As the cost of living in Seattle creeps toward the level of our more expensive coastal sisters San Francisco and N.Y.C., the income levels don’t seem to rise accordingly. For those of us on the lower end of the spectrum, it’s either sacrifice life’s extras or get resourceful. While bread—the staff of life that it is—isn’t often viewed as an extra, at around $3 a loaf, the handcrafted, artisan variety in the rustically decorated brown paper bags sure as hell is. No longer. In the back parking lot of Fremont’s Essential Bakery Cafe, there sits a row of Dumpsters devoted only to day-old bread. Like untouched floury treasure troves, they’re overflowing with baked goods that range from the crusty Fremont Sourdough to cinnamony Raisin Pecan, just begging to be taken to a good home and dipped in olive oil or slathered with butter and jam. Sure, they’re imperfect—like Corduroy the bear with his missing button—but, just like him, they’re good, too. So take the plunge. With a price like free, you can’t afford not to.—Aja Pecknold 1604 N. 34th St., 545-0444, www.essentialbaking.com.