These Parents Are Dumpster Diving to Provide Food for Their Families, Save Money on Toys

Some parents in the U.S. are dumpster diving to provide for their family, amass things for their kids, or acquire items that could still be sold for cash.

Brandon, a dad of five kids, has been growing his YouTube channel, Grab it Fast, with the content of his dumpster diving activities. His videos have managed to reach over 80,000 subscribers, where the dad shares how he's able to save on food and some items that people throw in the trash.

The father usually checks dumpsters at supermarket chains and big stores like CVS or the Dollar General. His dumpster diving hauls usually include grocery items like pancake mix, crackers, boxes of cookies, and even makeup for his wife.

But Brandon also shared that most of what he gets from dumpster diving is donated in his community because he can easily fill up the trunk of his car with the goods in just one trip to a major retail store. At first, however, he started dumpster diving because he wanted to save money for his family's other expenses. He confirmed that dumpster diving is legal in his state.

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The Moms' Lucrative Dumpster Diving Hauls

Mom Tiffany She'ree is a proud dumpster diver as well and has even created a TikTok account to share videos of the treasures she has found in the trash. In a recent TikTok clip, the Dumpster Diving Mama revealed that she hit a goldmine of items from Party City, a U.S. chain store, with ten bags that were never sold. 

So, the mom plans to sell half of her haul for about 50 to 70 percent off the original price, which is still a huge profit on her part. She also said that she would donate the other half to charity.

Another mom has revealed she had hauled more than $13,000 worth of stuff by dumpster diving. Megan Godinez found expensive sports equipment, kitchen appliances, clothes, toiletries, and makeup discarded in the trash.

The mother-of-four also shared that dumpster diving has been her hobby for more than three years. She usually checks supermarkets or department stores for the hauls at least three times a week after work, and she's careful to avoid restaurants and hospitals because these establishments frown upon the practice.

Donations and Doing Good for the Environment

Godinez said she doesn't take home most of the stuff she finds because 75 percent of her haul goes to charities, including animal shelters. She also doesn't wipe out the dumpsters and takes just what she needs because other parents or families also need the items.

The mom said that her husband was "grossed out" by her hobby initially, but he has eventually warmed up to it. Like Brandon, Godinez said that dumpster divers like her are reducing wastes that end up in the landfill, which is bad for the environment, considering that a lot of these goods are still useful. Companies throw them out because of cosmetic damages like cracks, dents, or scratches.

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