I didn't know about curb recycling yet before I quit. However, I was initially running a dedicated thrifting resale business on eBay for about 1.5 years while employed full-time and doing quite well. I started with the resale for fun, but was eventually covering my bills in my spare time via thrifting while working, hustling on lunch breaks, after work, and on weekends. This was by design to give me a sense of confidence and comfort when I quit.

As for recycling, I literally walked right into it next to my apartment after changing neighborhoods, and could never unsee the value in plain sight that I'd foolishly overlooked for years before. After that, I started phasing out of thrifting to focus on the free inventory which helps the environment.