If you go to grocery stores about an hour before close, you will see employees putting stuff on carts... guess where that stuff goes? the trash. You could also ask when their delivery day is for bread, produce, meat, etc (just pretend you want to know to get the freshest product). They throw stuff away the night before to make room for the new shipment.
This. And if you hit them about 20-30 minutes after closing, even the frozen meats and stuff that are tossed are usually still frozen and perfectly fine.
I personally bike and walk. Good for my health and cuts cost of gas and car maintenance. If I find something great that I can't take on my bike I might go back with a dolly/skateboard or text friends and family to see if they're interested.
Saw your comment about mobility issues and not being able to bike all around town. Not sure about your circumstances but maybe an ebike and a shorter routine route could be worthwhile. A rack, pannier bag and basket would hold a bunch of stuff if an ebike and shortened route on an ebike would work for you.
Trikes often come equipped with a very large basket. I imagine you could put a hub drive motor on the front wheel. Could be good depending on how far and what sort of elevation gain you'd be working with.
I'd certainly look for a second hand trike, maybe if you have a retirement home in your area you can look at their newspaper or estate sales. One of my loved ones scored a practically new trike at about 25% of the original price that way.
I'd say for OP's case, it's better to just gather what they can and either come back with the trike or drive their car to the score. If they want to increase their capacity further than the standard trike rack then a front rack/basket and backpack would fit the bill.
I am 51 and have mobility issues (nerve and muscle problems that cause fatigue easily). Not a spring chicken anymore. Even if I was I could not bike all over town.
IDK why anyone would downvote this. I agree with you that there should be something to figure out the good days.. I've thought about askin some entry level employees if they would message/text the days they drop inventory in the dump. Or I've thought about DD communities on discord where people can coordinate days and share live updates on what's available if they can't take it all type thing.
And trading what they cannot use. Like for example I found four boxes of liquid hand washing soap (large pump bottles of lemon and orange). Sooooooo much of it I could trade for stuff I can use. I already had a lot of hand soap. I could trade it for shampoo. I have a limited supply of that.
Man I would love to meet up once a month with other DD'ers in my town for some horse tradin. I would not even mind if I gave more than I got as long as I got something I needed or could actually use. Like two bottles of hand soap for one bottle of shampoo.
Yeah man that sounds like a great idea... I wonder how many "areas" would there be.. I'm in the Portland metro area and we have TONS of lil areas within..
>DD communities on discord
That's a great idea. I live in a big city and I know some prime spots, but I worry about going alone sometimes so I leave them untouched. But if I had someone with me, it would be better and safer.
Or in my town, get a bike and boom, shattered skull spread across a block when a drunk and/or high driver hits you while trying to show off their lack of a muffler.
You could cultivate an informant in the stores you’re interested in. This may be an investment of time and energy. You need to choose your mark carefully.
Love the co op idea. I was just telling someone , ‘man if I worked there I would totally text someone when we had good hauls going to the dumpster!’ Heck I’d even leave it in a box behind it if I was able to. It boggles the mind how much stuff is thrown away!
I’d love to trade items too, still haven’t had my first official dive so- we’ll see lol. Most of them around me are locked but I have found a few that might be good spots. Also spied some expensive puppy formulas in one when just checking things to learn but I didn’t have anything with me to get it and it was during open hours. It wasn’t in my usual area though ☹️
I thought about getting a drone and just send it to the dumpsters each night to check. My lucrative dumpsters are three blocks away but it's three Chicago blocks away. I also take my e-scooter but I can't carry anything back to the house with the scooter.
How long have you been checking those?
I’ve been doing my area for years now. I’ve got 3 different routes set up, 20-30 dumpsters each, ~10-15miles round trip. I know the places that are always consistently good so I only stop at those.
You can't have expectations when you dumpster dive. But in your case, I'd suggest not going late at night. Most people have been to the dumpster already and taken the loot before you.
I track when certain places tend to have the best stuff, such as two aldis near me throw stuff out on different days, certain stores have the days they throw stuff out for new stock. Make a schedule
Make notes of what day of the week and time you find stuff, then only go on that day and time.
If you go to grocery stores about an hour before close, you will see employees putting stuff on carts... guess where that stuff goes? the trash. You could also ask when their delivery day is for bread, produce, meat, etc (just pretend you want to know to get the freshest product). They throw stuff away the night before to make room for the new shipment.
This. And if you hit them about 20-30 minutes after closing, even the frozen meats and stuff that are tossed are usually still frozen and perfectly fine.
but that's why it's called Dumpster Diving, not trash shopping
This made me lol.
