I'm sure you are not the only one. People don't appreciate getting things for free. DH and I recently attended a free class. We had to talk our way into the class because it was already full. When the evening came, most of the people did not even show, so there was plenty of room for us. I bet if those people had paid even a small amount for the class, they would have shown up.

I don't blame you for using freecycle. I would just want people to come get stuff and not be haggling with strangers. Maybe you should just put stuff out at the curb and mark it FREE. Or call Sal Army or someone else to come get it. (My DH would have a heart attack if I did this.)

Don't hold anything for anyone. Tell them first one here gets the free stuff. That way you only get the people who are truly interested.

Marlingardener is absolutely correct. You never tell subsequent callers that the item is spoken for. Just tell them that you've had a lot of interest and whoever arrives first will get the items.

We always just put things out on the curb and watch how quickly things are taken.....usually within minutes.

I tried to freecycle something a few years back and no one took it.

Last year when I was moving, I stuck stuff out on the curb and it was usually gone in less than an hour.

We too put things at the road with a big FREE sign and it disappears. No hassle, no waiting for someone to show up, no listing it on Freecycle.

Use the CraigsList Free Forum. Just title it as a *Curb Alert* and set it out. When it is gone be kind and take down the ad so people don't make a trip for nothing.

A photo of the item, even if it is free, helps move it fast.

You can put "No emails. Just come and get it." in your 'Curb Alert' ad if you do not want to be bothered with questions about the free item.

Some people posting a free ad will claim they spied it in front of a neighbors house. Maybe they did. Maybe they don't want people ringing their doorbell. Do what you wish.

I've gotten rid of stuff without even placing an ad, just by setting it out with a *FREE* sign. Gone :poof: before the door slams behind me when I get back inside.

Setting an item out on trash day helps move an item fast. There are people who just drive around on trash day looking for goodies.

I like the idea of first come, first serve. I'm not sure about giving my address to every person that responds though. Does that concern anyone else or am I just paranoid?

I like the idea of first come, first serve. I'm not sure about giving my address to every person that responds though. Does that concern anyone else or am I just paranoid?

Sorry that posted 3 times. It kept rejecting my reply so I didnt think it posted.

I'm with you Steph....I don't feel comfortable giving my address out to so many people. I donate all freebies to the vietnam vets, or the purple heart.I too hate to wait for someone who says they are coming and never show up.

I'm a moderator on Full Circles (sister of Freecycle)which has a few thousand members. I belong to both groups.

As a general rule, it's best *not* to put in your post that first person to come gets it. That way people aren't going to be going out and wasting their time, in case it's already gone.

You make the decision who to give your item to and you can post it that it's taken, ppu (pending pick-up). Don't get rid of the other emails, until it's actually gone, then you can go down the list to the next person you want to give it to.

We don't have many problems with no-shows but it does happen. In the event I have them for my items, I have a folder in my email that I keep those people's names. If they respond to an item of mine, I make sure they don't get it.

A lot of people use porch pick-up, so they don't have to be home...just mark the person's name on the item.

Living in an apt is more of a pain, I have to be here to buzz them in, then I bring the item down to the lobby, or get help doing so, if it's a big one.

Posting addresses hasn't been a problem either...any more so than using Craigslist or Kijiji.

Curbside is great as well.

we have a local Christian radio station here with a progam called Tradio. It will announce a list of things people are willing to give away, same time everyday. If you are interested, you have to call or email the station for more information...they take the name and number and the "gifter" makes the contact.
It works very nicely, but I am sure it is a lot of work for the station.
I gave away a nice swing set/play area and a workbench. Both went to nice familes that brought their kids along to help load.

I had the exact same problems with Craigslist. I even got a nasty Email from a Lesbian or some perv posing aS a lESSY> Blech! Now I just stick things out on the street and lisy as Curb Alerts. I don't want to communicate with people. Hey it's fro free, what can be so bad? First come, first served.

Wow---you could have put my name to your post, Steph!! I posted "taken" for a matisse print I was giving away. They postponed pick up on me twice then never showed up.

THEN, I got kicked out of one of the groups I joined because they didn't think I lived in the vicinity of their group.

I mean, come on! I'm GIVING away things. For free.

We live on a cul-d-sac of 18 homes. I do not want to subject my neighbors to a parade of people driving up and down the street just to see if the item is still available. Since I would likely be at work, I would not know if it is gone or not until I get home so couldn't take the ad down until then.

Plus, I suspect I would get fined or at the very least a notice, if I stuck something out on the curb. We live in a planned community with lots of rules.

I use Freecycle often but if I need something gone by a certain time, I use Craig's List free section. You cannot post directly to our Freecycle. A moderator has to read it and approve it for listing. Sometimes this takes more than a day so it's unpredictable when I will start getting emails about it.

I also always include a link to a Photobucket album that has pictures of whatever I'm giving away. That keeps down the number of annoying inquiries I receive.

All of my Craig's List and Freecycle items are left on my porch out of sight of the street or handed to the person directly if I'm home.

Jodi-

I always email people back with my phone number and tell them to call when when they are in their car and on their way and I will give them directions then. I do hold the item at that point for the length of time I think it will take them to get to my house.

I never hold free or non-free items for anybody UNLESS they are on their way. Many people will drive over an hour to pick things up and I'd feel bad if I didn't hold it for them. I haven't had any problems doing it this way.

Jodi,
Everyone is moderated for a period of time, to make sure the postings are allowed, and are posted correctly. i.e. Offer, Wanted, Received, and Taken.

After a period of time, at the moderators discretion, members are un-moderated. I've got people moderated still, over a long time, because they don't follow the rules and post accordingly. Others will post a number of items in quick succession, I see that it's done properly and they get changed to the Group setting right away.

Perhaps you can write to the mod, and ask to be un-moderated. Then your post gets displayed as soon as you write it.

Jasdip, I didn't know there were different levels of moderation. I know the rules, I capitalize the right words, abbreviate the location (also in caps) and have been using Freecycle for some time now with no corrections on their part. The last thing I gave away went quickly but they never sent out my TAKEN post so I had to go to my Photobucket account where I had a series of things I was giving away and say TAKEN there. Until just recently on Wednesdays could be used for WANTED posts. What a drag that was.

I'll contact the moderators and see if I can get off their scrutiny list. :-)

Jodi-