Freecycle...Is It Me?

blossomhill_2

If I told you all the things that had happened to me and my family over the last few years ... well I don't often tell people because I fcan't quite get my head round it myself and they would find it just too sad ... so I don't go into detail when requesting an item but do say that it would help me solve a particular problem if it's relevant, never thought anyone would think I was lying! How sad.

The aim of freecycle is to keep stuff out of landfill, anything else is a bonus, surely?

SailorSam

I've never received anything off Freecycle, i've sent a couple of requests but not had replies. I've given quite a bit away and once things had gone will always email others to say 'sorry but to late'. Only once a lady brought some chocolates to say thank you when i was giving plants away.

wrightk

i think its just become a bit too popular now, people requesting flatscreen tv's etc.

best thing i ever got on freecycle was a petrol lawnmower, the couple were moving house and i was desperate for some garden tools, when i arrived they had it all laid out for me, ladders, petrol mower,hedge trimmer, vegetable plot tools and a cordless grass strimmer. they were all practically brand new and i was so grateful, and i needed all of it! i sent her a message the day after saying they had restored my faith in humanity. Use all those tools regularly now and always makes me smile thinking of someone elses generosity. never got anything since.

when ive posted stuff to give away its pointless, everyone demands for it to be delivered despite you saying you cannot deliver it, noone shows up and everyone is far too fussy

ellay864

really? I've never had anyone ask for delivery! Despite a few bad experiences I have also had some really good ones and when I got rid of my old kitchen it was great. I posted saying the units were there for anybody who could come and take them on a specific weekend ie immediately before the new kitchen was starting, and I posted several weeks beforehand to give notice. I got a lady turn up with her mate (they'd decided it was easier to do it themselves than rely on her hubby!) and they did all the dismantling and removal that we'd have had to pay somebody else to do. Real win-win in that case - there are some success stories but I must admit it can seem hard work at times.
And re the flatscreen tv comment - I agree some people do expect the earth. Saw one post from somebody who was 'desperate' for a computer desk/unit but it had to be 'decent wood, not any old mdf tat' unbelievable!!

RadoJo

I've only had good experiences - people turning up as promised and appreciating the things I have passed on and others offering useful stuff that I have been only too happy to receive. I think it really depends on the moderators for your local group, which may well be somewhat of a thankless task, but if you have the time and the inclination then perhaps you could volunteer and see if you can get it running a little more smoothly.

cherie1122

We have been decluttering our house and I have given loads of stuff away using freecycle.

I've not had anybody fail to turn up and everybody has been polite and friendly. Cardboard boxes for moving were quite popular, we got rid of old style PC monitors, a TV, a butane gas bottle, vacuum cleaner, clothes airers and a TV / Video cabinet. All had a lot of use left in them and everybody seemed really pleased to take them off our hands.

:T

blossomhill_2

To my mind a flat screen TV is no less worthy of being kept out of landfill than a petrol mower or hedge trimmer

The one that did annoy me, perhaps irrationally, was someone who asked for bikes constantly, man's, woman's, child's "to get to work" I began to suspect they ran a bike shop - I sent them a message saying I was sorry they had had no luck getting a bike after posting so many times, and had they thought of looking for a carshare instead ... haven't seen them lately

If they had put "I'll renovate any old bike rather than it going to landfill", I'd have had no problem with them

MotheroftheKid

I've only had three experiences of Freecycle. The first I offered a rocking chair, the first person who replied, was a guy who had been looking for one for his wife. He came round, loved it, said his wife would love it too. I later got a lovely email from him.

The second time i offered a wardrobe - excellent condition - surplus to requirements. Again I offered it to the first person who replied, she said she was looking for a wardrobe for her daughter. Arranged for it to be collected, they came with a van, man and woman, barely looked at it, picked it up and took it downstairs into the van. The woman was "pretending" it was for their daughter, the blank expression on her partner's face showed me she was a liar, they were obviously just going to sell it on. I was really upset as I had received a few other emails from people who really seemed genuine.

The last time I offered a table and chairs and again the email said it was for themselves as they were just setting up home but when they came, they mentioned it was for friends of theirs!

It totally put me off offering anything on Freecycle, which is a real shame as I do believe in helping people out, especially people who are just starting out, but how can you differentiate from the genuine and those out to make a profit?

blossomhill_2

It's to keep items out of landfill.

People make a profit out of keeping things out of landfill every day; skip companies, scrap metal dealers, clothes recyclers, paper pulping companies, car breakers, and some from freecycle

missile

I did hear a joke about the guy who put his fridge freezer out at the bottom of his drive "free to a good home". Two weeks later he changed the sign "£50 ono" and it was gone the next morning.