Freecycling - Page 2

Kathryn · 12-29-2008, 09:31 AM

I Freecycle on and off--I haven't read offers or picked up anything from the group in the past year, I don't think, but I do occasionally round up some stuff to give away. It's often easier to just drop a collection of stuff off at the thrift store, however.

I live within a network that is, IMHO, a little bit too large. The group I fall within has 6,000+ active members, 50+ posts a day, and it can take 30-40 minutes each way to drive to some of the farther locations. They are religious about requiring Offerers to post their location so that you don't commit yourself to driving 30 miles and spending 90 minutes just to pick up a used hair dryer. But I really think our group would be more effective if it were split off into 2-3 smaller groups.

The overall Maryland/DC suburban area has added some new groups over the past few years, but I don't know how easy it is to successfully carry through a proposal to subdivide an existing group.

When I was more active about looking for stuff, we got a quite a bit of really great stuff, like a $200 nearly-new IKEA wardrobe and a gas-powered wood chipper.

nvmommyx6 · 12-30-2008, 06:37 AM

I freecycle daily, I'm in a rural area so there is alot I distribute out here because of working in town I am able to pick up and drop off for others out here often!

khorrell · 12-30-2008, 01:21 PM

I go through spurts of freecycling...I'm mostly a giver, though I have picked up a few things. Our region is actually nicely sized, though I'm at one side and there is another group that is closer than some of the areas in my group. We are permitted to belond to more than one group, though they ask that we post in our home group first, give it a week or so, then post in the second group.

Babalu · 01-06-2009, 04:13 PM

Freecycling gets me cranky when they start asking for tech support, pictures and special accommodations. I get into freecycling heavy, and then have to back off for a while. The no-shows wear me out, too.

mzScarlett · 01-11-2009, 07:48 PM

the freecycle was actually getting problems with it in our area; I still belong but on our So Oregon Cafe site I was introduced to a NEW recycling group which doesn't seem to have the problems the freecycle did; it is smaller; & I also belong to a group called eblessing in our area but it is an extended area; folks there can offer & ask for items needed; like food etc; & we try & meet their needs which is a little different that recycling but still if they need pots, pans, etc; & we have we can give; but if it's 50 miles out beyond where I am & they can't meet me I don't give it to them unless we can meet half way or whatever; *********the other recycling group is wonderful; & a great bunch of folks; I do most all of my recycling if possible thru them but still have a freecycle group; I do however have a 2nd email just for that; so it doesn't get messed up with my regular one! hope this helps! most of them I just delete right off; if someone needs something & i have it & can give it that is what I mostly do on it!

FruWiki Meg · 02-01-2009, 08:05 AM

I freecycle some, mostly giving items away. I really like the idea and it is a good service. However, it can be VERY frustrating.

No-shows are definitely an issue. My husband and I waited for hours for one woman after changing our plans. We didn't hear from her until the next day after I emailed her to see what was up. She said she had "just changed my mind."

But then there are the people who don't know how to respond to offers at all. I offered some lumber recently and got about 50 replies. You wouldn't believe the percentage that replied with just "I'm interested" or "Yes". One just put "yes" in the subject line! The way I see it, if people don't have the time to write a decent email then they are likely no-shows.

In the end, the lumber went to a family who actually had the forethought to send me their phone number and tell me when they could pick up the lumber -- even though they weren't the first to respond.

And might I add, please check to see if offers have been taken before replying! For DAYS people kept asking me about the lumber even though I posted it as taken. And few were repeat askers who don't seem to get that I'm not going to personally respond to 50-some people.

tryingtobefrugal · 02-01-2009, 08:10 AM

I haven't freecycled in a while, but what I used to do to mitigate the frustration and the noshows was put in my mail that if you were interested you were to reply with the time you could come and pick it up. I think chose the person to give it to based on who could come get it first and made it clear in my response to them if they didn't show up at that time, it went to the next person who could pick it up. It made it easier to have a definite time I could give up on the person and go to the next rather than feeling like I had to stick with the person I 'promised' it to.

Actually, I have mostly been either putting the stuff on the curb marked 'free' or listing it free with my mother's club or free (curb alert) on craig's list.

FruWiki Meg · 02-01-2009, 09:08 AM

Great ideas, tryingtobefrugal! Thanks!

lucille · 02-01-2009, 09:20 AM

Some groups punish or remove no shows. You might want to ask your group mods. If they do please turn them in or they will keep doing it to other people. I also keep a personal list of people who either no showed or otherwise caused a problem and I don't respond to them when offering or respond to their offers.

I ask for a time the person wanted to pick up in offers. That helps weed out the problem people.

