Do you like to save money? Do you like to save as much money as you can so that some day you can buy yourself that expensive car or vacation that you have been dreaming of?
Well I certainly do, and I’m a very frugal spender for those reasons and many more. Even if I had money to spend on whatever I wished, I think I would still try to find good deals and save as much as possible in all my projects. I’m not going to reach Bill Gates’ level of wealth with this strategy but it will go along way towards helping me save money for more important things.
We’re going to start with a local favorite; your local dump or transfer station. At our local transfer station we have 3 important sections that I never overlook when I’m there dropping off my cast-offs and recyclables.
1. The first section to scope out is the “swap shop”. The swap shop is the best place to find great used and sometimes new items left by people who simply didn’t want them anymore. At the swap shop you can bring your unwanted items and leave them for other people to come by and take for free. In some towns you do not even need to have a dump sticker to use the swap shop, you just tell the attendant that you are going to the swap shop and they let you right in. Check with your local transfer station to see if they have a swap shop or equivalent, you’d be surprised at what people leave.
Our swap shop has new items all the time, and items go fast. I have seen people not only drop off items but pick up more items on their way out, that is how fast items go. I have gotten great stuff at my swap shop including: an antique dresser, antique cabinet, infant walker 
(retails $70), Infant excer-saucer (retails $65), wine rack, infant bath tub ring (retails $30) and much more.
2. The second section to look for items is the metal pile. The metal pile has all kinds of metal items such as: old appliances, screen doors, lawnmowers, windows, metal cabinets, bicycles, sinks and more. There are always people walking around the metal pile searching for an item that they can use at home, it takes a creative eye but you can find some great metal items before they get crushed.
3. The third section is called the “construction debris pile”. Here you can find dressers, tables, chairs, mirrors, benches, couches, windows, bed frames, plywood and more. This debris pile is great because you can find a piece of furniture that may not look so great, but with an inexpensive refinishing job like painting, it could turn into a great piece of furniture.
4. Next on the list and not at the transfer station is construction dumpsters or containers. You know the big yellow, orange or red dumpsters you see at construction sites around your neighborhood? Inside these dumpsters is usually a mix of wood, and miscellaneous debris trashed at a construction job site. I have found a lot of scrap plywood and wood boards in construction dumpsters just around town. Keep in mind that this is not something you should do without #1 informing the company who owns the debris and #2 being very careful as the debris in these containers is dangerous and unstable (think nail in foot). Using what I’ve found in containers I’m building a small shed on my property to store gardening tools and our lawn mower.
5. Use COUPONS! Coupons in the mail, coupons online and coupons locally are all great ideas to save money on your purchases. I recently got some coupons from my local hardware store, one coupon was for $20 in total savings, all I ended up spending was about $1 and I got $19 in return. If you sign up for the blizzard fan club at Dairy Queen you get emails monthly that have a buy one get one free coupon. If your local stores have mailing lists, sign up, they will send you coupons and you will save money, I guarantee it.
All 5 of these tips will save you money and best of all, most of them cost you nothing at all. If you have any tips to add to this list leave your idea in the comments and we’ll add it to the list. Happy hunting to all of you!
