to be cross with people on Free Cycle?

kitty I too had mixed fortunes with freecycle when I was getting ready to move house. People not turning up but not letting me know was the most common but on the other hand a young man who took a computer chair returned the following day with a bottle of wine as a thank you. I take it you will not be popping round to the next village - what a nerve!

No!! DH has taken pity on the young mum who took a small floating shelf and then couldnt work out how to put it up. He's going round tomorrow!

A few years ago I put Ikea bunk beds on Freecycle, and a chap turned up to collect them. He looked at the mountain of planks in the garage, and then decided he couldn’t take the beds because he’d have trouble getting them on and off the bus.

I’ve both donated and received on Freecycle, and it’s mostly been positive, but the ‘can you deliver?’ requests were sometimes a bit rich, and no-shows were irritating. I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable to be cheesed off.

I've mostly had success with Freecycle, apart from one person who was supposed to turn up in Lidls car park, didnt, and then asked if I could deliver the items (towels) to her home!

Erm, no.

Phoenix. Your local animal shelter would welcome any towels, blankets, etc.

I too have had no shows and request for delivery. The latest was a riser/recliner chair I posted as I had treated myself to a new one that matched the sofa. Not only Freecycle (Trash Nothing round here) but also local Nextdoor site and local Facebook page. One person asked if it was "new" condition otherwise he didnt want it!

A friend of mine warned me when I wanted to give things away. She advised I sell them for a nominal price. People paying are more reliable.

I wanted to give away a shelf unit. 3 people failed to turn up. Finally I had to list it as first come, first served.

I was downsizing a couple of years ago and a woman contacted me on a local site desperate for all the lovely furniture I was giving away free. She was a no show four times. She had an excuse each time but that's all it was- excuses. Eventually I gave it through a local church.

I have had several good experiences with Freecycle. One very kindly man dismantled and took away an Ikea computer desk for a friend disabled in Afghan conflict. He rang me later to let me know how pleased his friend was. I got my DGD a sewing machine which stood her in good stead for A-level textiles.

I listed a small luggage/debris trailer for £50 on Gumtree as I no longer had Dh and his car to trail it with. One man offered me £15 for it. No thank you. Another wanted me to take it up to Perth to deliver it to him. Difficult with no car, though I suppose I could have tied a tow rope round my waist and run up the motorway with it.

Numerous people have replied to various things I have sold with, "If you can't sell it I'll take it off your hands." presumably for nothing.

Elegran the cheek of some people ...
but you made me laugh with your idea of tying the trailer to a rope round your waist and running up the motorway to Perth ... ?

Offered a DVD player ,simply because we didn't use it.The guy who wanted it changed his mind "its not the new model " Another girl who was moving into her first flat wanted a settee ,I offered a dark blue leather ,hardly sat on...she "would have taken it IF it had been a sofology model " but not the make I had .

My DD1 had the same experience (GagaJo). She put a black bin full of baby boys clothes on her estate website - heard nothing. Then she took them out of the bag, divided them into categories, photographed some with the tags intact as unused and sold the lot!

People are mad Georgesgran.

We were selling off GS's travel cot. It was very low price (because it was taking up space). A women in a town near me persuaded me to deliver it for an extra £5 for the petrol.

I had a nightmare finding her house, in the middle of a convoluted and winding estate BUT sent her a message saying I was on my way, but having trouble finding her house. Got there. No one in.

An hour later, I got a message, 'You were supposed to come tomorrow.' I checked our online message exchange. Nope. Today. She had the nerve to ask if I'd go back the next day! As if.

So not only did I not get rid of the travel cot but I also wasted my fuel for nothing.

We have an upcycling centre near here. We can take suitable items there or they will collect.
They employ vulnerable and disabled people to renovate furniture, electrical items etc then sell them at a very reasonable price.

Some people are definitely off another planet. Zog

Report them to the moderators.

I've never had a bad experience with Freecycle - in fact, exactly the opposite! First time I used it was when emptying my late SIL's house and thought somebody could use her cooker and fridge. A young couple who were about to be married replied and came with a lovely bunch of flowers for me and when they saw things we were trying to clear out asked if they could have them - mostly utility bedroom furniture from around late 40s/early 50s. We were delighted and so were they. Another time I was given 2 dozen free range eggs fresh from a croft.

On my local Freecycle people are specifying what brand of tv or washing machine they would like and then asking for the donor to deliver.

If members let others down more than three times without good reason, they should be barred.

My DD2 has an up cycling centre nearby and that seems to work well.

Freecycle experiences can be comical if you can see the funny side.my daughter was giving away a practically new quality child’s car seat. Various enquiries about colour because that apparently mattered! A lady wanted it but three different times didn’t show up or ring and say not coming . So my daughter took it to the tip to be told by said lady when she rang to make yet another collection date ‘why put it on Freecycle if you were gong to take it to the tip’!!

I am a daily user of freecycle as I am clearing for a house move. One nice lady now drops round with rhubarb.

Fairly recently a woman got in touch because she wanted my garden furniture but her car had broken down. She rang me about 7 pm on a Sunday evening wondering if I would deliver.

I decided I did not possess a car! She came the next day to view the furniture but rang me about 3 times because she and the taxi driver could not find my house. She arrived eventually- wondered if I owned the Merc outside and could it take the furniture to her home! I did not own the Merc and said I did not have a car, hoping she would not see a car parked where my house number was showing.

I had washed the furniture but she decided it was not clean enough to go in a taxi so she left and I decided to keep the furniture- it was not worth the hassle.

I only used Freecycle once and soon got rid of the bed I had but was inundated with so many messages it was a nuisance.
I've posted things free on Facebook and people usually want you to take things to them and I have to tell them I don't have a car. People also offer much less than prices posted and expect me (an older woman on my own) to lift and carry larger items on my own.
It is a problem getting rid of things.

When we got rid of stuff on Freecycle years ago one lot who came turned out to have a 2nd hand furniture shop in a nearby town.
Some other people came for some electronic equipment of DH's and were so grateful he came back with a lovely pot plant for me.

However, I would recommend investigating to see if you have an Upcycling place near you as they do such good work and help the disabled and vulnerable too by giving them jobs.