Freecycle.org

[AmyBoz]

This post could really have gone anywhere, but I chose to put it here because I think that freecycle is a great way to help save money if you are looking for something and to help you save money in not having to clean items that you give away.

For those not familiar with this, www.freecycle.org is a Yahoo! group that allows you to connect with other people in your area and give away or request items. You post that you have an item to offer and then people e-mail you and ask for the item. Or, you can post that you are looking for something and people will respond that they have this item and here is where it can be picked up. No money ever changes hands and it keeps things out of our landfills.

I just posted about it in my blog today (see link in signature) in the hopes that more people will begin to use freecycle. I have been able to get rid of so many items and have always felt good that people are getting good use out of something I no longer want.

So, if you've never tried it, check it out!

[Momto2Boyz]

I also wanted to note that a few years ago, the freecycle site put some restrictions on their sites and who could use their name, etc.

So when that happened, at least in our area, other similiar sites popped up with different names. So you might do a web search for something similiar and find other groups to join too! We have 2 other sites in our area, one is called DeKalbshare and the other is DeKalbinfogroup. They all do the same thing, so keep your eyes open while your searching!

And also in the same respect, there are tons of barter groups out there too that work in trade instead of just posting free items! These are neat sites too!

[santoria]

we've got a few different ones around here too...the people running the freecycle for our city were a bunch of egomaniacs who just ban and delete at their own whim.

I've given up on freecycle (but got rid of a lot of stuff, and have met a lot of great people)

I've started going to www.kijiji.ca and usedcalgary....they're much easier. and less RULES

[freebs]

we have Freecycle and Recycle here. Also that is too bad that those mods banned members. I am our local freecycle mod and i hvae never banned anyone.

[santoria]

the lady mod is really controlling...if there's one little bit on the title out of place she'll delete it and ban you. (I've been banned a few times cause the fingers go too fast and then I click). she's got a major power trip.

[chettasmom]

My local freecycle is run by a woman who allows it to be more like a chat room than anything else and it drives me nuts! I've seen slanderous posts on there that she allowed through because she is "cyber friendly" with the woman who posted them..she actually had to be threatened with legal action to take them down..anyway, the freecycle in my area is a JOKE. I remember one time I posted that I had a free walkman to give away..I must have gotten a hundred pathetic posts from people whose reasons for wanting the walkman went from "they were blind and needed excercise" to "I can't afford one right now because I'm not working but I need it when I'm driving around looking for free stuff on curbs"..wierdness right? Also there is a girl on my local freecycle (whom I provided a "secret santa" for her little girl a few years back because she pleaded true poverty, was pregnant again, fiance was injured and couldnt work blah blah blah)..who is continually trying to post things for sale on freecycle instead of using our local barter cycle..AND she always adds in her posts.. "Money is tight right now or we are broke"..but this morning I noticed that she was looking for games for an xbox thingy for the trip they are taking to MAINE..I was like..OMG are you KIDDING ME???? For someone complaining about being so broke, she can afford the gas for a 7 hour/one way trip to Maine..xboxs, expensive phones, a hot rod car that she is always looking for new tires for, and a ton of other things I would never claim to even own if I was pleading poverty on a website..

[DonnainME]

Our freecycle is pretty good. I have only posted once a want - clothes for almost 13 yo dd size 5 or 7 jr. One person replied wanting to know if she was brand specific, I said no. But they never replied back either. I haven't had anything to post on there yet. I know I will sometime. things seem to go very FAST here though.

[AmyBoz]

I'm sorry to hear that a few of you have had negative experiences. My experiences with Freecycle have always been positive, and I would encourage anyone to check into their local freecycle group and give it a try before forming any opinions.

[suebeehoney]

We have a Freecycle chapter for our local area as well, but my issue with it is that when you post something as an Offer, 9 times out of 10, the people that respond never show up to get the item. So you have to post it again. And again. And again - before it gets picked up. You'd think since it's a free item, people would be johnny-on-the-spot to pick it up! Leads to a lot of wasted time waiting around for them to show and then trying again.

Also, when items are posted that I'm looking for, I've noticed they get snapped up by others before I can get to them - I guess you have to be right at your computer at the moment it's listed to get it! I finally gave up posting or looking for anything on there - and the "daily update" they send you via e-mail is pretty much useless, because the items are already taken by the time they send it out (at night).

just my $0.02.

[cmdarlin]

We have freecycle here but sometimes the request are redicilous. Cars for example. I've given away alot of items on it but never seem to be lucky enough to get anything we need.

Debbie in Missouri

[treeluva]

A few years ago I gave away my daughters play kitchen via freecycle. The woman that responded to the post was very nice, promptly came to pick up the kitchen for her daughter, and seemed geniunely appreciative of finding a play kitchen for her 2 year old daughter for free. Soon after I moved to Germany and I haven't used it again since. I did have to stop getting posting notifications because the amount of mail in my inbox was ridiculous.

[geckoace]

i love freecycle and generally have good experiences with it. we got our kitchen sink and ton of toys mosty the big outdoor stuff, a gew articles of clothing a dozen canning jars, chairs, curtains, a bistro set, shelves for the basement and our entry way, plants, building supplies, our christmas tree, so much stuff i cant even name it all.

and i give away a ton of stuff as well, so much so that family members drop stuff off her and i freecycle it for them

i think it is a fantastic resource

[MoonMommy]

I mostly post stuff to give away on my freecycle. My Dad loves it. For us, it is cheaper to have someone come and take the stuff away (and hopefully reuse it) than to try to take it to the dump. We have gotten rid of an old riding lawn mower, dog crates, empty cat litter containers, and old audio tapes that I hadn't used in years.

Mine does seem to have some people who seem to ask for absolutely EVERYTHING but I just ignore that and I have my options set so that I only get notified if someone replies to one of my posts.

[Frugal Nurse]

I don't mind Freecycling at all. But it seems like it's the same ole people grabbing up everything.
Seriously.
Some guidelines to help avoid the hoarders, was to look at the past posts and see if the person was a hoarder or did they freecycle too?

So, I did that - and I discovered a new thing. The freecycler hoarders who sit by their computers for a new item to come on and the grab it. -- If they don't like it - it's freecycled back out.

Now they look like a 'freecycler' I'm on to them though.

Another situation that occurred and this information was apparently an error that it went out to all - but I know better. It was used to inform the members.

Anyway, this is what happened. A mod held the post of a HOT item and emailed the person for a pick up. The person didn't reply right away.
And waited for others to reply.
Eventually the OP gave it to another poster.
Well the Mod writes to the poster (and a copy of the letter was included) ...... how could he have given it to someone else.. she was the first - she knows it because she replied even before the post went out, etc etc. REALLY YELLED AT HIM.

So the poster is all confused. and apparently wrote the board. and all hell broke loose.

Apparently people were realizing that their posts were delayed a long time and she had done this before -replying before a post had even posted.
(I've actually seen that done - but just thought MY computer was slow.)

Just keep an eye out.

Not good experiences on getting a freecycle item.
once I drove to the house - nothing was there
another, I couldn't find the house and realized the gas involved actually made me under.
then I noticed that the person who was giving stuff away was doing it one little item at a time. (at the time i was gathering things for my daughter's apartment) One utensil holder. Next day - one pan. Next day - one pot.
Irritating.
Just put a box of kitchen stuff out! Gas is too expensive