When you get something from freecycle......

aliasojo

......what's the done thing to do?

Say thank you.....or say thank you and take a box of chocs along too?

Never done this before and I dont want to look daft or inconsiderate or ....anything else.

If people offer something....they're not expecting payment are they? I assume freecycle is so called because it's free and people aren't looking for cash.

I dont think I've ever been given anything big for free before.....I'm checking there's no catch, lol.

I also think I've just spotted a message from my ex husband offering something. I'm sitting on my hands....I am. I wont be bad. :rotfl:

noelphobic

I've given a couple of things away on Freecycle and not expected anything other than thanks in return. You would obviously thank them in person when you collected the item and should also thank them by sending an email to the Freecycle group. It is usually considered polite to give something away before taking something but don't think it is compulsory.

Paparika

It's free and considering you have to go collect they don't expect anything in return.

Just a thank you.

The rule is no money to exchange hands, not petrol money or anything, it's free because it's being recycled to those who cannot afford new, although i believe a lot are on there collecting what they can and sell on.

and there is me needing a sofa as pup dug a big hole in mine *sigh

Tiggergirl

I haven't had anything from freecycle yet, but have given some stuff away including a freezer.

Just make sure you are polite, arrange to collect at a time convenient for the person giving you the item, turn up when you say you will and say thank you.

I'd be horrified if someone offered payment for an item I was freecycling.

aliasojo

Thanks all. Feel better now I've checked.

foreign_correspondent

just please say thankyou, and smile! I always thank people and have a bit of a chat, but some people who have collected stuff from me have ben sooo miserable - said 'thanks' quite grudgingly, no eye contact, nothing, which I find a bit odd!

cazziebo

i've given quite a bit away through freecycle, and love it when I get a thanks and a smile. I usually respond to ads rather than advertise. One guy almost put me off completely when he got really angry because the fencing posts were too big for his car. (I'd told him they were 10ft....how big he expected 10ft posts to be I don't know!)

I gave some prom dresses away and the woman emailed me with a picture of her daughter wearing one, that was lovely.

I'd be mortified if anyone offered money.

aliasojo

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

just please say thankyou, and smile! I always thank people and have a bit of a chat, but some people who have collected stuff from me have ben sooo miserable - said 'thanks' quite grudgingly, no eye contact, nothing, which I find a bit odd!

I'm one of 'those' who speak to people in queues and smile at people I pass in corridors etc, much to the embarrassment of my children sometimes .........so that, I can do. I am also very polite and considerate ...which is why I posted here wondering if I should be doing anything else.

smileygill

Not long ago I freecycled a whole pile of stuff, from small appliances to costume jewellery. Getting the space back was great, and knowing that the things I'd hoarded but hadn't needed after all were going to get some use was cool.

Everyone thanked me, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed people's enthusiasm for their new possessions. Being told what they planned to do with them was rewarding; my bangles and beads were for a little girl's dressing-up box, my big wall mirrors would brighten up a dingy student flat. Out of maybe a dozen freecyclers, one girl brought me a bag of cheap sweeties. I still remember my delight.

So I'd say no reward was necessary beyond thanks. A tiny token of gratitude, however, should go a long way.

Or maybe I'm just a softie. You decide.

Agutka

Softie!
I got a bunch of wildflowers out of someone's garden once.
But any gifts would make me feel guilty about not offering them to people I get things from. And if everyone gave gifts, then the whole freecycle would change. Free is free. It feels great, much better than dumping ( I still can't get over those boxes of perfectly new items which hubby got sick of and just tipped.)
I'm thinking of offering a large and v v v heavy item soon. Let's see how pleasant and thankful the person having to move it will be :rotfl:.

JoolzS

There are no rules, but I do think that sending a thank-you email after receiving the item is a nice thing to do. I've given away quite a few items on freecycle and I have also really appreciated the thank-you emails I've received for a couple of them. I really don't expect a "thank you", but it's lovely to get one.

The thanks I receive in person when the item is either collected or delivered (I occasionally deliver if the person is close enough and it's easy to get it into my car) is really enough, but getting an email a day or so later is just an extra nice thing.

I do think that most people don't really know how to react to freecycle - they love the idea of free stuff, or getting rid of stuff, but I have noticed that most people (myself included) are a little uncomfortable about the whole thing. I guess it's the giving/receiving charity stigma. That needs to disappear. I think of people who take stuff I have offered as doing me a favour. If someone from freecycle didn't take the item I'd have the hassle of taking it to the dump. If I didn't offer it then they'd have to buy something. I think we need to stop being embarrassed by either giving or receiving unwanted/un-needed items.

Julie