Most everyone knows what Freecycle is, and I get the whole "keep it out of the trash" concept...but where do you draw the line?

In just the last week alone, on two of the groups I am on there have been the following types of emails:

• ISO 2004 or newer car with good gas mileage and completely running without any vehicle problems posts
• My friend, my cousin, my sister, my whatever had a house fire and needs new appliances, new clothes (with tags preferred), new Little Tykes toys for her/their children, food, etc posts
• This girl I know is 13 and just got emancipated from her parents because they didn't "support" her decision to give birth to her 2nd child , so she needs everything to start out on her own posts

I mean, keeping it out of the trash is one thing, but I can't ever see someone putting a 2004 or newer car without any problems with it in the trash?

What do these types of posts have to do with freecycling? Honestly?

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SPJRNTGADL!

I know exactly what you mean! our freecyle group leader finally said no more sob stories just state what you need or have to give away and that is it! i realize there are people who need things but it gets to me that people expect everything you know?

There have been a couple of requests for cars on our board too over the past couple of months (not asking for 2004 or later though, LOL). I have noticed alot of requests for things you wouldn't typically ask for lately like a riding lawnmower, cars, that type thing.

the type of posts you listed are exactly why I don't take part in our freecycle board anymore That and the fact that the couple of times I posted something and someone claimed it, they never showed up It was more hassle to deal with that. I also claimed something that someone posted, went to pick it up (over an hours drive) and then they "forgot" to put it out and it wasn't there. Uh, I reminded them 2 hours before leaving that I would be there and they thanked me for the reminder. GRRR

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Well even with the problems it is a good way to reuse things. People will always expect something for nothing no matter where you go just take it like you take it everything else: there are good and bad people everywhere. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If you have a free box in your town put things there instead.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

That's where the mods are supposed to come in. They are supposed to "moderate" the posts...but in a lot of these groups the mods are nonexistant.

the 13 year old pregnant with her 2nd kid that is emancipated from her parents... that one just took the cake this morning. How is it anyone's responsibility to provide her additional support? I am sure she is already receiving some kind of state aid, which we are already paying for!!

unbelievable.

I look at my 3 girls and wonder what if it had been one of them? but then I remember that we have raised our children differently--abstinence until marriage (at least).

13 and prego and some sob story about how we should be giving her new items to get "her established"!!

Who paid the court costs for her emancipation? certainly there was a filing fee, and would they ever emancipate a child under the age of 15 if they had no means to support themselves?

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SPJRNTGADL!

??? do you recommend abstinence after marriage ???

as a form of birth control yes--lest they be like yet another thread here and have 16+ children. lol *ugh*

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SPJRNTGADL!

I got out of our FreeCycle group, too. DH was a little creeped out giving people our address, total strangers. There was also a time when this woman came to pick something up that I had left in our drive way, and began to help herself to DS's b'ball hoop/stand thing (the big metal ones) and a grill we had.

The sob stories were terrible, but, even worse were the people WITHOUT a sob story, just wanting things... a pool for her kids, one woman even asked for a trailer to live in FREE, and of course, it had to be "nothing too scary or dilapidated".

I told the moderators how I felt and got out of there. I now take things that I can't otherwise place, to the Good Will. I first try to give to someone I know can/will use it.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Having them come to my house would be just plain silly. I put down an intersection in town near where I am going to be for work or whatever or just a place that is safe like the mall or something and meet them there.

The freecycle here in Eugene I don't think is as bad. Our community embraces things like this and it is really really popular and used alot. Sure we get the ones that tell their sob stories and the tweekers looking for something for nothing but mostly it's just good people who care about the world and don't want to see things going into the dump.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

There was one last week who said that her kids "worked hard" to collect the Madame Alexander dolls from the happy meals at McDonalds.

So I questioned her...if your kids are little kids, how in the world did they "work hard" for the toys?? All you gotta do is buy the happy meal! (no real work there!)

She replied with, "they swindled everyone in the family to get the toys for them, and they are missing 2 dolls to make the complete set, and they are begging me to find them."

I had this posted on another board, and come to find out...it was not her kids wanting the complete set...but HER...because they sell HIGH and FAST on ebay!!


Our freecycle started out very caring, now it's just bizzaro! It's almost just better to list items on Craigslist!

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SPJRNTGADL!

Our freecycle seems to be okay. I've seen a few requests for items that are expensive, but they never seem to "receve" those items, so big deal! I've gotten a cozy coupe car and a play kitchen for my granddaughter I am raising and both of those things were greatly appreciated. I've gotten rid of a few things that I would of otherwise wondered what to do with. So all in all it has been a good experience for me. Now there is one lady who will not deal anyone unless they give her their telephone number. I refuse to deal with her, she doesn't need my telephone number.