Anyone ever make good use out of someone elses "throw aways"?

[Kallison]

Our neighbors are terribly wasteful, I trash pick all the time. I've gotten an entire wrought iron patio set, with a brand new table. One chair had a little bit of rust, the cushions were faded and I flipped them. I have the lounger on my porch, the table I 'll save for the kids when they move out one day. The same family threw out 5 pool chair molded plastic loungers last summer, I looked them up online they go for about $150 each. Some where discolored, white and the rest where hunter green and perfect. DH used to say he was embarrassed then one day he called me on the way to work and said -- can you go get the iron firewood holder the neighbors are throwing out? I've gotten a wire shoe stand for our back door, wind chimes, another molded plastic table and chairs (they threw out the stacking chairs one year with the price tag on them and the table the next year). It really sickens me, don't these people worry about filling up our landfills.

 

[Hippychickali]

You know, some people would rather throw good stuff away then give it to anyone else. My parent's neighbours had this old car in their backyard for about three years. It wouldn't run and was basically junk. I had a working car that was a year or so older but in great condition that I drove at the time. I called them up and told them I would give them a hundred bucks for their junked car because I could use it for parts. They said no because they were planning on getting it up and running. (Keep in mind, that would cost a lot more than the car was worth.) Knowing these people and how greedy they were, I said fine. Last year, they hauled the car to the dump. So, instead of giving it to me and making some money, they paid to have it hauled to the dump.

Ali

 

[Chim Chiminy]

Military communities are another good resource for "curbside shopping." Especially in the summer, when most families PCS.
A lot of goods are thrown out so they can make the weight limit for shipping.

Haven't lived on a base in over four years, but when we did I got all kinds of goodies for my kids that way.

It always troubles me though that people would rather the items go to the landfill then donating them to Goodwill or a charity.....

 

[bigmerle1966]

Unfortunatley some people are just like that, they don't care. Rather than take the time to call someone like AMVETS or Salvation Army they would rather just pitch it in the trash. Just the other night my DM was standing outside talking to a neighbor and another neighbor came out of his townhouse with a box in his hand and went over to where we put our trash for pick up. He proceeded to dump the unbagged trash that was in the box on top of the other garbage bags that were sitting there already. He then set the box down on there too. This area is just a pick up area not a dumpster and the trash men do not pick up anything that is not in a bag. He got angry when my mother (who is on our community board) told him he that and that he could be fined by our HOA because that is considered dumping. Part of our monthly HOA fee goes to a landscaping company to come out two times a week and clean up the trash area after the trash and recycling are picked up. Why this person didn't just set the box down I cannot understand. But then again we do have people who will run out the door of their house and drop off their trash in that area as the trash truck is turning out of our parking lot.