Found about a dozen hamburger buns, bagels and bread. Good stuff, fairly new. Took a few loaves homes to freeze in the freezer. Gave the rest to the invisible people. The people you don’t see during the day or encounter in your world. The janitors, street sweepers and security guards.
Found a 6 pack of diet tonic water. Now that’s an idea, diet tonic water w/vodka. Hmmm. I will try that!
Brand new pretty purple umbrella in the trash. Brand new in the box. Now I have one for my car and one for my house! Woo hoo!
Been finding more and more cans and bottles. My back yard is full of rinsed cans, plastic bottles and beer bottles to take to the local recycling center. Lots of people are either drinking more (because they’re depressed over the economy) or they’re drinking more at home as it’s cheaper and safer than being at a bar.
I’m one of the underemployed as the government would call me. Not completely broke and out of benefits but not steady work in 2 years. A year ago I was really depressed about not working. Worried about money, a lot of things, but not now. It’s odd, I should be depressed but I’m not! In fact, I’m quite happy. I really am and not in a pollyanna sort of way.
I’m more of a homebody now. I’m active politically in my community working on issues that affect me and mine. My main issue is the economy. It’s all about jobs. If a person is healthy and making a decent income he or she is empowered. Someone who is empowered cannot be manipulated. Bad for the government, good for the individual.
Last night recovered chips, bottled waters (lots of it), men’s adult diapers (good for soaking up spills or God forbid a temporary bandage on a big wound), one 2 speed massager (new – works great for my tennis elbow and my bum knee), skin care and makeup.
Since I do not have health insurance and right now cannot afford it I have to self medicate minor injuries. The massager will be great tool for that.
The skin care and makeup I’ll be donating to a local shelter this week. The water I will keep.
There were several street people hovering by me last night. They didn’t get too close. When I got everything out I could (there were tons and tons of stuff left) I gave them some chips and water. I know it’s not very nutritional (the chips) but it was the best I could do that late at night.
I’m living on a bare bones budget. Later at night and first thing in the morning (right when the stores open) you’ll see discounted meat. Meat that needs to be sold that day. If you freeze it, you’re fine. Sometimes there is much as a 50-75% reduction in price.
Shop the clearance aisles. You’d be amazed at what you’d find. Target has clearance aisle all on the outside of their stores. You can find some seriously great bargains.
Cook at home – I can’t emphasize that enough. It’s great for your wallet and your waistline. If you must eat out on an occasional basis – look for coupons and deals. Restaurants are hurting and they need the money. Lastly, don’t forget to give a decent tip – food servers are hurting too.
I have a corkboard in my kitchen. When there is a great deal on a product I always buy I stick the coupon on my corkboard. I walk by it several times a day. How many times did something great come on sale and you forgot about it? Don’t forget good coupons as well. Ralph’s with their double coupons can save you a tremendous amount of money.
Last but not all least – for the most part people who work in retail or the food industry are generally mistreated by the public. Extend a little kindness to them. Believe me, it will go a long way. I get treated like a queen when I come in my regular stores. I treat these employees well and give them many of my finds.
Last night didn’t find anything but picked lots of cans and bottles to redeem for money. Money I can use for food. Thank God I have rent and utilities set aside, but food, that’s another thing. To get money for food, I need to pick up cans and bottles, sell things at garage sales, it’s all good. I’m not whining. I’m giving my perspective on the economy seen through my eyes.
We have so many commercial buildings vacant. Retail is dead. Dead because consumers have no purchasing power. They have no purchasing power because they have no jobs or on unemployment which BARELY pays the bills. We have systematically shipped jobs overseas to save money. Last time I checked Nike shoes are still expensive and they’re made in Indonesia? What gives.
It’s all greed. Greed is not good. Making money and exploiting others is NOT good. Making money and treating your employees and the community well IS good.
Now we’re at a crossroads here. The same citizens who helped all these corporations make money need to be helped by these same groups. Do the elitists and the government honestly think we like unemployment? NO! We want to work, but there is nothing there!
Bring back the manufacturing job base of factories here in America. Not China, Mexico or some other country, HERE!
All those commercial buildings? Here’s a common sense thought. Let the homeless live there but they gotta work for it. Put up a bunch of bunk beds, install a couple of showers and a kitchen to cook hot meals. Take the food from grocery stores every night that throw away food. The homeless would have to pick up litter and help build the infrastructure in our country. This would allow them dignity of having a roof over their head, clean food and a hot meal. That’s far better than stimulus money.
Once again if you don’t recycle – that’s OK. Please separate your cans, bottles and plastic water bottles. Set them aside on the road so that the homeless can take them or people who AREN’T homeless can take them, redeem them and have some food money.
Is anyone listening?
Found last night. Cookies and crackers, water, crayons, Tylenol arthritis pain pills, lipstick, eye shadow, cane sugar, gift bags, masking tape, trash bags (oxymoron), hair accessories, cell phone car charger.
Found about 100 ear plugs in packages with container. IN THE TRASH – NEW! I dug every single one out and decided to give them away. What am I going to do with those?
Went down to the beach tonight and gave every one of them away. Some people were all like hell yeah, thank you, some were suspicious (like why the hell this person is giving these away). You’d thought I was giving away money!
