TRASH OR TREASURE
I’m a dumpster diver mum – I’ve made £60k by rummaging through BINS full time & some of what I find is brand new
One of her finds included brand-new items which cost £100 each
A DUMPSTER diving mum has revealed that she rakes in a staggering £60,000 by rummaging through bins full-time.
Tiffany Butler, 34, roots through trash cans for a living, discovering everything from groceries to cosmetics and electronics.
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The practice, called dumpster diving, is legal in her home state of Texas.
And it is as glamorous as it gets - with Tiffany wearing gloves to rifle through big containers and save hundreds of objects from landfill.
She had previously calculated that in two years of skip diving and subsequent sales of her treasures, she would have made about £62,200.
Last week, the savvy mum has found a cache of brand-new trainers while trying out a location she'd never had luck with.
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In her latest haul, Tiffany stumbled upon a bin containing nine pairs of New Balance trainers together with tag-untouched water bottles, T-shirts and socks.
The mum-of-four was shocked to see a large bag full of the trainers, which sell for more than £100.
She said: “You never know when stores are going to toss stuff – it’s really just all about luck.”
Tiffany ventures on her skip raids two to three times a week and spends five to six hours a day searching through big-brand-store bins.
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Her husband, an electrician, helps make the required repairs and the pair then sell around 75% of her finds, donating or keeping the remaining items.
Tiffany, who has been diving for the past eight years, said she finds all manner of things on her hunts.
I’m a mum of four and will do anything to save cash, I force my kids to go rooting in rat invested bins to salvage things
She added: “If you can name it, I've probably found it.”
The re-loved treasures include everything from pricey hair wrap tools to fish tanks, treadmills, makeup and snacks – which are later shared with her 3million TikTok followers.
One viewer joked: “Worker was coming back for that.”
“I’m glad you’re salvaging these things. Why would they not donate!?” another user wondered.
Someone else commented: “Definitely a good score and bunch of it is not cheap.”
“Great find for back to school!!!” said another follower.
What is Dumpster Diving?
DUMPSTER diving refers to the practice of looking through bins for food or items of value.
Jessica, a dumpster diving influencer, made a name for herself picking up incredible hauls by bin-raiding outside stores.
The YouTuber has previously bagged more than £950 worth of products in one session and amassed a following of more than 25,000 subscribers through sharing stories of her trash-rummaging exploits.
She recommends doing skip searches at night, as she finds it awkward bumping into an employee and having to explain what she’s doing.
Dumpster diving is not technically illegal in the UK, as rubbish isn't seen as anyone's property.
You are able to dumpster dive if the bins are out in the open and on public land while not being locked, but you may be asked to move along.
However, if a bin is stored on private property the diver could possibly be prosecuted for trespassing.
Another user added: “Jackpot!!!”
Users are shocked at her impressive hauls and have long been asking for tips on how to find bargains of their own – with Tiffany spilling the beans so others can follow in her footsteps.
As for the best places, she recommends popping by dumpsters near shops like Aldi, Starbucks and other high street stores for goodies like speakers, food and even clothes – though the latter can sometimes prove a challenge.
A man who turned dumpster diving into his full-time job has shot to fame for his exploits.
Jonas Fernandez, 24, has revealed that he's found plenty of clothes, a staggering amount of unopened electronics, toys, gold coins, jewelry, and even an Olympic medal.
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Another mum, a self-proclaimed "Queen of Frugalness" shared how she forces her kids to go rooting in rat infested bins for "treasure";.
Rosanna Tran said that despite living in a nice house and being able to afford to spend money, she doesn't think it's "necessary".
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