Always someone spoils things

Freecycle is a good site if it works the way the founders intended it. Unfortunately, as with any organization there are going to be those who abuse the system. I have been a member of two different segments. The one where I used to live I think was run the best. One of their rules was that you had to wait 24 hours after you had posted an item before you chose someone to give it to. This way everyone got a chance to apply.

I gave it a try on our local area.. but they were getting really mean to people like myself who never could donate anything.. much and when I could... They were very rude people... They too had the problem of people taking old things fixing them up and reselling them... Which... I my view on that.. Find out if everyone on the group does not want the item.. If its still not wanted.. then let those who want to fix it up and sell it go ahead.. after its in their hands and everyone else had the chance.. its not a big deal then is how I feel about that... But I tried for what seemed forever to get so much as a tiny vacuum... I never did get one... I however was always trying my best to rescue stuff from the trash to freecycle, as my mom goes so crazy with throwing stuff away. Once she gutted us all literally of 3 tons worth of belongings... Throw away most of my arts and crafts material, most of my Dads woodwork items... She was not very respectful about it raiding three homes of family members doing this... And when I explained to the freecycle group the items I had posted I no longer have.. I am sorry my mother through them away.. they responded well next time do not let her throw them away... Well kind of hard not to when you are sitting there with a shoulder and arm injury as I was at that time... as well as a neck injury I was not aware of having... But anyhow... The abuse goes both ways... You got people who want to freecycle everything.. like myself or recycle it... then you got people like my mother who will raid everyones belongings and throw their stuff away then buy them new of the same thing or something she things is better when its not really better at all... as her tastes are blech... Then ya have people who want to try to make a profit.. which is gonna happen when anything is offered free.. someone will want it and try to sell it. But the main reason I stopped participating in the local freecycle is attitudes.. Majorly negative attitudes you had half of them getting mad that others did not give enough then other half getting made they did not get enough... Give it to Goodwill instead... Save you the drama and hassel of the negativity that comes with the freecycle groups... That is my personal thoughts and way to handle it.. To a charity or to a person on the street... - DNatureofDTrain

Personally you will always find people who abuse it, or try too. We had a woman in this area who was caught reselling items she picked up for Free, and you often find other interesting things and people as well. But personally maybe their needs to be someone policing the site a little more, and judge from there. Most of the time you know by Gut instinct when things are sounding a little too fishy as well.

I hate those people who ask for extravagant things! Like "I need 4 violins because my whole family wants to take lessons!" I've seen broken things up too and sometimes they are fixable and sometimes they are ridiculous. Some lady recently offered up her old worn out bras because "someone could probably repair these". No they can't lady, chuck those in the garbage bin! I've found some nice clothing on there and I tend to give away mine on FreeCycle too when it doesn't fit. But generally I just use FreeCycle to give stuff away rather than get stuff. Because for me it is a cleaning tool. Although, I give away nice stuff... like as a kid I kept my toys practically in mint condition, so now when I give them away some people have even told me they gave them to their kids as presents. I did get upset once though when I gave someone my $2,000 22 inch monitor which is great for disabled people and I had hoped some disabled person would get it. Someone with average vision got it and resold it. Obviously not for anywhere near that amount, but still that upset me. And then someone else took a broken computer monitor I had that had an easy fix, and they sold it to someone else claiming it worked even though they never fixed it. But overall I like FreeCycle, I just wish some people would get kicked off. I keep a list though, if people are bad I never let them get my stuff again.