Taking saving to the extreme - becoming a Freegan!

luxor4t

Gigervamp wrote: »

Skips around here only ever contain builders rubble.

At one time a dead Christmas tree seemed an obligatory item in every skip (used to appear overnight in a mysterious manner:rotfl:) but these days, just rubble.

azzabazza

Years ago I lent a wooden toy garage to a neighbour for her young son. I explained it had been in our family for over 30 years and could I have it back once wee boy had finished playing with it. Roll clock forward 2 years and a skip outside neighbour's door with my wooden garage perched on top of the pile! :eek:

Guess who sent her DH out after dark to retrieve it?

skipsmum

Our dog was a skip find....which is why she is called Skip!

Pink.

Hi Floydy,

We do have an existing thread on skip finds so I've added yours to it to keep the replies together.

Pink

Teg-Rem

would absolutely love to but don't live near enough to town to do so to make it worthwhile and the local Mr T doesn't throw stuff out that you can get to it's all under lock and key so to speak.

robpw2

besides that facts its stealing and you could be done for trespass , go ahead

zippychick

Pink - help me find the thread?!?!?!

Soworried

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/497067

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1633875

I have managed to find two links, I hope they help. x

To answer the question, I would do if it I needed to for my family. Thankfully OS is help enough.

frogpasty

sjprmc01 wrote: »

Aargh I don't know if it's possible to change the title and just realise iPad autocorrected it . Is meant to say freegan


Ok, i m having lots of thoughts tonight (possibly due to alcohol)

But what do you think of the freegan way of living? (for food)

Would you consider doing it (going into SM bins and seeing what you could scavenge) if there was no comeback (you wouldn't get in trouble for trespassing/theft?)

I think If for whatever reason I was desperate, then I would but I don't know if I could do it through choice!

OK big reply, bit of a novella really....:)
I saw some programs a couple of years ago about it, the amount of perfectly good food that is just going to landfill, but I like many others I'm sure hurrumphed and tsk-tsked about how discraceful it was but never actually did anything about it occasionally eyeing the bins at the rear of the supermarket and thinking "I bet there's tons of good food going to waste in there, tsk-tsk". Content to prowl the isles for those little yellow reduced tickets when the only difference was that an hour later the little yellow tickets not sold were moved to a different isle(bin) that made it easier and even more of a bargain, if only I could overcome the stigma of reaching into a bin and lifting them out.
On January 2nd, after way overspending on xmas prezzies I took the plunge, armed with a rucksack, head-torch, gardening gloves and a bobble hat I found myself at midnight in front of the bins behind my local supermarket. I lifted the lid on that first bin and I haven't looked back since. This is a small supermarket in a small town and the amount of not just good food but goods across the entire range that get wasted is STAGGERING! The amount wasted nationally is a crime. I have been rumbled once when I thought all the staff had gone, more embarrassment than anything, I said "well this is embarrassing!" and the member of staff said don't worry about it but don't let management catch you because they will call the police. Even then the worst that will happen is you will get told to move on, naughty bin raker you. I have done extensive research on this and it is possible that you could be charged with "theft by finding" a dubious moniker to start with and just as embarrassing for the supermarket as for you, and the police by the way. I have only come upon one case and the person in question was trying to load a full set of lawn furniture into their car and refused to put it back when asked to, she then proceeded to kick up hell even when the police where called. This was a last resort to sort out a complete idiot.
So far in 2012 I haven't bought a banana, or peppers, bread, courgettes, apples, potatoes, butter & margerine, chocolate, avocados, pears, butternut squash, mushrooms, strawberries, blueberries(I make so much jam from the berries that get chucked I could start a business) the list goes on and on and it's just a fraction of what I rescue, the vast bulk of it still goes to a landfill to rot, to waste. Overcome the initial stigma and the rewards are not just finacial but moral too. Get Freeganing!:T

ecstaticstatic

I haven't bought more than milk and tea bags since moving into my flat, I actually eat better now than I did before I started "skipping" (as my boyfriend calls it) because I find so many perfectly edible vegetables and fruits in local skips. I've told a few friends about it but none of them have taken it up yet (most are curious, a few look mildly disgusted).

I've only been skipping for 3 months on and off, recently I've stopped needing to pay for food almost altogether. As well as food, we regularly find furniture and have salvaged chairs, shoe stands, last month we found a very nice glass topped chess table (I just need to improve my game, other half always beating me at the moment!). On one occasion we found a toiletry bag full of expensive SEALED cosmetics by Dior, Estee Lauder etc along with a box of fancy pencils and a suitcase full of clothes (didn't take the clothes though). Why they threw this out and didn't at least donate it to charity, I do not know! In any case, I'm sorted for face wash for at least the next year...

The other week we found alcohol for the first time! 20 cans of Scrumpy Jacks cider. I'm not a cider drinker normally but the mind boggles how so much useful stuff can be destined for landfill.

Who else is a freegan/goes skipping? I'm a student so I started in the beginning as I was skint, but I'll continue to do it because it's always an adventure, I eat a better and more varied diet, and I know I'm preventing perfectly edible food from going into landfill. Win win