Excellent idea! (freecycle.org)

Member Name: blazeybug

Product:	freecycle.org
Date:	21/06/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Get rid of unwanted clutter

Disadvantages: Rude, greedy people!

I have been a member of Freecycle now for about a year and have nothing but good things to say about it.

Many view Freecycle as a way of "getting free stuff" but the general idea behind it is to offer things that you would usually send to landfill as it may be of use to someone else. That way you are helping the environment.

The general way in which it works is as follows...

Say I had a coffee table that I no longer wanted... I would go onto my local Freecycle group and post an "offer" giving my general location and details about the coffee table and when I wanted it collected by.

People who would like the table would then reply asking for it and I would then choose who to give it too, give my address and they would come and collect it.

NO MONEY IS ALLOWED TO CHANGE HANDS

You can also put a "wanted" message. So if there is something in particular that you need, for instance an armchair you would post this on the site. Anyone who had an unwanted armchair would come back to you offering it directly to you.

There are people that abuse this site, which is very sad. People try to put "wanted" messages on for PS3, LCD TVs etc which is NOT what freecycle is about.

Some people will often create "sob stories" to try and get you to choose them to receive your "offer". I have had some real corkers come through!

The other problems include people who will email you being rude because they have not been selected (if this happens you report them to a Freecycle Moderator) or people saying they will collect and item and then not showing up (which again you report).

Three strikes and you are out.

I have offered and received lots via this site and find it a lovely community thing to do.

Summary: It's worth signing up too!