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Dumpster Diving

Jennifer, St. Louis, MO

You'd be amazed to see the things that people will throw out! I like to drive around on Thursday afternoons in the springtime. I've found chairs, tables AND artwork just parked on the roadside. I'm more than happy to give them new life at my home!

The Dolans say: Way to go Jennifer! Going with used merchandise is a GREAT way to save some big bucks! Of course, make sure you are safe and sanitary. Think twice about going with used baby equipment, for example.

Besides hoping to pick up items tossed to the curb, there are lots of other ways you can save by going with "gently used" items. Buy used video games for a fraction of the price at GameStop and other stores. Check out Paperbackswap.com, a site on which members can trade paperback and hardcover books for the cost of postage. You can also swap CDs on SwapaCD.com and DVDs at recently launched SwapaDVD.com.

And Freecycle.org is a membership organization that helps people give away unwanted goods, such as brand-new baby clothes, computers and furniture, to other "freecyclers" so that it won't end up in landfills.

Next: Just like mom used to make