A woman in Florida has discovered an unusual way to brighten her life and save a lot of money at the same time.
It simply means deciding to visit some places that many others will not.
Melanie Diaz of Tampa, Florida, finds some of the magic of Christmas after others have tried to trash perfectly good — and brand new — holiday decor items. (See the video at the top of this article.)
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The 20-year-old takes to dumpster diving in outdoor bins located behind retail outlets to find her treasures.
She has saved up to $20,000 by scavenging gifts and decor from trash cans, including wreaths from Michaels and toys from TJ Maxx, SWNS news agency reported.
Melanie Diaz from Florida receives items in December and January – and either uses them herself or shares her finds with friends and family. (SWNS)
The 22-year-old does her trash work at the treasury in December and January and pulls out discarded holiday items that would otherwise go to waste.
“It's my favorite time to go Christmas dumpster diving because they start throwing away a lot of Christmas stuff,” she told the outlet.
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“I like to save everything so I can put it in my house and decorate it for next year.”
Her discoveries include jewellery, festive shirts and cookware.
She finds bins tucked behind such well-known retailers as TJ Maxx, Burlington, Michaels, Jo-Ann Stores, Pop Shelf and Home Goods — and said she's found a bargain on holiday items.
Some of her biggest finds happen after Christmas, she said, when stores start clearing out leftover holiday inventory.
“I like to save everything so I can put it in my house and decorate it for next year,” Diaz says of her unusual trash-to-treasure expeditions. (SWNS)
“My biggest finds are in January,” Diaz told SWNS.
“I went bin diving at the TJ Maxx store and found a lot – the bin was full to the top.”
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From 10 wreaths salvaged from Michael's — valued at about $400 — to $500 Christmas trees, Diaz has curated a festive collection.
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She also picked up puzzles and dog toys from TJ Maxx, saving about $200 each, and a slew of other holiday items, including ornaments and socks, SWNS reported.
After one trip, “we got everything in the cars and the next day we had a garage sale. We also kept most of the stuff. It was unbelievable,” she said. (SWNS)
Sometimes there's so much to grab, Diaz said, that she has to ask for help.
She had to “bring my family in to help me because it was too much,” she said.
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After one trip, “we got everything in the cars and the next day we had a garage sale. We also kept most of the stuff. It was incredible.”
Diaz from Florida says her “biggest finds” are in January. (SWNS)
Her discoveries have included jewellery, festive shirts and cookware.
Diaz said that while she saves a lot for herself, she also enjoys sharing her finds with those who would like them.
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“I give some things to my friends and family,” she told SWNS.
