Key Takeways
Businesses discard billions of dollars in inventory every year due to minor damage, approaching use-by dates, or simply to clear space on the shelves. To them, it isn’t worth the effort required to sell it or donate it.
But one corporation’s trash is another person’s treasure. Once associated with necessity, young people are heading out to dumpster dive – searching through commercial waste to save perfectly usable goods from landfill – in the hopes of turning garbage into gold.
EduBirdie surveyed 2,500 Gen Z and millennials on the growing trend, why young people are turning to trash diving, and whether the hustle really pays off.
Life’s expensive, budgets are tight, and who says no to free stuff? No longer a niche trend, 31% of young people now dumpster dive, with 13% admitting it’s their main way of getting food and essentials.
Likewise, 21% are curious, but haven’t tried it… yet. Legality is a question mark for many, with comment sections full of people asking, “Can you get in trouble for dumpster diving?” and “Is dumpster diving legal?”
According to federal law, if it’s on public property, it’s yours to take. However, trespassing on private property or forcing entry are crimes. Likewise, many local laws prohibit it, so check before you dive in.
More than a quarter (26%) of young people were introduced to dumpster diving by loved ones, while 11% figured it out for themselves. However, most (43%) discovered the trend on TikTok – with #DumpsterDiving videos showing lucrative scores, from smartphones to snacks, and makeup to money, grabbing their attention.
While some are happy to get their hands dirty and share it across social media, for many millennials and Gen Z, dumpster diving is still a little too embarrassing to admit to, with 19% keeping their hobby secret from friends, family, and colleagues.
Clothing (66%), furniture and home decor (59%), and tech and gadgets (54%) are top of the dumpster diving wishlist. However, high-quality food (47%) and DIY and craft suppliers (40%) make for tempting trash, too.
You can’t believe everything you see on social media. There’s a high chance many of those dumpster diving videos – the ones where people find thousands of dollars buried under boxes and bags – are staged.
However, it isn’t all make-believe. Not every dumpster will pay the bills, but many do genuinely contain hidden gems. Some 81% say they’ve found rare items, with some of the most common things found in dumpsters including cash and gift cards (41%), vintage goods (37%), and high-tech gadgets (34%).
Some 41% of dumpster-diving millennials and Gen Z say they do it to curb unnecessary waste and protect the planet, while 44% enjoy the thrill of finding treasure. However, 70% admit their main motivation is saving money… because why pay for something you can snag for free behind the store?
As the trend grows and more people head out hoping to turn trash into cash, the hobby can get cutthroat. Fighting for the best places to dumpster dive, 37% admit they’ve squared off with others for a lucrative score.
It pays, and pretty well, too. Some 88% of young divers say it saves them money each month, with 42% pocketing between $50 and Q$200, and 8% raking in over $500.
It generates views and encourages sustainability, while doubling up as a lucrative side hustle. It’s no surprise that dumpster diving is quickly becoming a favorite pastime among young people.
