My grandmother taught me well. After years of hearing about (and sometimes benefiting from) her rescues from alleys and dumpsters, I am trained to see others' trash as my treasure (or at least a decent make-do-for-now piece). So, I happily furnished my outdoor space with free stuff that just needed a little clean-up and spray paint:

While we probably wouldn't seek out wicker side tables for the ultimate in patio furnishings, we scored a matching pair and a lower coffee style table on two separate alley-walking occasions, allowing us to spend our dollars on a fab outdoor rug instead.