Dumpster Diving: Tampa Woman Snags $20,000 in Holiday Treasures
A woman in Tampa, Florida, has found a unique and wallet-friendly way to make the holidays even brighter. Instead of paying full price for Christmas decorations and gifts, because according to FOX News, Melanie Diaz has turned dumpster diving into a holiday tradition… And it’s paying off in more ways than one.
Diaz, a 22-year-old with a knack for finding treasures, hits up dumpsters behind stores like Michaels, TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Jo-Ann Fabrics during December and January. It’s during this time that retailers toss out their excess holiday stock, and Diaz swoops in to collect what would normally be wasted. She’s managed to snag everything from wreaths and Christmas trees to puzzles, dog toys, and festive ornaments.
Dumpster Diving Pays:
The savings have been massive. In just one year, Diaz saved around $20,000 by retrieving items that are still in perfect condition, sometimes even brand new. Her biggest hauls come in January, when stores clear out their post-holiday inventory. One dumpster diving trip to TJ Maxx even netted her ten wreaths, worth about $400, and a collection of $500 Christmas trees.
But it’s not just about the savings for Diaz. She enjoys the process of finding things that brighten her home for the next year’s holidays. Occasionally, she even brings family along to help with the haul, especially when there’s too much to handle in one trip. After one successful dumpster diving outing, Diaz and her family ended up holding a garage sale to share some of their finds with others, keeping a lot of it for themselves, too.
Diaz’s unique holiday hobby has proven that one person’s trash can indeed be another’s treasure—and in her case, it’s a way to save money while adding some serious sparkle to her celebrations.