12-30-2008, 01:21 PM	#13
khorrell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: near Washington DC Posts: 608 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Reputation: (85)	I go through spurts of freecycling...I'm mostly a giver, though I have picked up a few things. Our region is actually nicely sized, though I'm at one side and there is another group that is closer than some of the areas in my group. We are permitted to belond to more than one group, though they ask that we post in our home group first, give it a week or so, then post in the second group. __________________ The Paycheck Chronicles "helping military families make the most of their paychecks"

01-06-2009, 04:13 PM	#14
Babalu Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 60 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (11)	Freecycling gets me cranky when they start asking for tech support, pictures and special accommodations. I get into freecycling heavy, and then have to back off for a while. The no-shows wear me out, too. __________________ Save Money!

02-01-2009, 09:20 AM	#19
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 673 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (38)	Some groups punish or remove no shows. You might want to ask your group mods. If they do please turn them in or they will keep doing it to other people. I also keep a personal list of people who either no showed or otherwise caused a problem and I don't respond to them when offering or respond to their offers. I ask for a time the person wanted to pick up in offers. That helps weed out the problem people. __________________ Dark Style Blog http://darkstyleblog.blogspot.com/

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12-29-2008, 09:31 AM	#11
Kathryn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 138 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Reputation: (19)	I Freecycle on and off--I haven't read offers or picked up anything from the group in the past year, I don't think, but I do occasionally round up some stuff to give away. It's often easier to just drop a collection of stuff off at the thrift store, however. I live within a network that is, IMHO, a little bit too large. The group I fall within has 6,000+ active members, 50+ posts a day, and it can take 30-40 minutes each way to drive to some of the farther locations. They are religious about requiring Offerers to post their location so that you don't commit yourself to driving 30 miles and spending 90 minutes just to pick up a used hair dryer. But I really think our group would be more effective if it were split off into 2-3 smaller groups. The overall Maryland/DC suburban area has added some new groups over the past few years, but I don't know how easy it is to successfully carry through a proposal to subdivide an existing group. When I was more active about looking for stuff, we got a quite a bit of really great stuff, like a $200 nearly-new IKEA wardrobe and a gas-powered wood chipper.

12-30-2008, 06:37 AM	#12
nvmommyx6 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Rural Northern Nevada Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I freecycle daily, I'm in a rural area so there is alot I distribute out here because of working in town I am able to pick up and drop off for others out here often!

01-11-2009, 07:48 PM	#15
mzScarlett Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	the freecycle was actually getting problems with it in our area; I still belong but on our So Oregon Cafe site I was introduced to a NEW recycling group which doesn't seem to have the problems the freecycle did; it is smaller; & I also belong to a group called eblessing in our area but it is an extended area; folks there can offer & ask for items needed; like food etc; & we try & meet their needs which is a little different that recycling but still if they need pots, pans, etc; & we have we can give; but if it's 50 miles out beyond where I am & they can't meet me I don't give it to them unless we can meet half way or whatever; *********the other recycling group is wonderful; & a great bunch of folks; I do most all of my recycling if possible thru them but still have a freecycle group; I do however have a 2nd email just for that; so it doesn't get messed up with my regular one! hope this helps! most of them I just delete right off; if someone needs something & i have it & can give it that is what I mostly do on it!

02-01-2009, 08:05 AM	#16
FruWiki Meg Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (11)	I freecycle some, mostly giving items away. I really like the idea and it is a good service. However, it can be VERY frustrating. No-shows are definitely an issue. My husband and I waited for hours for one woman after changing our plans. We didn't hear from her until the next day after I emailed her to see what was up. She said she had "just changed my mind." But then there are the people who don't know how to respond to offers at all. I offered some lumber recently and got about 50 replies. You wouldn't believe the percentage that replied with just "I'm interested" or "Yes". One just put "yes" in the subject line! The way I see it, if people don't have the time to write a decent email then they are likely no-shows. In the end, the lumber went to a family who actually had the forethought to send me their phone number and tell me when they could pick up the lumber -- even though they weren't the first to respond. And might I add, please check to see if offers have been taken before replying! For DAYS people kept asking me about the lumber even though I posted it as taken. And few were repeat askers who don't seem to get that I'm not going to personally respond to 50-some people.

02-01-2009, 08:10 AM	#17
tryingtobefrugal Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I haven't freecycled in a while, but what I used to do to mitigate the frustration and the noshows was put in my mail that if you were interested you were to reply with the time you could come and pick it up. I think chose the person to give it to based on who could come get it first and made it clear in my response to them if they didn't show up at that time, it went to the next person who could pick it up. It made it easier to have a definite time I could give up on the person and go to the next rather than feeling like I had to stick with the person I 'promised' it to. Actually, I have mostly been either putting the stuff on the curb marked 'free' or listing it free with my mother's club or free (curb alert) on craig's list.

02-01-2009, 09:08 AM	#18
FruWiki Meg Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (11)	Great ideas, tryingtobefrugal! Thanks!