Dumpster Diving 101

I am often asked where I find all the coupons I have. Well to start most people who know me well, friends, family, and co-workers usually keep their eyes open and pick em up for me when they see them, not to mention I find majority just by always being on the lookout.

One of the best ways though I have found to come across coupons, especially inserts is to 'dumpster dive'. I call it this, however it really is nothing like what people would consider dumpster diving. 

I went onto the City of Edmonton Website to locate their Eco-Stations (this is what they are actually called), and found a couple that were closest to me. I assume if your in a different city you could do this as well. Click Here to goto the City of Edmonton's list of Eco-Stations.

When I am there, there are actually quite a few people milling in and out doing different things. I have met many people who are looking for different things, some are looking for books (great idea!), magazines (I find all kinds of new ones), fire wood, coupons, cans/bottles and many other things. Its a great place to find free items, especially things we spend lots of money on. I love buying magazines; mainly gossip and cooking ones, but at $5 a pop thats a bit of money out of pocket. I often find brand new magazines in the bins, some even still in the packaging. I will never buy a magazine again, haha. I also like to put my spices and pastas in baby food jars as there see through, and I find that there are loads at the recycle centers as well.

Be prepared though and bring a pair of gloves, I wear thin winter gloves. The paper leaves ink all over your hands otherwise, and sometimes people dispose of the wrong items in these bins from time to time.

At the bins I goto usually there pretty full so I can just sift through the papers standing outside the bin, but sometimes its a bit less than half full so I just hop on in there. Just make sure people know your there or they may through something in while your in there, hehe.