Freecycle - has anyone used it?

I got my circa 1931 Singer sewing machine from free cycle and an excellent folding travel cot for the grand children when babies and will be giving it away when we don’t need it most likely on freecycle!

I posted willow cuttings and horseradish. Not only did several people come, they dug up the horseradish and pruned the willow and posted photos of the dens and fences they had made.
How lovely

That seems to me to be the spirit of the sites.

Have put several items on Freecycle including: old gates and a bike that needed severe renovation, generally stuff too good to throw away but not taken by charity shops. I don't mind if it helps someone to later make a bit of profit.

When my cat died I had loads of tins and sachets of cat food which obviously a charity could not sell. I gave it to a lady who was feeding a stray cat so she was not out of pocket and the cat would have been delighted.

I've put some electrical Items on some hair straighteners and a prelit Christmas tree which went to a local church so that was nice . I've had some lovely messages of thanks so it does feel a good thing to do . I'm pretty good a spotting which are a bit fake - they tend to go on a bit too much !

When my ex left he took things that I needed to replace and I had no money so discovering freecycle was immensely useful. Since getting back on my feet I've given stuff away too. Most people are really nice and it is great to help someone out. I've occasionally delivered stuff if someone has a real problem collecting and the alternative would be a trip to the dump so I'd rather it found a new home. I even got rid of a tree that was growing too near the house. The recipients dug it up themselves and took it away! When my Mum died I got rid of all the stuff I didn't want to keep either to charity shops of on freecycle as my brother would have taken it to landfill! I hate waste and care about the environment so I love freecycle!

I used them when I downsized and I did get sick of the number of no -shows. Then there were those who turned up for large items by themselves and with no transport, even though I had put a warning in the ad. Then the same people turned up for everything - presumably car booters. To be honest I got fed up with the whole thing in the end.

I've used Freeycle many times - gave away a Halogen oven, small suitcase, rucksacks, straw baskets, 2 side tables, kitchen equipment and lots of other stuff. Picked up an adjustable mannequin, a shoe rack and a stool.

I always ask the first responder when they will collect and tell them if they don't pick it up then it will be offered to the next person that asked. I usually ignore any immediate responses though (unless they are the only ones) as they are usually people who respond to everything while they debate if they actually want it and then ignore you.

We put a printer and keyboard on Freegle this weekend, both went within a day.

Like you Nvella we had problems with 'no shows, so we do the same as AreWeThereyet and give the potential recipients 24 hours to collect and then offer on if they do not.

Have used it quite a lot and have only had one or two problems with people not turning up. It has never occurred to me that people might sell things on but to be honest I don’t really care!