Do you ever get things for free or give away things for free

Lots. At my old job in Dubai, I was gifted a lot of designer things, shoes, handbags etc. Since going vegan, I don't wear leather, so I have given the items to a friend who runs an animal rescue to auction off and raise funds for the animals. One bag raised 2k!

Yes and yes.
I live on a long street with an active Whattsapp group. I’ve given away furniture, TVs, theatre tickets and other random stuff and I’ve been given furniture, a bike, paint and kitchen stuff.
I’ve also got a lot of furniture from Facebook. I’ve occasionally offered money when someone has given away something valuable.

Yes to both. The last thing I got was a school jumper for DD and last thing I gave were some large pieces of oak panelling.

Yes re cats. I was given a cat. He’s sweetest loveliest cat so I couldn’t understand why she was so keen to give me him. I soon found out he’s a massive predator! I have managed to get round the problem with a cat flap that lets him out but not back in again. He has a lovely house in garden. I let him back in as soon as I know he’s on his own. A solution that works well for us both - he has a lovely lake to go play around and can get out anytime he wants. He gets very anxious and upset if he’s locked in.

Yes?
When I had my baby I got SO much stuff from a friend. A cot, breast pumps, tommee tippee machine, bottles, clothes, all sorts. She wouldn’t accept any money and said it only would’ve gone to a baby bank.
Last week I over bought cured meats and cheeses for a lunch with friends and none of them would take leftovers home. Packets of unopened food. I was seeing another friend the following day and I text her beforehand to see if she had any use for cheese and pastrami. She was delighted!

I have given many things away free on gumtree. Most notable was a brand new cream leather sofa. I’d ordered a new suite. Massive big stony faced man arrived at the door said nothing. Had his son with him who was a bit more pleasant. They man handled it out the door without a word and a grumpy face like he was doing me a favour. I don’t expect thanks but i has put me off. Now I just put things on for 20 quid and people seem more appreciative when they’ve to pay nominal amount.

Yes and yes. Why wouldn't you?

Rarely buy new furniture and have been given loads
Bed, desk, cooker, sofas, kitchen table, rugs, chest of drawers, dining table and chairs. Was given a car when a friend was banned but gave it back when I bought a new one.
Have given away
Fridge, microwave, living room carpet, rugs, bookcases, curtains, sofas, books, CDs, clothes, computer, TV, chairs, pans.

Forgot to mention the most important things we've been given... Cats.
Neighbour gave us her cat which her children had been tormenting
Neighbours sister gave us her cat because it was boring

Really? I never get anything for free, but tbh I don't seek out free things. I occasionally give things to charity shops, though obviously the people who buy them won't be getting them for free.

I gave away almost all our baby and child stuff - equipment as well as clothes. There is a great charity near us which distributes the items directly to families who need it. I prefer that to giving it to a charity shop because otherwise those in need are still having to pay and might not be able to afford them. I also recently gave away some children’s furniture to someone on a local parents’ Facebook group. Most charities won’t accept furniture and I didn’t want perfectly good furniture to end up in landfill.

I only recall taking free things a couple of times - something from a local FB group, which my DD has now outgrown so I gave away recently, and I accepted some baby clothes from friends - which again I have now given away. So good that things get re-used instead of chucked out after they are outgrown.

Yes, I have had jobs in my house done for free by family members
I get free yoga classes.
lots of other things too…
I give all my DCs old clothes to family members.
when I was moving I gave away the furniture i didn’t want/need anymore.

Recently given an exercise bike which is great while the evenings are too dark to go running.

And some beautiful brass kitchen scales

Other than that, no not really. I don't give things away but I make a lot of food for the local youth club so I give time & ingredients.

Yes, both. Quite often. I have had some lovely items via Freegle, and passed on lots of things via the same route.

I'm currently trying to give away a load of printers.

I'm forever putting things on our local freebay Facebook group. Less hassle than taking it to the charity shops who are a bit random about what they take and when.

Once a week the group allows people to request specific items. I go through the requests and see if I have any of the items to give as it is a great way of me decluttering.

I don't tend to get things free because there tends to be an element of hassle involved, and we don't need to budget really so I can't be bothered. But we might occasionally pick up a book or toy from a box of free things left outside someone's house.

I contacted our local animal rescue as I had a freezer drawer full of frozen dog food my dog could no longer have, and they were very grateful for the donation. I dropped it off to them but many have volunteers who will collect if you can't do that. Worth asking

According to my olio stats, I have given away 169 things and received 43 in the last 5 years.

I also drop stuff at the charity shop, put in our local book box and street WhatsApp group

I give away quite a lot to our local homeless service, and collect clothes for it, and buy food etc for its food bank. There are a lot more female users now.

We also do give-aways on our garden wall, in a banana box, like going-out-of-date tins or unwanted items/ spare food and toiletries we won’t use up. Someone took the whole box once. Including the box.

As for acquiring things: yes, free samples at the dentist’s and the dermatology department! Which went to the homeless service …

Hand me down clothes for DC - they were passed down to my kids and I passed them on to friends and neighbours (with previous owner's agreement).

Have passed on furniture, toys, books too.

Never receive things for free but will give things away on local FB groups (Ebay & FBMP are awful to deal with nowadays).
If it doesn't go, it gets taken to the charity shop

I give things away for free.

I used to also take things if given away for free (olio, gumtree etc). I figured it was good to reuse things rather than buy new. However, I read so much pearl clutching on MN from people who had given things away but were offended the person taking it could have afforded to buy new, weren’t going to use it the way they wanted it used, weren’t going to offer it back at some time in the future … etc. Even people saying similar about things they had sold. I decided it wasn’t worth it.

For similar reasons I also used to fund and run an anti-food-waste community pantry, but read such vitriol on here from people saying they should only be used by families who were using food banks, name-calling anyone using them to reduce food waste. I kept it going until Christmas but shut it a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, both - charity shops, freecycle, friends, family, neighbours ... Surely everyone does this?

I have had things for free from friends and family in the past, often when people have been clearing out or moving house. I have also reciprocated.

I donate things I don't need/want to charity shops, church jumble sales etc. too.

We do both.

I do both, constantly. Big local WhatsApp group in my part of London, it's brilliant.