Freecycle - has anyone used it?

We also have a site on Nextdoor for free stuff, and a Repair Cafe once a month for almost anything be it bikes, electrical or clothes. and I've found Gumtree a good resource..

Offered a T V unit- lady said yes she would like it. Would I deliver it to her address!!

Yes they are great - helps you and helps another person / family …it’s a win win!

ExDancer

I've often used it.
However, I have a friend who's nervous of giving out her address and she arranges to meet in our asda car-park to show them the item and hand it over (or not). She always meets them in daylight and takes her daughter or a friend with her.
I have to say she's a very nervous person and I feel she's rather over anxious.
Having said that, I personally am a real fan.

Anyone who is reluctant to open their front door to the collector can always leave it outside just before the allotted time. This depends on various things of course, so might not be suitable for everyone.

On the same note, again depending on where you live, it might be possible to simply leave stuff outside. Within a day or so someone might have taken it!

I have given many things to Freegle, children's car seats, travel cots (which I first obtained from Freegle), two single beds etc. I always give a good description and say why I'm getting rid of the article, and this seems to work. I've only had one "no-show". I'm happy that someone can use them, and don't care if they sell.

I've often used it.
However, I have a friend who's nervous of giving out her address and she arranges to meet in our asda car-park to show them the item and hand it over (or not). She always meets them in daylight and takes her daughter or a friend with her.
I have to say she's a very nervous person and I feel she's rather over anxious.
Having said that, I personally am a real fan.

Yes many times and I collect baby stuff if it’s still going after a few days for the baby bank

Excellent site. Have given and received many items from plants to fishtanks!

Freecycle has its origins in the USA. Our own, homegrown version is Freegle so do look for your local group under that name, too. It all depends how badly you want to get rid of stuff. There will be (undeclared) dealers on both free giving sites, who want your stuff to sell on eBay. It's hard to tell who's genuinely in need from who's selling on. If you're OK with that, crack on and declutter your space! Some of the charity shops offer a collection service for large items. The British Heart Foundation took my washing machine and dishwasher when I had my kitchen done about five years ago. Free giving sites are collection only and some people simply don't turn up. Be prepared for that. Some will ask you to deliver.... No payment of any kind is meant to be the rule and that includes no chocolates and wine! I used to run our local Freecycle group, which became Freegle when they broke away from the American group.

The last item I had advertised on Freecycle was a large floor rug. I gave the dimensions but when the girl came to pick it up she decided it was too heavy and unwieldy to carry to the local bus stop and board a bus- not that the driver would have allowed her on!

I had not long had major surgery and was using crutches so I could not help. In the end she found a willing mini cab driver and by some miracle it fitted.

I thought it obvious one person could not cope and would need transport.

I have picked up items stating why I want/need them and I always turn up on time. I do not say "I want".

The one strange item I Freecycled was the shelves removed from my airing cupboard when I had solar power installed. A perfect fit for the couple who picked them up.

I’ve used Freecycle for decades and made friends along the way. I only once regretted it, when a couple turned up to collect garden table and chairs in a white van, treated it as if they were doing me a favour and never said thank you. I would bet a penny to a pound they would sell it all at a car boot sale. I’ve had no shows too but now have a nose for who is not likely to turn up. Usually the first to reply and anyone who doesn’t say please.
When my daughter and three children came over from Oz for a month at Christmas I received an abundance of useful stuff, clothes, car seats, a pushchair and toys and Freecycled them all when they went home.

On holiday in Germany, we found that they regularly hold 'FREE markets' and also 'FREE repair days' - same in several European countries.

The Council let's the organisation have space for free, and on free markets, everything put on tables is just ... free. Help yourself- there are Charity boxes, which are optional.

And for 'repair days' you can bring anything to be repaired for free. They have experts in so many trades, with their apprentices, to repair stuff. Anything from kettles, laptops, books, toys cycles, whatever. If it can't be repaired, and it is very rare, then they will tell you so and explain why. Great idea.

Yes, same here. Much rather someone resold it, than ending up in landfill. But if there is an item that could give valuable money to a Charity, then that is even better, as Kitty says.

Yes I use it a lot, and Freegle which is much the same I think. I know that some people do collect my things and then resell at boot sales, FB Market place or similar, but to be honest, if it has cleared the item from my house then I am happy.

We also have a local FB group called 'free to you if you pick it up'

and as said, I will even deliver if I know the person is handicapped, or SN in any way.

I've recently got a ton of small rounded boulders to edge a stream I shall make in Spring from a house gutter to the newly refurbished pond. We had to make 4 journeys to not overload the car, and it was hard work, but it saved me a lot of money.

I have when it is something too good to throw away and I cannot be bothered trying to sell. It is doing me a favour having it collected so I do not mind if the person wants to sell on.

If you are giving as a form of recycling what does it matter if someone else makes money out of it, the item is still being recycled.

Yes, definitely worth a go.

I use both Freecycle and Freegle. Admittedly, I've received more than offered - simply because I tend to use my stuff to the point of destruction.

On one of them (Freegle, I think) they do encourage the use of a 'not to be resold' notification, but I don't know how much/well they police it.

MaizieD

Can you Freecycle electrical goods? I have a few electrical items in fine working order to give away. The local charity shops won't take any electrical items.

Hi Maizie - I've had the same problem trying to donate to charity shops so I've freecycled working small electricals, a hairdryer and an iron. I say “working when last used, no guarantees, you need to check safety yourself”. But I've seen electric cookers, fridges, lamps, etc., on our local site. Good luck!

I’ve used both Freecycle and Freegle over the years. I’ve given stuff and asked for stuff, usually successfully.

I use a facebook group called "I need a whisk..(Basingstoke - insert your own hometown here) you target local people in your community who are more likely to show up

Yes, we have several local ones. We've given away full tins of paint in a colour we won't use and a laptop computer that would only work being plugged in (to a girl who needed it for school). Also got things we've wanted - empty jam jars when we had a glut of bean and tomatoes for pickling and bike rack for the car. Excellent idea to participate...

I didn't mean to make a mountain out of a molehill - I was just saying how I view the transactions on sites like that, and made a point of saying I was talking generically, not to you personally.

Not all charity shops won’t take electrical many have a tested amongst the volunteers our shop does so always worth asking at another
Yes I ve used freecycle

Doodledog It is not an 'issue' so do not make amountain out of a molehill. It was just an example of someone taking something for free and selling it on. I was cross because among the other people who wanted the violin,there could have been people who really wanted for themselves or possibly their children and I would prefer them to have had it.

If we had known it would sell at auction, we would have done that ourselves, but DH saw it as suitable for a beginner for a year or two and no more.

But the whole event happened some years ago and I had forgotten about it, until one of the posts reminded me of it.

I have used freecycle successfully but mostly now use our local Facebook recycling group. Only today I put 4 items on there, two single bed frames, a self inflating air mattress and never used hair straightening brush. They were all snapped up within 5 minutes of posting!