Dumpster Diver Rules:
Start with a single young adult sim (adjust aging as necessary to get the full 21 days until aging up). Buy an empty lot of whatever size you like. Cheat your way to $0 in family funds. For the entire duration of young adult life, your sim will dumpster dive, and use the proceeds to build up their “dream home.”
ALL your family's worth must trace its origin back to the dumpster. You may use or sell your finds.
- You may NOT garden, unless you found the plantable object in the dumpster.
- You may NOT fish, unless you found enough fish in a dumpster to stock your own pond (10 or more).
- You may NOT busk, paint, or write novels, unless you found the appropriate money-making-device in the dumpster.
- You may NOT get a job.
- You may NOT mooch funds off other sims (although you may mooch food).
- You may NOT collect items off the ground.
- You may NOT move in/marry another sim before the founder's adult birthday (no “dowry”).
- You may NOT skill unless you are able to do it at home, with skill objects that can trace their roots to the dumpster, but once a skill object is “unlocked” (found or purchased with dumpster money), you may skill with it anywhere. A mirror or bookcase can get you started. You may watch Cooking channel, after you get a stove or bookcase with a cooking book. You may watch fishing channel only after you have found 10 of the same type of fish and stocked your own pond. You may read at the library, but only books you already have at home. Get the idea?
- You MUST pay bills.
- All items from the dumpster must be placed and/or sold by midnight on the day they were found.
- You don't have to start building up your house for 1 week. After that, however, you need to start building up your “dream home,” on your home lot (and paying bills!).
- Your “dream home,” must be fully enclosed, and on a foundation, with at least one step and a porch of at least 2 squares, and must include The Basics: 1 bed, 1 fridge, 1 counter, 1 sink, 1 stove, 1 table, 1 chair, 1 toilet, 1 shower or tub, 1 bookcase, and 1 entertainment device.
- Opportunities may NOT be accepted or fulfilled.
+1 for each room in the house 6+ squares in size (closets don't count, but hallways do)
+1 for each $1000 in family net worth (cash plus value of house, furnished, - check build/buy mode, top left corner)
+1 for each piece of furniture placed in the house beyond The Basics
+1 for each Basic item that was actually dug out of the dumpster. May have multiples of the same items, for multiple points.
+1 for each skill point earned (can be earned anywhere, but the skill object to allow gaining that skill must be placed on the home lot, before you earn the skill elsewhere)
Figure your score when your founder becomes an adult.
Note - from my experiments, it looks like you can not find a fridge, counters, mirror, or plumbing in the dumpster. But beds, tables, chairs, bookcases, stoves, TVs, stereos, computers, gaming systems, table lamps, floor lamps, and a variety of decor objects can be found there, as well as common insects, gems and ores. I did not find any fish, seeds, or produce in the dumpster, but YMMV.