Freecle / freecycle and balloons on sticks

uncle-buck_2

I've been reading this thread with great interest, nodding my head with almost every post agreeing that it's got silly on there now.

When i first joined up, i was a member of three different group as i was right inbetween all three, and would receive upwards of 180 e-mails per day...these days i'm lucky if i get 60, and most of them are 'wanted' ads.

Cars, motorbikes, LCD tvs, the latest game consoles and phones, even someone once asking for a 40 x 12ft mobile home as his was too small for him (at 36 x 10ft...)

I've been let down so many times by people not turning up to collect their items, that i don't offer anything anymore, if the items are small enough, i store them in an old cupboard and drag them out when i see a wanted ad, if not collected at the arranged time with no contact from the other person, i post a sarcastic thankyou message - thanking them for wasting my time...

It has been hi-jacked around here by a gang of polish lads who ask for everything and send it all back to poland (larger stuff they take back with them when visiting home for a week or two)

It's lost it's appeal to many these days, hence the local charity shops getting flooded with dvd's and books....

JimmyTheWig

uncle-buck wrote: »

It has been hi-jacked around here by a gang of polish lads who ask for everything and send it all back to poland (larger stuff they take back with them when visiting home for a week or two)

What, you mean they're asking for stuff that is being offered?
And then making sure that it gets to where it can be used?

[Strikes me that's exactly the point of these groups.]

mcculloch29

To be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with the same people taking stuff if it was finding a good home. Re the childminding, the cost of any equipment is fully deductible from earnings for tax purposes, but it is essential that anything acquired is totally safe and fit for purpose.
When I childminded, the last double buggy I bought, a Maclaren, cost me over a week's wages, and wiped out my profits for the month, but I had the comfort of knowing it was guaranteed and completely safe.

chickywiggle

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Careful what you tell people.
Caring for children isn't vatable, from what I remember.
Even if it was it is unlikely that a childminder will be above the threshold to pay VAT.
And as they are, in effect, b2c there is no benefit in them becoming VAT registered through choice.

The cost is deductable for income tax purposes, however.

like I said it was around 2 years ago and

I can't remember the exact wording

Whatever it was i actually did have the facts and sent a helpful link.
:p:p:p:p

JimmyTheWig

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Question for you guys...

What are the chances of someone on Freegle being able to fix a busted DVD player?

Ours has broken (was a little while ago and I can't remember the problem) so we need to get rid of it.
Ideally I would give it to someone who could fix it (whether they then sold it on or not would be up to them).
What I don't want to do is give it away to someone who will take it to a car boot sale and sell it as though it is working.
The middle option, obviously, is to take it to the dump the next time I go.

So, should I offer it on Freegle on the hope that someone can fix it? Or is it more likely to be sold on to an unsuspecting punter?

Thanks,
Jim

Any thoughts, anyone?

mttylad

RE the DVD - A lot depends upon what is wrong with it.

If there is no sign of life then is could just be the fuse, I have had plenty of equipment that turned out to be the fuse has gone but the equipment is fine.
(As much as it is there as a protective device - they do sometimes just pop with age).

Or if there is life but not reading disks it could just be a dirty lens or misalignment of the tray.
However a DVD player is so cheap these days that sometimes its not worth the trouble. But do try.
Identify the make/model as someone else may have an identical one that's going faulty and want some spares.

Not everyone wants to repair electrical equipment these days because of the complexity of them vs the cheapness. I mentioned many posts away that I was soon to offer a broken 32" LCD TV - I did. Its still sat here because no one wants to spend more money on it because its no freeview or HDMI.

For the person wanting a monitor - do ask, I have several spare CRT ones. Many other people do. These seem to get passed around often until people can afford a tft one then it gets reoffered.

RE the DS lite - I have 3 upstairs- my kids have grown out of them and no longer play them. So asking for a DS lite is not asking too much - it is a reminder to those that like me have them knocking about.

The end result is that a child gets some enjoyment out of an old toy - what's wrong with that?

Yes people come on and ask for a lot, but IMO they hardly ever get it.
It is the people like the person above that always gives the giver a little thank you that gets remembered and is likely to be given to again.

chickywiggle

wanted asap need most house hold item as ave had to leave most my belonging behide due to haveing to leave my pervous house with my gf and my two kids due to haveing a knife put to my thoat must be freeneed a toaster deep fat fryer cooker sandwich make or anythink u can think of please msg me thanks in advance must be able to dro items off

a sad story (if true), tho I am dubious they have had to leave with no household posessions.

But do they actually NEED a deep fat frier and sandwich toaster??

Ames

I read it as a toaster or deep fat fryer or sandwich maker, that they just want something to make hot food with.

But I'm pretty gullible.

minniemaus1970

I put a lot of things on freecycle and have received a few items over the years too ( mainly for my daughter when she moved out). I am not really too bothered if someone is skint or not, or if their setting up a business on low budget, at the end of the day the stuff is not going to land fill

My partners Ex contacted me, not knowing my account name or e-mail on Freegle, laid on a sobstory (how needy they were and poor! Her daughter told me she picks up stuff all the time and sells it and She only received 120k a little while ago from the house sale grrrrrrrrr. :mad:
cant wait for October/ November time when people put on their x mas lists again:rotfl:
MM

Amber_Sunshine

I joined our local Freecycle here in Spain as I have dozens of books I want to get rid of. Of the 20+ requests I received, I offered them to five people. Not one has answered. I wondered if I´m doing something wrong, I replied directly to their emails and they appear to have been delivered ... looks like the books will be going into the recycling bin ...