An American woman from Texas, Tiffany Butler, 34, has made headlines for her valuable finds during her dumpster diving activities. Butler, who regularly sifts through discarded items to rescue usable goods, recently discovered a large bag of brand new New Balance trainers in a bin.
The trainers, which are valued at over Rs 10,000 each, were among several other new items, including water bottles, T-shirts, and socks from the same brand. Butler, who searches through dumpsters two to three times a week, reported that this particular discovery was a stroke of luck, as she had previously had no success in that location.
"You never know when stores are going to toss stuff-it's really just all about luck," Butler, who dumpster dives at least two to three times a week, told What's The Jam.
Butler calculates that over the course of two years, she has made around $80,000 (Rs 66,99376) from reselling things she discovers in the trash. She shares her discoveries with her three million social media followers, demonstrating the potential value of items that others might discard.
However, getting valuables or cash is not new in this world. There have been several instances around the world where people have found cash or other valuables, like jewellery, in the trash.
Also Read | Rs 25 Crore Found By Bengaluru Ragpicker "Printed Or Photocopied": Police
In 2023, a Bengaluru ragpicker stumbled upon several bundles of US dollars worth $3 million (Rs 25 crore) in a pile of garbage. But after examination, police have discovered that the notes are fake.
Salman Sheikh found 23 bundles of notes in a pile of garbage on November 1 in Bengaluru’s Hebbal.
"I was doing my job, and I suddenly saw this bag at 1 pm I saw lots of cash. I just fainted. I have never seen so much money. I knew they were not Indian currency," he said.
