A 22-YEAR-old has found $20,000 worth of brand-new goods by diving headfirst into dumpsters — and she’s proud of her hobby.
What started as a late-night curiosity quickly turned into a passion, and now Melanie Diaz of Tampa, Florida , has over 2.5 million TikTok followers watching her every dive.
Her daily trips to stores such as Bath & Body Works, Five Below , and TJ Maxx are helping her decorate her entire home for free.
She’s even found 12 pairs of brand-new Nike Air Jordans tossed into a dumpster outside a store.
“I started dumpster diving around a year ago,” Diaz said. “One day, it was like one in the morning, and I saw a video about all the dumpster divers. I couldn’t believe it.
“So I decided to go see it for myself and see if it was true. I remember the first place that I went was Five Below — the dumpster was full of items.”