That is one of the BIGGEST reasons I dive. To give stuff to someone who really needs it. With so many Americans out of work one would think these stores would either donate it or give to their customers. The SAME customers who spent money in these stores when times were good. Now it’s time for these stores to give back.
Wants to know how to help poor people?
Sort your cans and bottles, set them outside with a sign that says something like free cans and bottles and let someone have them. Who cares who takes them into the recycling center? Either a street person will pick them up or someone like me who isn’t homeless who will pick them up to redeem them for money. Either way the money is recycled back into the economy – creating jobs and keeping the flow of money.
Throwing stuff in the trash that can be used stifles the flow of money.
Last night on my route I found something odd. One of my routes has a new age mother earth store that sells natural products and food. I rarely shop there as I feel they’re too expensive and other Mom and Pop stores are far better.
In their trash there were 2 huge bags of aluminum cans and plastic bottles – all of which can be redeemed at a local recycling center for cash. Since they were going to be thrown away I took them home. I rinsed all the cans and bottles out while listening to my podcasts on my MP3 player. It’s about $10 worth of cans and bottles – money I can sure use.
Surely some employee at this store could have put those cans and bottles in a container, kept a collection going and eventually redeem them in a local recyling center. I also see this at the big local club stores. They’ll have a demo of something and throw the cans and bottles in the trash. Ridiculous.
A few months ago I asked the demonstrator what they were doing with those plastic bottles. She said we’ll just throw them away. That was enough for me. I said let me have them and I’ll take them to a local recycling center. $13 worth of plastic bottles, money I used for food.
These stores have NO business espousing a green environment when they’re throwing away cash in the trash.
I would rather work 5 weird jobs than to have one job where I’m sitting in a desk with soul sucking work. I’ve did that for many years. The back stabbing, the politics and the bullying is bad for you and AGES you.
Today went to a local retail establishment I frequent. It’s full of young kids going to college, some adults like myself, most all are the working poor. They think I’m Santa Claus. My bag of cosmetics and food were getting too much for my small house. It’s time to clean out the clutter. They were thrilled. Tons of good high end cosmetics for the ladies and juice and snacks for the kids. It all works out.
Tonight found several bottles of shower gel, perfume spray, flavored lotion, sponges for baths, a new toaster, a new electric razor, energy drinks, snacks, 12 pack of beer.
Yes a 12 pack of beer. I can’t for the life of me figure that one out. Well it’s all good. At least I’ll have alcohol in the house for company, it’s always good to have. I keep liquor in the house, wine, tequila, vodka, etc., when I have company over for a drink.
I’m going to start happy hour at my house. Instead of spending untold amounts of money to go to a bar, happy hour will be at my house for my neighbors. They can walk home and not have to worry about a DUI and we all get some good eats. I may do that for Halloween.
I think it’s very important to have a good sense of community and know your neighbors. You don’t have to be soul mates or best buddies, but some conviviality is a good idea. In case SHTF we have a network of like minded folks to work with.
Flavored water (6 bottles), more shower gel, cookies (god I have a serious sweet tooth), makeup and some lotion.
The flavored waters I really love but they’re not cheap. So I stockpile them up for future use.
Found a brand new DVD player – it works I tested it.
I recently had so much food stockpiled I had to donate a lot of it. I don’t want it to go bad and I dislike hoarding or clutter. I donated the food (crackers, cookies, popcorn, etc) to a few families in my neighborhood. A couple of my neighbors still have a job so these snacks are good to take in their lunchbox.
Win win for all. I get the clutter out of my house, my neighbors get some needed food for snacks and it stays out of the dumpster.
1 bottle of children’s cough syrup, 25 containers of microwave popcorn, teeth whitening strips, adult diapers (work great for cleaning the house and floor), 1 new purse, high end candies, Chrismtas lights, K-Y Jelly, mascara, paper clips and 1 set of stereo headphones.
The Adult diapers are very good for cleaning up any big spills (the cloth side of them) or a bandaid if you were bleeding.
As far as the K-Y jelly goes, who knows? The seal was still on so it’s safe to take. I read somewhere it’s a good lip gloss. Nope, I won’t touch that one with a ten foot pole.
I’ve got so much food stockpiled now, I’m going to have to give some away. I hate clutter. I keep a pretty clean house so once my finds pile up, they’re off to be donated or sold at a garage sale. I’m having a garage sale pretty soon. The extra money helps me out and keeps food on the table.
I sold a few items this week. The money I got from those items went for meat for the week. I found a good deal on steak. I section the meat off and put it in individual zip lock bags. That way I take one out, let it thaw and cook it on my George Foreman grill.
3 large candles, wonderful scents, mango, lime and vanilla. 1 big bottle of shower gel (funny, I was almost out – now I have some), 1 pair of new flip flops, perfect for the beach, 1 purse, 1 bottle of hand cream and 1 container of perfume. At least I’m gonna smell good!
God and the universe have a sense of humor. Every single time I’m out of something OR I have a wish list about something, I find it!
The job I did get a few weeks ago maybe ending any day now. Bummed out. Big time. But God will provide. When family or others tell me how I am, it’s always great. I always act as if. Actually I am great. I have everything I need right now.
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