Buy Nothing/Free cycle type groups

[harllee]

Over the last few years I have joined the local Buy Nothing and Free Cycle groups. For those who don't know-- these are local groups where you can give away stuff you don't want or ask for things you need. I have not had to ask for many things (except I borrowed a walker for my husband when he had knee replacement) but I have given and loaned out many things. The latest was a loan of a shower chair to a person who was having foot surgery.

I find it much more satisfying to give things to people in my area rather than drop the stuff off at Goodwill. It is more work-- I usually take a picture of what I want to give away and post a description. But I have enjoyed getting to know some of my neighbors who pick up things off my porch. All in all out has been very satisfying to me.

 

[Scuba]

Over the last few years I have joined the local Buy Nothing and Free Cycle groups. For those who don't know-- these are local groups where you can give away stuff you don't want or ask for things you need. I have not had to ask for many things (except I borrowed a walker for my husband when he had knee replacement) but I have given and loaned out many things. The latest was a loan of a shower chair to a person who was having foot surgery.



I find it much more satisfying to give things to people in my area rather than drop the stuff off at Goodwill. It is more work-- I usually take a picture of what I want to give away and post a description. But I have enjoyed getting to know some of my neighbors who pick up things off my porch. All in all out has been very satisfying to me.

Great idea!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I usually give to Goodwill, but we've received a really nice patio table and big screen TV that works fine that were advertised as free off a neighborhood group site. With enough time, I am pretty sure one could furnish an entire house with fairly newish looking furniture and working appliances from our local free sites.

 

[ImThinkin2019]

Over the last few years I have joined the local Buy Nothing and Free Cycle groups. For those who don't know-- these are local groups where you can give away stuff you don't want or ask for things you need. I have not had to ask for many things (except I borrowed a walker for my husband when he had knee replacement) but I have given and loaned out many things. The latest was a loan of a shower chair to a person who was having foot surgery.

I find it much more satisfying to give things to people in my area rather than drop the stuff off at Goodwill. It is more work-- I usually take a picture of what I want to give away and post a description. But I have enjoyed getting to know some of my neighbors who pick up things off my porch. All in all out has been very satisfying to me.

+1 This is a great resource!!

Our daughter belongs to a buy nothing group and gets a lot of stuff that is very useful. Yesterday she was wearing a warm winter coat she got for free. Her 2 year old was wearing snow boots, again, got for free.

She gives away lots of kids clothes, toys, and baby supplies.

We give away things we don't need also.

My understanding from our DD is that a member must be qualified (contribute good stuff.) to be accepted into the group. And be an active participant.

 

[harllee]

These groups are especially good for children's stuff they quickly outgrow. And very helpful to those facing surgery who need walkers, etc. I noticed recently that my buy nothing group allowed you to give away food--unopened cans of food, homegrown vegetables etc. These were all immediately snapped up. My group has bins of clothing (for example ladies or children's bins in different sizes) that are passed around you can add to or take from. You can exchange out your whole wardrobe without spending a cent.

 

[disneysteve]

We love our Buy Nothing group. I just gave away some stuff this weekend. We give more than we get but we have gotten a cabinet for my wife’s sewing room, a few boxes of fabric, a shirt, and various other items. Great resource.

 

[harllee]

+1 This is a great resource!!

Our daughter belongs to a buy nothing group and gets a lot of stuff that is very useful. Yesterday she was wearing a warm winter coat she got for free. Her 2 year old was wearing snow boots, again, got for free.

She gives away lots of kids clothes, toys, and baby supplies.

We give away things we don't need also.

My understanding from our DD is that a member must be qualified (contribute good stuff.) to be accepted into the group. And be an active participant.

My buy nothing group is not very strict on membership, you just have to prove you live in the area. My small town has 4 different groups covering north, south, east and west areas and each have about 1000 members.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

My buy nothing group is not very strict on membership, you just have to prove you live in the area. My small town has 4 different groups covering north, south, east and west areas and each have about 1000 members.

