# 31-year-old dumpster diver brought in $140,000 in 12 months: I ‘did much more than I thought was possible’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/31-year-old-dumpster-diver-brought-in-140000-in-12-months-i-did-much-more-than-i-thought-was-possible/
- Published: 2026-11-07T14:15:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T15:49:25+00:00
- Original publisher: CNBC (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/2026/11/07/dumpster-diver-resale-business.html
- Topics: Business

## Key points

- Stevens made about $140,000 in sales from salvaged goods.
- He resells finds through eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
- The work helped him recover from about $12,000 in debt.

## Summary

Carter Stevens, 31, made about $140,000 in sales over 12 months by finding discarded goods in and around Nashville and reselling them online. His story shows how salvaged items can become a source of income, while also highlighting the amount of usable property people throw away.

He began dumpster diving in March 2024 and has sold items including Persian rugs, office chairs and samurai swords on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. He also finds shipping materials in bins, saying this means he avoids paying for them about 90% of the time. Stevens sometimes seeks permission to search sites, and says he leaves when asked; he does not think his earnings are necessarily sustainable. He started while around $12,000 in debt and says the work helped him build savings.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.