GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT ADVICE ! ! !
YEA !!!! F R E E C Y C L E !!!
Love It !!!
God Bless !
SusieSunshine
(

Thanks for all that great info Susie. I've been thinking about signing up now that there is one in my area. When you said the part about "don't go to the basement", I had a flashback to the Silence of the Lamb movie! LOL

Luvs

Great advice, Susierose! Tho I read Craigslist here instead. I use to read Freecycle but got so bummed at many of the posts. People asking for things like boats, cars, etc. I've gotten some really good things off Craigslist and posted some stuff on there as well. But I think the same advice you gave would apply to both.
Thanks.

{{gwi:76417}}

Y E S >>>>>>>>>>>> B Careful ! ! !
There are a bunch of ..... really STRANGE
W E I R D............. Scary........ People...
L@@King to harm... others.
They want INFO on you...
but...
There are also LOTS of Nice People!
And the point is to RE CYCLE !!!
and save the DUMP !

*** Use your head... Don't give out
personal info!

* * * leave on the porch and pick up on PORCH!!!

* * * NEVER GO ALONE>>>
Leave.... word what address you are going to
to pick up !

SMART ADVICE !

God Bless !
SusieSunshine

* * * SAFETY 1st !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (

Great advice SusieRose! I've tried winning on Freecycle before but it was already gone always, so I'll try the "Pick me I'll come quickly" advice!

The whole idea of Freecycle is to keep items out of the landfill and be greener with the environment, and yes it helps creative people live larger! By all means, be careful though, Silence of the Lambs comes into my mind too when mentioning the basement of a stranger's home!

I learned how to win on Ebay, just put in an early bid to be decent, then be there the last 2 minutes, that's the only time that you really need to pay much attention to the bidding. This is called Sniping, doesn't sound very nice, but it was the only way I could win. Putting in a hidden price early only drove up the price in advance. Why bid over and over early, when the auction doesn't end for days? It only drives up the final price. So that's how I've won on Ebay, the only method that's worked for me. I hope to start Selling on it, and any tips for selling would be welcome. And yes, I know people would "snipe" my auctions too, but that's just how it's done. :-)

~tenderlee

Karen,

In my area there are boats, cars, trucks, mobile homes, sheds, old house tear downs for materials, Nintindos, computers, surround sound systems ect. offered all of the time. It would not be odd to ask if anyone had an old mobile home that they wanted moved off of their land. Or does anyone have a boat they dont want anymore. It is not a "Gimme Pig" thing around here. Lots of people gladly would like someone to haul off the old boat that does not run anymore; the trailer that their farm hands use to live in; office furniture from a failed business ect. We gave away a pickup truck one time. Just ignore the "Wanted ads" for a while and watch the "offered" postings. You'll get used to seeing the variety of things. Today someone was offering packages of soy sauce they had saved from eating Chinese food. Yesterday there was a flat screen TV.

Craigslist has been a great place for us to find landscaping hardscape materials for some reason. Men seem to know Craigslist better.

We are coming out of a very materialistic time (some call a Golden Era). People over-bought a lot of everything. Many folks do not have knowledge, imagination, or time for paint and glue. Technology is so quickly advancing, that those who can, upgrade all of the time. I would probably faint if I rode around in the garbage disposal company's truck for just one day. Or if I went to the dump and saw what some people just did not take the time to give away.

The worse thing that has happened to me while doing this is getting a box of dishes and only 2 pieces could be used by me. I take the rest to Goodwill.

Last week a lady gave me a VCR, CD player, and a TIVO (along with the vases/dishes ect). I didn't want any of them. I brought them home and gave them to my Son, who knew someone who needed them. susie

SusieRose, sometimes I think the folks in Phx aren't very nice about the whole idea of recycling. They grab up stuff to put in yard sales, or take to sell elsewhere, and are greedy taking things from those who really need...or would just really love...something. Heck, I can't even try to check stuff in alleys my area during the 4x a year big trash pickups. Mexicans in big old hauling trucks go thru and take everything soon as you're allowed to put it out the week before. Its a business for them!
Its sure not much fun to try to find treasures here tho. I wish Freecycle would separate the "I wants" from the givers like Craigslist does.

Tenderlee, I've been buying and selling on eBay since '99.
If you need any help, just email me. And yep, "sniping" is the way to go. I think most bidders do it now.

