Dumpster Diving
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure; Dumpster diving has been around since people have been throwing things out. Most of us are familiar with finding an end table or other piece of furniture by the side of the road and throwing it in the backseat. But many extreme frugal folks take it even further, strategically choosing dumpsters close to restaurants or bakeries that might throw out perfectly good food.
Foraging is much less unorthodox and can still save you money on food costs, but the trade-off is that it requires some naturalist skills so you don’t get sick. You’ll want to learn about which plants are toxic, local laws about foraging, and where you can forage to make the most of your trips. It’s one of the few examples here that has the added benefit of feeling more connected to nature, which we could all use a little more in our lives.
You might already be cutting coupons as a hobby. But for extreme couponers, finding and securing deals is a way of life. These individuals can often find so many deals that their total bill for groceries can be next to nothing (and sometimes actually nothing).