Difference Between Curb Shopping and Dumpster Diving

Many people tend to think of dumpster diving and curb shopping as being two different terms that apply to the same activity. However, there are significant differences between these two thrifty endeavors that make each activity unique. Here is what you need to know about curb shopping and dumpster diving before you employ either approach to stretching your budget.

One of the more obvious differences between curb shopping and dumpster diving has to do with where the items of interest are located. With curb shopping, people place items they no longer want by the roadside, effectively telling anyone who comes along that the items are free and up for grabs. Since many jurisdictions consider the first few feet beside a road to be public property, anyone can walk up to the discarded goods and inspect them without actually being on private property. Curb shoppers are generally considered to be within their rights as long as they don't venture further onto the property and are not specifically asked to leave the premises by the owner or occupant of the property.

By contrast, dumpster diving involves physically stepping onto private or commercially operated property. Further, the action involves entering the dumpster and rifling through the contents of the dumpster. While the practice seems innocuous, there may in fact be local regulations and statutes that prohibit this type of activity.

In some jurisdictions, stepping onto private property for the purpose of opening a dumpster and exploring the contents is considered trespassing. Depending on the laws that apply to trespassing, the offending party may be subject to a fine or possibly even an arrest followed with some jail time. This is true when entering a dumpster behind any retail establishment, including grocery stores or department stores.

Even if the dumpster is located on municipal property, there may be a legal prohibition that applies to diving for freebies. The general idea behind laws of this type is that the items in the dumpster remain the property of the municipality until the local sanitation department or the service that supplies the dumpster retrieves them. At that point, the contents become the property of whichever authorized agency empties the dumpster. Should a citizen choose to remove an anything from the dumpster, he or she may be subject to prosecution by the municipality or the entity that owns the dumpster.

While there are relatively few laws that prohibit the practice of curb shopping, many people are surprised to learn how many communities prohibit dumpster diving for these and other reasons. Before choosing to engage in any dumpster diving activity, check with local authorities to determine what laws and regulations may apply to the activity. Doing so will prevent incurring a fine that amounts to more than the value of the treasures you collected, as well as keep you from possibly being arrested for trespassing.