I go through bins to find gifts for my family – I know exactly where to look & save hundreds… most items are brand new

A SAVVY woman has revealed how she saves hundreds of pounds by diving through skips to find cheap gifts for her family.

Caroline Butler, 47, is a "professional thrifter" and charity shop expert who often makes headlines with tips and tricks on securing the best deals.

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She recently revealed how she secured £130 worth of brand-new clothing for just £15.

Now, she has turned to checking other people's rubbish - also known as skip diving.

The saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure" could not be truer for Caroline as she says her finds are mostly used around her home - or as gifts.

Caroline told Need To Know: "Don’t be afraid to look in skips – especially in affluent areas – as a lot of the time, things only need a good clean to make them good as new.

"Getting items [from here] not only helps your pocket, but it also helps the environment, as it saves things from going to landfill."

She added: "Very often, shops are happy for you to take things out of the skips and bins, but always remember to ask first.

"I’ve given some items as gifts before, but cleaning them first, and other items I donate to charity shops."

As a child, Caroline had always tried to be frugal and started focussing on finding second-hand items when she was struggling financially four years ago.

After going to numerous jumble and car boot sales, Caroline noticed loads of "like new" items could also be found outside people's homes.

One of her most expensive finds was an electronic pink ride-on Fiat 500 worth up to £200.

Caroline said: "The people had just moved into the house down the road with a skip outside and were clearing away items that the previous owner had left behind.

"I put a note through the letterbox asking if it was okay to take the car away, and knocked several times, and then they sent a text saying they were delighted for me to take the car away."

She added: "All it needed was a new battery, which cost no more than £10.

"It seemed such a waste for it to go to landfill and I knew it could surely be put to better use."

In a clip posted on TikTok Caroline revealed the car's new owner - her 14-year-old Jack Russel, Annie.

The video racked up 28,000 views and hundreds of likes and comments with many people impressed with the upcycle.

"Amazes me what the wealthy throw away," one person commented.

Fiona wrote: "It looks brand new."

Another user said: "It's nicer than my actual car."

While Tamie added: "That's so awesome. People often throw those away instead of fixing or donating."

Carolin eventually gave the children's toy car as a present to a family member and has since found picture frames, lights, ornaments and even clothing through skip diving.

She added: "It’s amazing what you can find that other people don’t want – but someone else’s trash is another’s treasure."

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