{{gwi:76417}}

Right on Susie, i love freecycle. Belong to several groups. Alway tell them I can pick up at their convenience. I also tell what kind of vehicle i am driving. Just went yesterday and picked up 45 wood windows (garden shed) am going to go get 10 more tomorrow. I have gotten bathtubs, bookshelves, rugs, a cabinet to store my stained glass in, two dressers, bbq grill, end tables, plant grow light, the list goes on and on. We also have a local radio station that has a website called Swap and Shop, I just had a man call me and offer me 30 rolls of hay.....free......... we are going saturday to pick up as many as possible. Those cost 40.00 each.....we got them free. I even got my uptown daughter to try freecycle.............she's hooked....LOL

Thanks for all the tips. I haven't had great luck with Freecycle, tho I did give away a bunch of plants from an overgrown garden last fall with the condition that people dig them up (with me) and that worked well to cut back and give me more space. I had a HUGE job putting it all back together tho cuz they made quite the mess. It was good for me tho right, lol.
I've offered office furniture from the building I manage and no one wanted it.
I haven't seen dishes or windows, but I live in a much less populated area and our freecycle is fairly new (maybe 2 years).
I keep thinking I'll sell on ebay after mild success with 3 skirts, and even took a bunch of pics once but then didn't post. I was thinking with the fees and then paypal fees it might not be worth it. I'd like to hear more from folks who do that successfully.
kathy

Remember everyone- It is not a charity or just for those who need charity. It is RECYCLING!!!

If you take the item and use it- it is recycled.
If you take the item and give it to your neighbor- it is recycled.
If you take the item and sell it- it is recycled.
If you take the item and tear it apart for an art project- it is recycled.

If you are given something and then do not want it just send it around again. The idea is to keep it from going to the landfill and it also creates a neighborly sense of community. A private one could be set up in your Church or at work or anywhere there is a bulleton board. Families have always done this with each other. That is why I say it enhances the 'community' factor.

I just drove 55 miles to pick up 8 windows. By the time I left her house I had a truck load of stuff. A neat white plastic garden cart. A white wire cart on wheels with slide out baskets, a Golf wall rack, tons of auto stuff, filter, washes, spark plugs, etc. Needles and several spools of thread, cross stitch (3), some baby items, flower pots, box of white ceramic tile, makita cordless drill, towel rack, gourds, large plastic tub and three small plastic trays, plus a ton of other stuff. It certainly made the trip worth while. I wish I knew how to post pictures here.

chel- "And a partridge in a pear tree"!!!!! Yeh Haw's all around!!!!!!!! Fantastic. Keep what you want and freecycle the rest. susie

Wonderful advice! Around here there are more people posting "I Wants" than giving things away free.

199 Bright Street- It does seem like there are more wants lately. The moderators remind us monthly not to answer charity, food, or money requests. They keep telling us it is just for recycling. Some postings offer food, clothes, ect. but if you think about it, not many *truly* needy folks own a computer. I never pick up stuff like that. We gave away two gas fire place inserts and tons of emails came in saying that they wanted them because they have no heat. How can you have a computer and yet no heating system in your home? Some people read the "I Wants" and answer them. I needed an old rusty bike for an art project idea one time. I listed it and a farmer emailed me and said he had two in his barn. So it could work properly in a perfect world. susie

I never seemed to win anything. I guess I was doing it wrong. Maybe I will try again. I figured the moderator was getting first grab at it all and was probably re selling at the flea market or something.

I'm not home enough to grab the good stuff on freecycle. You have to catch stuff fast if you want it! Of course I can't access my home email from work. By the time I see it, it is gone like the wind.

I will have to look a Craigslist more often.

Btw, I snipe too on ebay! It seems to be the only way to go. Sometimes I like driving up the price and then quitting so the winner has to pay an arm and a leg to get what I really wanted. lol I'm so evil! Pahahahahahahahaha

Karen, thanks for your generous offer of advice on Ebay Selling! When I get it together a bit better, I'll be contacting you for sure. I have threatened for 5 years to sell on it, but just haven't gotten set up with PayPal mainly, plus the other thing I sorta worry about is doing that first Check Out, I'd hate to screw that up!

I have a score of 100 and have made purchases exactly 100 times since 2002, but have never sold yet, but at least I'm established well enough for buyers to "trust" me ... do they dare lol.

The main thing that is preventing me now is that I'm not organized enough to run it properly as a small business. I really want to keep up with my profits (hopefully no losses!). My daughter is moving very soon, and all her furniture that is filling up my basement, and causing me to be unable to get to my stuff, will finally get moved. They are in the process of looking at houses now. Should be out of here soon, but in a nearby neighborhood! I can't wait to get my bathroom and bedroom back again! It's been 6 months now.

Thanks again Karen ~tenderlee