That's amazing! I've lived in the US for three years and it was unreal what people throw out there. I lived in an apartment complex where people moved in on a Saturday and out on a Friday. Every Friday night we'd go 'dumpster' diving for treasure. We furnished our entire apartment with those items, totally for free! We'd find reclinable seats and couches, dinner chairs and tables and we even dug up a wide-screen TV that was not working after first inspection, but when we looked into it a bit better, it was simply turned to the wrong channel! We thought it was probably done by accident by the family's children or while cleaning, and the owners just didn't look any further, thought the TV was broken and threw it out.
I used to sell at the swapmeet (second hand market) there every weekend, and the best part of my weekend would be early in the morning when I'd walk across the market to find things people just wanted to get rid of quickly. I'd buy their items and then sell them on for twice the price, or even more! It was a great place for people with half a brain! LOL. My very best buy ever were four silver cups, sold to me for a dollar. I sold those on a few weeks later for $85,- each...Nice mark-up and the guy who bought it was happy as could be, since he was probably going to sell them on for even more.
Unfortunately, I live in Ireland now and here a second hand market usually means trash while paying top prices for it. But sometimes you can come across some nice items for a good price when people just don't know what they have.
Thanks for connecting with me on this stuff. It sounds like we're of the same cloth and find pride in saving things that shouldn't have been wasted. Nice job on the 1>$85 x4 cups. Were they sterling silver? Re: recycling/upcycling, as long as you have the awareness, you'll always be able to benefit/help as opportunities arise.
Hi @steemmatt, yes the cups were sterling silver. I brought them to an appraiser and he almost dropped his glasses when I told him how much I paid for them.
And I've recently started to clear out my house. First of all because I want more space and less clutter, and secondly because a lot of the things that don't serve us, might serve someone else. Some of it will be sold, some of it given away, but either way: someone will be making use of the things that are just gathering dust here.
It's really a win/win situation for everyone and a great feeling when you're making money but also helping others.