A lot of the group rules (and certainly their enforcement) varies from one to the next. I usually start with a Local Friends list on Facebook, and sometimes I'll email some of my coworkers, depending on what it is, then we have a local Facebook group just for buying and selling, and email lists, too. I'll also post on Nextdoor, where residency and real names are supposed to be the rule. (ND has gotten much too annoying to use for anything else, but that's another thread...) At least on ND you can limit your listing to just your local neighborhood, if you think the item will be in high demand, or you aren't in a hurry to get rid of it, or you can let anyone in the general area see it.

 

[ocean view]

I recently learned about the Buy Nothing Project and tried to find a local group. I found many groups, all were either closed to new members or I lived half a block outside their “zone”. Very discouraging.

Any tips on finding a group?

 

[RobbieB]

We just put stuff out on the sidewalk. Gone in hours, 2 days at most.

 

[harllee]

I recently learned about the Buy Nothing Project and tried to find a local group. I found many groups, all were either closed to new members or I lived half a block outside their “zone”. Very discouraging.

Any tips on finding a group?

I found my group through Facebook but it was a little confusing which group I could join since I was on the boundary between 2 groups. I tried to join one group and they told me I should join another group because of where I live, which I did. Could you contact the group you live near to see if there is a group for where you live?

 

[powerplay]

I have been a part of my local Buy Nothing group for several years. It's a great way to offer things to neighbors and not have to travel across town. I have also picked up some good things. It sometimes gets frustrating when people ask for something and don't pick up the item.

 

[Extra Medium]

My wife has become a Buy Nothing Jedi. We have picked up some really good things we’d have normally paid for, and gotten rid of things that are hard to believe anyone wants.

Bonus: when she mentioned in passing to someone in a thread that she was going to have ankle surgery and would be in a cast for a while, someone in her group loaned her several skirts to wear while she has the cast!

 

[Koolau]

This sounds like a great idea. We have done it informally, especially within our church. We always hear about the latest knee or hip replacement or someone bed-bound, etc. DW has the full range of "equipment" for such needs (walker, cane(s), potty chair, shower chair, etc.) We just ask around and know quickly who needs what. DW needed all this stuff for a torn foot tendon repair. So far, no one has failed to return any item. YMMV

 

[travelover]

I joined a local Buy Nothing group and got kicked out because I suggested where someone might buy something they were looking for very inexpensively.

 

[disneysteve]

I joined a local Buy Nothing group and got kicked out because I suggested where someone might buy something they were looking for very inexpensively.

That is against the rules though they should have given you a warning for the first time.

 

[harllee]

I joined a local Buy Nothing group and got kicked out because I suggested where someone might buy something they were looking for very inexpensively.

In my local Buy Nothing Group that is not against the rules and is encouraged. However we do not allow people to post things for sale on the site itself.

 

[mystang52]

Over the last few years I have joined the local Buy Nothing and Free Cycle groups. For those who don't know-- these are local groups where you can give away stuff you don't want or ask for things you need. I have not had to ask for many things (except I borrowed a walker for my husband when he had knee replacement) but I have given and loaned out many things. The latest was a loan of a shower chair to a person who was having foot surgery.

I find it much more satisfying to give things to people in my area rather than drop the stuff off at Goodwill. It is more work-- I usually take a picture of what I want to give away and post a description. But I have enjoyed getting to know some of my neighbors who pick up things off my porch. All in all out has been very satisfying to me.

My local Freecycle group has been great. It is, indeed, a great feeling when someone can really use something of mine that I no longer need.

We just put stuff out on the sidewalk. Gone in hours, 2 days at most.

This was my old Freecycle technique! I was amazed how, like you, those things would be gone so quickly.

 

[Midpack]

There are free items posted on our private neighborhood FB page almost every day, including tons of stuff kids have outgrown, that younger kids can use. Whatever we don’t give away goes to AmVets.

 

[travelover]

That is against the rules though they should have given you a warning for the first time.

Well, now that I think about it, maybe they warned me and I told them to stuff it.