oct 2005
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 898 Posts
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livinglife
07-12-2012 at 03:46 PM.
07-12-2012 at 03:46 PM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
Hmm need some advice from my folks in here. So I had two separate buyers for the tennis rackets. One sold for $9.50 and the other for $17.50. Both buyers were here in NY state... and I accidentally sent them each other's without realizing.

So today I got two messages from the buyer of the more expensive racket:

An hour later (I hadn't seen the message yet), I got a second message:


So I wrote back:


I then wrote the other buyer:


Am I handling this the right way? If I have them return the rackets, it will cost $5 each to return, and then $5 each to send back out, plus the additional time it will take in travel ($20 total). If I give them the labels to send the rackets to each other, it will be resolved in 48 hours max and will cost me $10. Not sure if it is the right approach though.

As someone who buys on E-bay frequently, I would not have a problem shipping something to a different E-bay customer under the following conditions:
My return address is not on the package but the sellers return address is (after all, I don't know the other buyer, they don't know me, and they may not have the sparkling feedback that the person that I bought the item from has)

Proof of delivery or delivery confirmation was provided by both individuals mailing back the items (otherwise how do I know that I won't ship back the item and the other person will never ship back the item and I will be out nothing but wasted time and the money I spent on the item)

There is a postage paid label that allows me to mail the item with UPS, Fed Ex, or USPS picking up the item at my house. If I had to go somewhere to drop off the package I'd be more than a little annoyed.
Reply
Joined Oct 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 12,150 Posts
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Jabbit
07-13-2012 at 05:57 AM.
07-13-2012 at 05:57 AM.
Quote from stephenNYC :
Am I handling this the right way? If I have them return the rackets, it will cost $5 each to return, and then $5 each to send back out, plus the additional time it will take in travel ($20 total). If I give them the labels to send the rackets to each other, it will be resolved in 48 hours max and will cost me $10. Not sure if it is the right approach though.
Sounds about right....but worst-case scenario would be that you refund 100% of the money to the guy who got the cheaper racket, hoping he leaves OK feedback. You would still be coming out ahead.
Reply
Joined Sep 2009
Gooooo Tigers!
> bubble2 13,969 Posts
611 Reputation
Curtieson
07-13-2012 at 06:07 AM.
07-13-2012 at 06:07 AM.
Is there were we post things we threw away?

I threw away a patio table, but it didn't have a top on it. Someone took it from the curb but I was expecting that (threw it away 5 days before pickup). But they dropped one of the attachments when they were leaving...(but it will still work). Oh yea, it would have been ~$30 to get something nice looking to replace the top, we replaced the whole table through Meijer Clearance for $40. Such is our disposable life Dontknow

Moral of the story...if you are one of the 1.5 Million people in metro Columbus, and picked up a table last week that was missing a top, PM me.
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Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 8,530 Posts
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tn_native
07-13-2012 at 07:21 AM.
07-13-2012 at 07:21 AM.
As a seller, I would WANT them back and then re-ship them, as you have no way of knowing if buyer B put a crap racket in his box to mail to buyer A.
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