people are only willing to give so much away...

A free canoe? Yes, sure! Just give me $2000 for shipping and handling. There's always a catch!

Well I guess they are hoping someone has a canoe that might need some minor repairs or something. I have asked for a bike for my son and not only did I get an offer, but the bike was in excellent condition, I know this woman could have gotten 20 or more for it. But when she found an upgrade for her son on sale at the store, she said I can have his older one and really if I didn't say anything to my son, he probably wouldn't have known it was used, it was in that good of condition..

Well and if they are willing to give something "big" like that it's gotta have leaks in it and or in need of repair. People can be nice but not that nice. Can I apply to your local freecycle and ask for a pontoon? Do you think I'll get any replies? *LMAO*

A cell phone is no big deal. I have 2 old ones I bought for about $15 each with about $15 worth of talk time on them. I used the time up and have no use for the phones. They won't work were I live. By the time I go back again, the batteries won't work and I'll have to buy another throw away phone.

Yah, some of these requests are crazy . . . isn't it against the rules to ask for high priced items like that? I have seen a lot of requests for cell phones too . . . I'll admit I have old ones, but I doubt that's the kind that they want. I have seen requests for sewing machines, and am actually surprised to see "received" posts on them (hey, then I should ask for one too - ha ha). But a serger is a probably something one would not give up. And a canoe ... ha ha - good luck with that one!!!

hi cher, I too often check freecycle in my area and you are right some people "want" a lot of different items,,,,but I am never surprised of anything thats requested...It is a site to request and offer items. So if they want a canoe, ask for it,,you never know who may have one what may need a little work and the owners may just want to get rid of it... Why not ask....I have seen people offering a 2oz container of fish food or a 7 oz bottle of dish detergent...talking about "WOW"... Checking the site I have seen items I would never ask for and I have seen items I would never offer....

I think these things are mostly funny. I mean, I'd never post anything like that, but I don't think it's that people actually expect to be given these things. Although you never know, eh?

I have seen it happen. Lot's of rich people donate stuff.

I think its always worth a chance to ask. I have been given a truck in the past and I have given one away as well. Its just meeting up of the right people for the trades. Might as well put what you are looking for out there and maybe get a bite. Its a tough world we live in where the majority of us are only out for ourselves. We all look out for us first and look over others needs because its inconvienent. I dont think we mean to or that we are trying to be rude. I think we have been programed to be so busy and so involved in our lives that we forget there are others we could help. With that said a canoe is a luxury in life and I cant see needing one or asking for one like that. I hope that for the posters sake there is someone out there that needs that spot in his basement available and wants to part with one out of the goodness of his heart.

That is asking alot! Especially when someone can make money off of selling it. I wouldn't give something like that away unless it was damaged and could be fixed and I just didn't want to fix it....I guess they figure..if you don't ask you don't know!

I think that at some garage sales, people do give a lot of things away almost for nothing. But the thing is that for them it´s junk. Giving them is cheaper than keeping them. Probably the best way would be to see what is being given insted of requesting. Didn´t the Salvation Army have something of that sort at the US? We have such an institution (with another name) in my country.

You are right that there are people on freecycle that are downright greedy. Now, there are some things that we probably need to have in our house that we don't have right now and I would post that I was looking for those things on freecycle because you just never know what someone is trying to get rid of and replace in their own homes. However, the things that I need are necessity types of items that people do have a tendency to replace and not luxury items that people don't really need to own.

I can understand wanting items such as egg cartons, crayons, old children's books, but a canoe is crazy. When I lived in Idaho I had given away a microwave oven to a woman because her daughter's old one broke and the daughter had just had a baby. I was more than happy to give the item to someone who really needed it. The cell phone I can understand because many people use them more. I had gotten a couple of CD Towers for free.

I've seen that on our local Freecycle list, too, and usually from people who rarely offer anything to others. I did give away a kayak to the church youth director who had a lot a kids. We had no use for it anymore, couldn't blow it up to test it, and didn't want to bother trying to sell it after my garage sale was over. I also gave away a sofa in good shape I had no room for to some people from Freecycle who were willing to come get it. So sometimes good things are offered free. I have a lot to get rid of now, but they are things with value and I'm a bit afraid of Craig's list now.