Topic: Just who is Freecycle for?

[kt.]

I consider myself to be of working class and have posted items on freecycle several times now.  Each time items have been collected, the individuals collecting have come to my house in Mercedes, BMW and other high class vehicles way above my payscale.  I do read some emails prior to deciding who to contact first.  Not complaining as such because the items are still needed by somebody.  Just quite surprised at all these well to do people coming to my ex-council house for items.

[SamLouise]

How do you think they stay so rich?  By being tight of course  ;) ;D ;D

[kimbobill]

Exactly Savage Blue, thats why they've the Mercs and BMW's,

[Heldi]

PMSL @ SB

I don't bother with freecycle anymore...I might be hyper suspicious but I got the impression some people almost had an item list.  I finally got the hump when someone asked for a tv...saying their's was about to go kapput,only they wanted a black one and defo not a silver one.   Made me think that did.

[silly billy]

The car you drive doesn't always show your financial situation. I have a friend who works for a car leasing company in Surrey and as he often tells me most of the Range Rovers Mercs Beemers etc etc are all leased and often by the company they work for. I have noticed that alot of things on freecycle are collected by people who then sell them on often via ebay. Theres been quite a few disputes on my local freecycle about this.

[tartonterro]

i cant grumble about freecycle - gave away a sleep over bed the other week there to a couple that were setting up a new home.
ive managed to get myself some good stuff off it myself - i wouldnt say im skint - but id rather get something for nothing than have someone skip or bin something thats still in good working order, in fact im picking up several barrels this week coming for the allotment from an ad i put on the edinburgh freecycle site.
but can understand where your coming from - but i can also say just cause they drive a big car doesnt mean they have loads of money - what do you thinks paying for the car - the more money you get the more money you spend i always find.

[legless]

its not for any particular social group - its for reducing landfill and waste by passing on things you don't want to/ can't be bothered to sell but want rid of to someone who can use it.

personally i think there are some cheeky people on freecycle. I love it but i've only ever offered stuff and its been a brilliant way of passing stuff on that can be used.

[Heldi]

With regards to the kind of car a person drives.  When I met my natural mother,day to day, her husband drives a Peugeot 106.   Back at home they have a Merc SLK, BMW X5,Aston Martin DB9.  So I guess you can't judge the person by the car they drive.  Actually his words were when my OH asked why he drove the Peugeot "So I can hire out a drill for £8 an hour and no one gives me sh*t."  Nice man...not. 

legless has it spot on....it's about reducing landfill. So I will be less judgemental about people and their lists.

[bupster]

It's about avoiding waste. I'm delighted if I give something to someone who's clearly got enough money to buy stuff but is really trying not to consume for the sake of it.

[OllieC]

I think there's a bit of "Too poor for paint, to proud for whitewash"... I feel no shame in scrounging stuff - it's not a choice I make because of my financial situation. If I was skint (which might happen sooner than I'd hoped!), perhaps it would rub salt in the wounds of poverty...

[Lacelotte]

I use freecycle a lot. As an allotment holder it's brilliant for picking up everything from plant pots to greenhouses! I'd rather house them than have them thrown away.

The only thing that gets me with it is some people literally sign up and put up a big shopping list of ridiculous things. I actually seen a posting a few weeks ago for someone wanting an xbox 360! Maybe that email was meant to go to Santa I'm not sure but still...

[Old bird]

I don't have a computer at home and work 9 - 5 so use the  computer at work and the times I have answered as soon as the digest comes in to see that at the bottom it has gone anyway is a little upsetting, plus I can't leave work at a moment's notice to fetch things.

I put a few things on it and I was deluged with replies - a lot of them were answered by the persons computer automatically - and I felt that they were getting in as much stuff as possible and then taking it to the next boot sale or whatever and selling it on - which niggled me a bit - because that isn't the aim of Freecycle!

The only thing I actuallly got was a bike - a couple of weeks back.  But the rest which normally go to the first person that emails them you just can't do it if you work etc.

I have been put off putting stuff on  the site - as I am not sure that it is being given to people that actually deserve/really want said items.  I would rather give it to a Charity shop - and at least it will do a bit of good somewhere down the line.

Only problem is I don't know how to stop these digests coming through and I have literally hundreds as when I was trying to get a chicken house I signed on to 4!!!

Old Bird :o

[posie]

I use freecycle quite a lot, but my rule of thumb is to a) if i'm asking for something I also post up an offered post even if it's just something small and b) if I'm offering something I try to wait 24 hours before I allocate it to someone (assuming they've asked politely - cant believe some of the emails I get, like "I'll have this" or "ring me I want this").

My two major complaints are those who ask for things then blatantly go out and flog them at car boot sales.  I'm happy to give to those who are doing a boot sale for charity, I'm not happy to provide someone with the stuff to line their own pockets.  And those who don't bother to turn up and don't bother to tell you or apologise.  Manners cost nothing as my great nan would say.

[bupster]

Never seen the boot sale thing on our local freecycle. They're supposed to be moderated, aren't they?

Old bird, go to the original site and you can unsubscribe to the group or just the digest there  :)

[prink13]

I've used Freecycle a few times, both to give stuff away, and have recycled some unwanted good s from other people.

I use it to try to keep from taking items to the tip, and just occasionally someone will offer something that "I cannot live without"! - generally I'v found people to just be average, nothing outstanding about the wealth etc. just ordinary people.

I'm sure that the discussions ref. people selling items which they have "recycled" will continue, but I don't see the harm in it myself. f the original owner does not want to go to the effort (and expense) of selling something, then I don't see why the "recycler" shouldn't be able to, although I think it is polite to let people know that that is what you might be doing with the item - after all how long do you have to keep something you have recyled before you can recyle it yourself?!?

Kathi

[Old bird]

Hi Bupster -  Yes they are moderated but you can't stop anyone collecting some stuff and then ebaying it of selling it at car boots!  They certainly don't tell anyone that is what they are doing!!  Thanks for the tip on de-registering!!

Posie there is no "harm" in them doing it but the idea is "one man's rubbish is another man's treasure" not "Here we go grab as much as you can then you can make a few quid out of it!"

I would like my stuff to go to someone who will appreciate it - I did - once!

Old Bird

 ::)

[Fork]

Someone on one of the Freecycle sites in this area asked for,and I quote,"does anyone have a spare Cavalier King Charles spaniel pup they dont want"!!!.

Rudeness is rife too.....hardly a please and thankyou in site most of the time.

[redimp]

It's about avoiding waste. I'm delighted if I give something to someone who's clearly got enough money to buy stuff but is really trying not to consume for the sake of it.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment, nobody who drives a Merc, BMW etc can ever be accused of "really trying not to consume for the sake of it" no matter how much they use Freecycle.

[caroline7758]

I am a real freecycle addict (drives my OH mad!). Today I gave away some sacks and and some tom and aub plants, and picked up some honeysuckle and passion flower seedlings! We've had this same discussion before. I take the attitude that I know why I do it and I'm not that bothered why other people do it as long as the stuff is recycled somehow! I work with people on a low income and, as long as they can get access to a computer, it's a godsend for them, but that doesn't mean it's only meant for them.

[Kea]

What gets me is the people who desperately want whatever it is then they arrange a time and you never hear from them again having waited in all day for their convenience. I've ended up taking a brand new unused printer to the dump because after this happened three times in a row I gave up. Fortunately the guys at the dump were delighted so at least it didn't go into landfill. my OH now veto's anything being put on freecycle that he knows about.