Searching Trash Bins for 4 Million Won a Month... "The Best Thing I've Found Is My Husband"

Story of American Couple Making Money by 'Dumpster Diving'
Act of Searching Trash Bins for Usable Items

The story of an American couple who met through a trash can and got married is gaining attention.

On the 15th (local time), the British BBC broadcast introduced the story of Dave and Erin, a 14-year married couple from the United States. Their first meeting was through a "trash can."

Dave and Erin couple. [Photo by BBC UK]

Erin said in an interview, "When I first saw my husband, I asked, 'Hey, what are you doing there?'"

Dave replied, "'I'm dumpster diving,'" he said.

Dumpster diving is the act of searching through trash bins for usable items.

In Korea, this is considered illegal acquisition. However, in some countries like the United States, it is recognized as an activity for recycling purposes and is allowed. People sometimes sell the items they find to make a profit.

In the United States and other countries, some people make significant money not only by earning living expenses through dumpster diving but also by trading secondhand goods. This is because many items are discarded without even being unwrapped.

Erin and Dave have introduced some of the items they have found so far, including a treadmill worth $2,000 (about 2.6 million KRW) and an Italian coffee machine worth $850 (about 1.1 million KRW). They have filled two containers with books they picked up and have also organized and gifted found items to people around them.

Books found by a couple in a trash bin.
[Photo by Facebook video capture]

When asked, "What is the most unbelievable item you have found?" the couple answered 23 jackknives and magazines. They said someone bought the 23 jackknives for $250 (about 320,000 KRW). They also shared a story about once finding a gun, which turned out to be a BB gun that fires using carbon dioxide gas. They said they have never actually found a real firearm.

The two explore trash cans with the spirit of treasure hunting. While they use the items themselves, they have become more skilled and now repair and refurbish items to donate or sell secondhand. Through this, their monthly income is about $3,000 (approximately 3.92 million KRW).

Erin said, "Due to high inflation, more people are trading secondhand goods with us," adding, "Because we sell items we find ourselves at lower prices, more transactions are completed."

Finally, Erin said, "Whenever people ask me, 'What is the best thing you have found by rummaging through trash cans?' I answer, 'My husband,'" and Dave smiled, saying, "It's similar."