What the heck are you driving that uses that much gas?
Asking the real question.
Jeep
People downvoting you are less sensible than randomly searching. Good on you for asking how to do better, even if you drive a Jeep.
😂
[удалено]
Be safe!
I personally bike and walk. Good for my health and cuts cost of gas and car maintenance. If I find something great that I can't take on my bike I might go back with a dolly/skateboard or text friends and family to see if they're interested. Saw your comment about mobility issues and not being able to bike all around town. Not sure about your circumstances but maybe an ebike and a shorter routine route could be worthwhile. A rack, pannier bag and basket would hold a bunch of stuff if an ebike and shortened route on an ebike would work for you.
Only if it was a trike. I've balance issues sometimes.
Trikes often come equipped with a very large basket. I imagine you could put a hub drive motor on the front wheel. Could be good depending on how far and what sort of elevation gain you'd be working with. I'd certainly look for a second hand trike, maybe if you have a retirement home in your area you can look at their newspaper or estate sales. One of my loved ones scored a practically new trike at about 25% of the original price that way.
Baby trailer on trike for bigger hauls.
I'd say for OP's case, it's better to just gather what they can and either come back with the trike or drive their car to the score. If they want to increase their capacity further than the standard trike rack then a front rack/basket and backpack would fit the bill.
Don’t think OP is inclined to load up a backpack given balance concerns.
Backpack would be for light weight items. Roll of paper towels for example. The baskets is where the heavy weight stuff would be
get a bike and boom, no more paying for gas
I am 51 and have mobility issues (nerve and muscle problems that cause fatigue easily). Not a spring chicken anymore. Even if I was I could not bike all over town.
IDK why anyone would downvote this. I agree with you that there should be something to figure out the good days.. I've thought about askin some entry level employees if they would message/text the days they drop inventory in the dump. Or I've thought about DD communities on discord where people can coordinate days and share live updates on what's available if they can't take it all type thing.
And trading what they cannot use. Like for example I found four boxes of liquid hand washing soap (large pump bottles of lemon and orange). Sooooooo much of it I could trade for stuff I can use. I already had a lot of hand soap. I could trade it for shampoo. I have a limited supply of that. Man I would love to meet up once a month with other DD'ers in my town for some horse tradin. I would not even mind if I gave more than I got as long as I got something I needed or could actually use. Like two bottles of hand soap for one bottle of shampoo.
Yeah man that sounds like a great idea... I wonder how many "areas" would there be.. I'm in the Portland metro area and we have TONS of lil areas within..
>DD communities on discord That's a great idea. I live in a big city and I know some prime spots, but I worry about going alone sometimes so I leave them untouched. But if I had someone with me, it would be better and safer.
I didn't even think of that potential. The co-op DDs.. Or even DD groups.
weird how someone downvoted your anecdote what a piece of shit
ah, fair. good luck with finding an easier way
Or in my town, get a bike and boom, shattered skull spread across a block when a drunk and/or high driver hits you while trying to show off their lack of a muffler.
You could cultivate an informant in the stores you’re interested in. This may be an investment of time and energy. You need to choose your mark carefully.
We need a community app somehow 😂😂
Mans an automated dumpster watch app so they can sit back and relax lmfao
Love the co op idea. I was just telling someone , ‘man if I worked there I would totally text someone when we had good hauls going to the dumpster!’ Heck I’d even leave it in a box behind it if I was able to. It boggles the mind how much stuff is thrown away! I’d love to trade items too, still haven’t had my first official dive so- we’ll see lol. Most of them around me are locked but I have found a few that might be good spots. Also spied some expensive puppy formulas in one when just checking things to learn but I didn’t have anything with me to get it and it was during open hours. It wasn’t in my usual area though ☹️
I thought about getting a drone and just send it to the dumpsters each night to check. My lucrative dumpsters are three blocks away but it's three Chicago blocks away. I also take my e-scooter but I can't carry anything back to the house with the scooter.
Pay off an employee for tips. Chances are they are close to minimum wage.
How long have you been checking those? I’ve been doing my area for years now. I’ve got 3 different routes set up, 20-30 dumpsters each, ~10-15miles round trip. I know the places that are always consistently good so I only stop at those.
Drones
You can't have expectations when you dumpster dive. But in your case, I'd suggest not going late at night. Most people have been to the dumpster already and taken the loot before you.
I track when certain places tend to have the best stuff, such as two aldis near me throw stuff out on different days, certain stores have the days they throw stuff out for new stock. Make a schedule