Other peoples trash...I shake my head!

As scrap prices dropped this year, I took a hard look at reselling and repurposing stuff versus scrapping it. So far it's worked out awesomely,as long as I'm willing to wait on some stuff to "float" on eBay or Craigslist. I've taken to peering in many the dumpster, trolling the local apartment complexes. It's amazing what people throw out. Just this month:

2 - yes 2- laptops, both high end in good condition, bad hard drives. I had those lying about, popped them in, sold the two for $250 and $325.
7 nearly brand new vacuums, just clogged and dirty, didn't have to change one belt...all sold within 3 days of posting on CL...profit nearly $170
mini-fridge - brand new - sold for $50
Duraflame heater, first cold night it sold - $65
Microwave, nearly new condition - $45
Microwave parts - @ $140
dishwasher parts - @50
Fridge parts - @75
got tons of tv boards, random like new lamps, a pair of new work boots and sneakers (cleaned em good yes I did!), a 3 bag haul of all new bottles of hair care, etc (buddies GF told me like $300 dollars worth of crap, and I believe her.
and oh yeah - gold bracelet, marked 14k, tested closer to 18k, got $125 for it
and a mountain of steel, storage bins, bookcases, beds, misc hardwoods, etc....



about $1300 bucks off stuff people threw away in the dumpster, not including the goodies I got and kept!

On one hand it's awesome...like almost free money, but it also shows how some of us are such a disposable society...sad at times. I love pulling a Toshiba Satellite laptop outta the trash, but who the eff throws away a laptop? I wasn't brought up that way.

I am now googling/foursquare-ing a plan to "visit" more dumpsters at other complexes...I've found if you cruse thru and make a contact...maintenance guy lurking around, overworked/underpaid manager, and offer to haul away anything they need gone, they could care less about my picking....I'll gladly haul away dirt, branches, etc if I'm pulling over a thousand a month outta your trash!

any thoughts? tips? opinions? I will throw this out there - watch what you snag, especially furniture...the US is in the middle of a bedbug epidemic, and they suck. My folks just got rid of a mystery infestation (they live in a very nice area in rural PA) and I've had them migrate from the neighbors house once when I was city livin' - you don't wanna deal with them - evil little bastards.