Tips to help when using Freecycle

got-it-spend-it

zippychick wrote: »

Belfast lets you post 4 wanteds a month. I sort of agree = wasn't it designed to keep landfills from overflowing? Not for sob stories and people constantly begging - only some take the mick.

One girl offered a toaster and also had a kettle was getting rid of. A week later she was asking for a kettle and toaster. Did she just want better ones?She mentions her daughter in every message , like it helps her win points and appeals to people more. She even put an ad up asking for alcohol as a present for someone she had had help from. I mean, come on! I think there is a very clear line and unfortunately a lot of people get greedy and cross it and want want want. Of course, lots use it as intended.

I wondered what peoples thoughts were on this - I was raised to be poilte and thankful and any time i collect something off freecycle, i always take a small gift. Chocolates, HM fairy cakes, hand cream that i only paid postage for - if it is something more expensive it is reflected in the value of the gift. I think it is only courteous and polite. Yesterday i collected a hoover and was completely embarassed I hadnt time to get them something, and i sort of felt like they maybe expected something - but amybe just being paranoid because i usually take something.

A woman was giving me a food processor and it took a few weeks for me to get to her. SO i took her the hand cream and buns id made specially.Glad i did as she also gave me a huge box of baking stuff and bits and pieces. She text me after saying she had gave millions of stuff and i was the first ever person to give something back and she was really quite touched. I was surprised at that. Thoughts?

I've given loads on Freecycle and never expected or received any thank you gifts. I do think it's nice when the recipient bothers to email afterwards to say thanks, which I always do.

I think it's really lovely that you make home-made thank you gifts though, and would be thrilled if I did get anything like that!

Penelope_Penguin

zippychick wrote: »

A woman was giving me a food processor and it took a few weeks for me to get to her. SO i took her the hand cream and buns id made specially.Glad i did as she also gave me a huge box of baking stuff and bits and pieces. She text me after saying she had gave millions of stuff and i was the first ever person to give something back and she was really quite touched. I was surprised at that. Thoughts?

You're not really supposed to give anything in exchange for items you receive (even as a Thank-you)

9) NO SWAPPING PLEASE.
Go to your local trading organization for this. With Freecycle there are no strings attached, just give it away…

from this site.

Freecycle is supposed to be just that - Free, with no strings attached I'm happy just to receive someone sayong Thank-you.

Penny. x

zippychick

Thanks Pen. As i say, it's just how i was brought up and to me it seems polite! Anyone ive ever gave a gift to seems delighted and it makes me feel as if i didnt just take, i gave soemthing back. I never had something for nothing in my life, so maybe that's why I find it a little odd!

flissh

Can any one help. I have put three things on freecycle and have had lots of replies. I want to post that the things are now taken. But not sure if I can edit the message (can't see how to) like you can on here, or is it right to just post a new message?

It's on Yahoo, (not sure if all freecycle's are on yahoo!!)

Tsk, feel like an internet dumbo:o

buxtonrabbitgreen

I have never found out if you can edit. I just put another message on with taken.

blueberrypie

You can't edit messages on Yahoo - it's not a forum like this one, but an email distribution system. If you edited your previous message, all the people who got the first one via email wouldn't see the changes (or Yahoo would have to send the message again, which would mean lots and lots of emails).

You can delete your own messages, or a group moderator can delete them, but freecycle standard is just to post a "Taken" message.

flissh

Thanks for that brg and blueberrypie.

Gaia

Just post the same message again, but instead of putting OFFER in the subject line, put TAKEN

Penelope_Penguin

I'll add this to the existing thread on Tips for using Freecycle

Penny. x

csarina

I have mixed feelings about freecycle.....I have given a lot of stuff especially when we moved 2 years ago and we had to shed quite a lot. I have not recieved much myself.....an electric slicer, 50 balls of wool, some of which I sent to a fellow MSE'r and an office chair. It does annoy me when people do not say thank you.

WE had an experience recently which really left me openmouthed. I had offered our kingsize bed....we had decided to buy a new one. Several people replied so I put the names in a hat and drew one out. Eventually the person contacted me and arranged to collect the bed that night which was fine.

They turned up a ?girl and a chap, the girl stood by and watched the chap wrestle with the bed base, I took pity on him and helped him carry the two bases and then the mattress down to their van. When he opened the door I was horrified, there was no floor covering on the floor and it was covered with what looked like engineering grease, the bases and mattress were just shoved in......I was stunned......the girl came down with one drawer from the bottom of the bed in her hand and got into the front of the van, the chap had to go back for the other 3 drawers. The bed was in very good condition.......I hate to think what it was like by the time they had driven home and unloaded it. We did wonder if the chap had to wrestle the thing out of the van into the house and up the stairs whilst lady muck stood and watched. They did not even say thank you as they drove away...........speechless does not even come anywhere near how I felt.............