Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

[Ima saver]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

My husband's uncle owned a huge garbage business (complete with yard)in Detroit. His wife sold lots of stuff every week that she got for free.

[Amorphous02]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

Trash to cash, ImaSaver. You must be proud!!
(FYI, in my eyes dogs are better than people. )
BTW, my brother the theoretical physicist is a very clever handyman. He has repaired so many things for mom. To date, they have saved $7000..and counting.
This is why I watch "Decorating Cents" on HGTV. Its my dream to get glass from salvage yards and use it for shelving. I want to place tiny bulbs under each one to create a very hi-tech shelving /display unit..just a dream.


If and when i do so, i will post a few pics and treat myself to a mani-pedi.

[kealina]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

no snubbing here...if we saw something we needed we would take it... if not, we leave it for someone else... unfortunately we usually have better luck at yard sales because in our area the maintenance guys and their carts get to all the good stuff first...

[puppypal]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

Oh, my when I was a single mom I felt that anything that was waiting on the trash man at the crub was fair game. Actually I will never forget one time one home owner scolded me because she had left a little tikes car in the trash pile because a wheel was missing. Well it was near Christmas and that was exactly what my child wanted. I pulled up and politely asked her if it was ok for me to take it. She said, you people make me sick! YES! Always wanting something for nothing.
I am like were you not going to give it to the trash guy in the morning to be thrown away? She said, well yes....But he isn't going to keep it!
I just let her go on and on and put the car thing in my car.....Since she said yes! BOY! Did I get a talking tooo about you people! LOL But it was worth it! I called the co and they sent me a replacement wheel shipping and all for 7 dollars and change.

[Pollyanna]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

I used to live a block or so away from a florist; I loved their discards! I'm still using the 3" pots to pot up cuttings and plants - and I moved from there in 1990! They also tossed candles from weddings - I'd cut three of them off to fit the height of a veggie can; then melt the cut off ends and pour around them to make emergency candles for the cars or for camping. Petals from discarded flowers made great potpourri, and I was able to fashion small decorative swags for each of my porch lights from the wreath discards they put out.

Where I live (the farm I grew up on) it used to be fairly common to find "dumps" on isolated roads or gullies. We were able to scavenger a good oven burner from a gas stove to use in switching our homemade grill from charcol to gas. We pulled enough racks from old refrigerators to make shelves for all the benches in my greenhouse. We found a stack of old guttering and brought it home, drilled holes every few inches and laid it uphill of each row in our garden. On laundry day, we used a sump pump (that had been discarded, that Hubby repaired) to pump the used laundry water up and out the basement window and into the guttering - our garden loved it!

When I was pregnant with my daughter, a friend who had a little girl a year older gifted me with three trash bags full of baby girl clothes - that her mother had purchased at rummage sales.

One year, when we were terribly poor at holiday time, we found an old child size school desk discarded. We brought it home, cleaned it up and painted it, and filled it with inexpensive art supplies and "school" items for our pre-school daughter; she used it for several years before we passed it down to another family with a little one.

I don't have as much time to dumpster dive now, but I sure do have fond memories of past finds!

[Amorphous02]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

PuppyPal,
Good for you. I hate it when judgemental and crochety people try hamper us.
This story really inspires me.When I was in CA, I helped a friend get a roll-top desk and I myself acquired the most beautiful dining table and coffee table. The latter had a black glass top. It was the kind you will find in posh hotel foyer/lounges!!
We moved and DH threw it out.
Today guess what i found near the curb: One of the prettiest brown bunnies. It ran away before i could do anything. Pity !!!

[Lenae]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

I love curbside treasures! I always pick up magazines and books for decoupaging. Clothing is always a fun find, especially when I get compliments. I once found a $60 Swiss Army knife, I'm sure that wasn't meant to be.LOL

I've scored plenty of furniture. The night I found my kitchen table I was wishing for one earlier.LOL

I have quite the chair collection. I found some nice metal ones for my porch, it was hell trying to fit them in the small car I have at the time.LOL My coffee tables were curbside treasures.

I found my grill, a retro harvest yellow charcoal grill. I was with my dad and he made me knock on the door. The owner said of course and he's had it for over 30 years! I bet it was kept in the garage, no rust at all.

My dad is a handyman on the side. His ladies have taken care of me. I've recieved a washer, 2 TVs, a steamer trunk a loveseat. He helped a friend move, on their way, they delieved a coach and a loveseat.

I can't wait until I get my Scion xB, I'll be ack in business with curbside treasures.

[Amorphous02]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

DHear Husband
NSDH: not so dear husband
SO: significant other
DD : dear daughter
right now my spouse is just H...
Scion xb, huh... I would love it if some one lent me their VW beetle

https://www.freecycle.org

[The Budget Man]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

When visiting my parents recently I commented that their "pile" out on the footpath for the kerbside cleanup was very small.

In reply they listed off all the items they had put out. FRom a list of 10 plus medium to large items there were just two things left.

Their junk must have been good to others.

Enjoy Your Money
The Budget Man

https://www.PersonalityBudgeting.com

A budget that doesn't get thrown out

[flinnie]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

My last find was one of thouse garden souround....the plastic kind .A night stand and a stand that goes above the toilet painted it..it now looks new.A few month back found a
excrise bike on one of my walks it took me a while but, I got it home.

[Ima saver]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

Brenda, I didn't know what they were saying either. A few days ago, a married female member of the forum, used bf, which I thought was boyfriend. It was best friend. I also took gf for girlfriend, when it meant grandfather.

[Ima saver]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

never heard of nsdh![Automated by GetSmile]

[Amorphous02]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

NDSH : I agree: its my own concoction
Coined by me it, has come in handy soo many times.

[mud]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

I saw a nice one person chair couch, looked in great shape, a 3 person couch in good shape and a nice table. I could have used them, but my small 2 seater car can hold nothing.

[The Budget Man]

Re: Ever rescued anything from the Curbside?

Has anyone found a good way of getting rid of furniture when it can't be put out on the kerbside?

Enjoy Your Money
The Budget Man

https://www.PersonalityBudgeting.com

A budget when you need it