Do you "pay it forward"?

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

I've recently discovered Freecycle, and I love it! I've gotten a quilt and three boxes of cereal (unopened, lol), and am always on the lookout for vintage items and anything of interest.

The spirit of Freecycle, for me at least, is that for every item I get for free, I post something on the list in the way of "paying it forward." I get, I give. So far I'm giving more than getting and feeling great about it.

Do you pay it forward when you get something nice for free, or the world hands you a gift?

 

[gluegungeisha]

I love Freecycle! It's pretty much just an organized, bigger version of what I've been doing for years. I got my parents into it recently, since they're selling their house and thinning through there things.

 

[Diamondback]

Kinda--I'm not gonna go into a lot of details, but I had a case where I bought some parts for a specialized project from a member of another board, he decided to just give me his whole remaining stockpile in addition to the sale, and now I'm trying to round up all the surplus again so that I can give it to others as it was given to me. (Two Loungers already have first pick, and they know who they are...) And I'm known to take on the odd research project on a "pro bono" basis... (see, MBH, you lawyers don't have the monopoly on that fancy Latin crap! lol)

Not Freecycle or some other specific group per se, but the same kinda spirit and effect in my own little way.

 

[jayem]

Please mind me, but I have no idea how the freecycle page works! Do I have to have a Yahoo account in order to use it?

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Please mind me, but I have no idea how the freecycle page works! Do I have to have a Yahoo account in order to use it?

Actually, I don't know. I have a yahoo email account so all I did was sign up with my email...

 

[retrogirl1941]

I don't use freecycle as much as I used too. A few years back I got a late 1940s baby carriage! Perfect condition! I figured it would come in handy one day(baby or not).

Samantha

 

[Smuterella]

I struggle with freecycle, but then I'm pretty slow on the uptake with most things, I'm not very technically minded me. also I don't have a car (I was born to be driven not to drive).

In terms of paying it forward, yes I do, I certainly take the time to be polite, be freidnly with strangers, help people where I can and smile.

 

[KittyT]

I recently signed up for Freecycle but just have not found anything worth my time or the cost of getting to.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i've been a "catch and release" fisherman for sometime now...does that count? lol everytime i throw one back i say, "go on and get bigger, little fella..." lollol

 

[freebird]

I've gotten into freecycle also. So far I've picked up a few older cd's (Phil Harris among them),and some firewood which I immediately paid forward ...basically picked up and delivered, but not much else. Have given away a couple of good printers,and a glucometer to a fellow Diabetic.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.freecycle.org/

You find one in your area. You have to give away an item first and then you are able to then get.
Please be careful especially having people pick up stuff at your residence. I have heard some horror stories.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

i've used freecycle several times and it was great when i had a car! i don't use it anymore because it's hard to coordinate pickup of many things without one. my roommates and i periodically have a free-box out in front of our house. i've found some great stuff in others' free-boxes as well

 

[fortworthgal]

Oh yeah, I've been a freecycler for about 2 years now. Love it! I've gotten some great stuff and been able to help some people out as well. Just yesterday I freecycled away 4 things, and today I picked up 2!

 

[~*Red*~]

My friend in Indiana told me about freecycle and cheapcycle, and she used hem all the time, when we moved back to California, I signed up for the freecycle in the bay area (i was living with my folks at the time) and then where I am now. We LOVE freecycle! I've definitely given more away, but there have been some awesome things I've picked up for my daughter from it as well. And just yesterday in fact I was freecycled some fantastic Ojon hair repair!! I so needed something like that! It's a great way to pass on items.

 

[gluegungeisha]

i've used freecycle several times and it was great when i had a car! i don't use it anymore because it's hard to coordinate pickup of many things without one. my roommates and i periodically have a free-box out in front of our house. i've found some great stuff in others' free-boxes as well

Free-boxes are great! I don't have a car anymore either, so I usually do that. I currently live in a big dorm hall, and I just scrap up everything I don't want, put it in a labeled box, and leave it in the hallway.

Craigslist also has a free stuff section.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Free-boxes are great! I don't have a car anymore either, so I usually do that. I currently live in a big dorm hall, and I just scrap up everything I don't want, put it in a labeled box, and leave it in the hallway.

Craigslist also has a free stuff section.

I had a free box in front of my house AND I GOT A TICKET FOR IT. I'm pretty sure my drunken, violent upstairs neighbor called the cops to spite me, because when I moved it into my (deeded) driveway, they gave me another ticket. On my own property! I never!

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

I'm still Freecycling like crazy! I've given away a lot of stuff that otherwise would have just gone to Goodwill. Still waiting for a dress form to pop up on it....someday...

 

[Story]

I had a free box in front of my house AND I GOT A TICKET FOR IT. I'm pretty sure my drunken, violent upstairs neighbor called the cops to spite me, because when I moved it into my (deeded) driveway, they gave me another ticket. On my own property! I never!

Go down to the local Precinct and ask to see the Desk Sergeant. A smile and an explanation can go a long way to mitigating problems like that and if the neighbor is a wacko, you want to establish that with the local cops now.

On topic, any time I've put salvage out on the curb it hasn't lasted long enough for the cops to show up. And vice versa. I'm a shameless trashpicker.

 

[miss_elise]

we have "hard rubbish" weeks in our area, where you can put all your big rubbish... like dressers and old tvs etc out on the nature strip and the council comes by and removes it... you'd be surprised by what goes 'missing' before the council come by

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Freecycle is great! We got a great bookcase off of it. It would have been a real pain to get rid of but we love it. With a little touching up it will be great. Made out of Mahogany though - so that's pretty cool.

In answer to the question Yes, I try to maintain at least a zero sum with the giving a receiving, it helps to grease the wheels of co-operation.
Sure, sometimes you can squeeze every penny out of everything you do, but it's less fun that way.