I am NEVER giving anything away again.

[Ohjakestopbeingatwat]

I’ve had it now with giving things away. I think I am just a twat magnet.

I put the children’s old wooden play market/kitchen thing up on Facebook, for free.

I put up photos and was very honest that it needs two new screws/wood glue as they have come loose and can’t be tightened, some of the paintwork is chipped, but if someone wants it, it would make a great up cycle project. If no one wanted it, it would go to the tip. But you know, it’s free and I know lots of people like a project.

Someone immediately said she wanted it and sent her husband to collect it a while later.

Then, all hell broke loose. She messaged me saying it was in a terrible state, the paint was chipped, the screws needed replacing - no shit Sherlock. That was the actual description.

She demanded that I come and pick it up. No. She kept on and on until I had to block her.

Half an hour later, her husband turned up again and threw it on my driveway, smashing it. So now, no one can have it to do up and it will have to go to the tip.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had shit like this. I don’t know how I attract these people. So never again. It’s the charity shop, or the tip.

I think some charity shops are trying to elevate themselves and wanting to be seen as purveyors of only very fine quality items... but that isn't what people expect or require of a charity shop.

What's the point in trying to compete with shops that sell brand new stuff at full price - and seeking to attract the kind of person who wouldn't be seen dead in a charity shop, whilst deterring those of us who love a good rummage in the chazza shop and will actually spend money there?!

Even they can be irritatingly picky, though. They would rather turn away something with a few marks on it than take it for a person escaping homelessness who would find it extremely useful and couldn't care less about the odd scuff or blemish.

I don't give stuff away either any more. I either give decent stuff to a local clothing bank who voluntarily hands clothes out in bundles people donate. Or to charity shops.

The lady who runs the clothing bank constantly gets pissed about too.

The last thing was two massive idea bags of lovely kids clothes. I said take what you need ( no one needs 35 age 8 boys tshirts and 20 joggers. Expressly said not to take my ikea bags. Put some bin bags for people to take bits they liked. First person took all of it. My ikea bags and the entire roll of bin bags. No thank you. It bothered me more it should have. I'd rather not feel a bit shit every time I give things away.

If its free the collector associates zero value to it or you.

I had a previous lady say yes to anything and everything I listed as free on FB then told me she couldn't collect, never collected anything and blocked anyone else from having stuff. Then she was asking for lawn mower, must be petrol. BBQ but must be gas. Garden set but must be gray wicker. I was waiting for her to ask for a car but be 25 reg Tesla. Honestly gave me the rage when In relatity I'm expecting too much. Ie to be treated as I'd treat others.

So I summary OP, how dare you not buy her a new Ikea play kitchen, deliver it and slip a £50 for her trouble.

No good deed gies unpunished.

Put it on your drive with a note saying free. That works and bonus no interaction

Perversely ive found you get a better response for selling things for like £5 or £10

At the food bank where I volunteer, OOD food goes to a shop/centre somewhere (can't recall where exactly) where it's left out on a table with a 'help yourself' offer. People can take anything they want, with the understanding that it's OOD.

Only in-date food can go into the official boxes for the food bank users.

I'm pleased the other stuff doesn't all get wasted, though.

I stopped doing this after giving away all of our moving boxes. I listed that they had been used by someone else and then us but were still in good enough condition (which they were) Someone came to collect them and then swore at us to through the window saying that they had been used before?! They then messaged me saying I had kept the good ones for myself and only given them the 30 worst ones?! Batshit.

Free cycle is a better place to give free items away. It attracts people more into recycling of items

you've fallen prey to the Great Unwashed.

People are horrid. Lots of them. Stay inside. Don't interact.

where I live, Oxfam wants £240 for a pair of curtains.
And no, it's not Harrogate (how I wish it was..)

Have just got back from a long day clearing a house for sale. We sold and freecycled. Apart from one guy, it was great. Met some lovely people and am very tired but happy. So sorry about the experiences described here as I really enjoy freecycle

They're absolutely mental - what does it matter if they're marked or bashed, as long as they're structurally OK and do the job? You can buy quantities of big cardboard boxes brand new - obviously aimed at domestic house movers - and they're surprisingly expensive, especially for something that you need for maybe a week or two and then never again for many years.

Big cardboard boxes are like gold dust to anybody preparing to move house; but instantly become a huge load of in-the-way rubbish immediately afterwards (unless you own a factory or removals firm)!

I don't think I can think of a better example of an item that a pass-it-on re-use network would be ideal for.

It can be any section of society, though. Plenty of immaculately-dressed, well-spoken people are massive unreasonable CFs; whilst a lot of those whom you might describe as 'likely characters' are actually honest, decent, polite and genuinely grateful for a favour or mutual good deed.

That's outrageous. A basic part of running a business is knowing the market and where you fit in to it.

People with £240 to spend on curtains aren't going to be looking in charity shops in the first place.

I would have reported the incident to the police (non emergency numbers) for the calls and action. And reported the fly tipping to the council which is what they did, let them get a criminal record from it.

I would totally do this too with an extra note about entitled pricks who can’t read spoiling it out of spite - shitty people!

In my area, putting it "for free" attracts endless messages from folk who never turn up, or ask you to drive it to their house, 45 miles away, atb10am on a Monday morning.

Post it for sale at £1.00 or 20 pence, and it'll get collected by someone who actually wants it.

We decided to sell a car on fbmp for £500. It was an ok old runner and had passed the MOT but we just wanted rid. I had 3 Seperate people message me and tell
me-that one of their parents had died and they needed the car for free-£20. I did ask one why was that relevant and he said that it was his dad’s dying wish that he could buy our car for £20. Absolutely crazy scammers.

I tried 4 charity shops before finding one that was accepting any donations at all, last week. They didn't even look at what I had. I guess nobody's buying at the moment.

It isn't worth it.
I gave away a lot of things through lockdown on free-cycle, so many rude entitled people.

If you have doorbell camera or CCTV I'd report it as fly tipping and give them as many details as you have of the people involved. She took it willingly and clearly didn't read the description. Personally even if it had been advertised as immaculate and turned dout to not be, if it was free I'd never have the audacity to try to return it. You just get shot of it yourself not dump it on the old owners drive that's childish and petty. It's probably cost them more win fuel than buying new would have cost.

Not free but a tenner
She wanted me to take them to her, before she sat down to have lunch with her friends in a very popular pub in town on a Saturday
I told her to fuck off then blocked her

Another one wanted me to deliver a coat, in central london, as she was going to a function that evening
I asked her if she wanted me to do her hair and makeup whilst I was there and help her get dressed
She said yes
I again said fuck off

I sold used plant pots
They moaned that they were dirty

Someone picked up a free table that was in my conservatory, saw my large shoe rack and wanted that as well and was most upset that they couldn't have it

People are unbelievable

Ours does exactly that!

I once was giving away a very large dog cage. A woman said she didn't drive so could I drop it off in mine. I said my car was new and I didn't want to chance scratching it. She then asked if id take a bus and drop it off . It was so heavy but still she kept asking....

I put all the stuff I don’t need anymore on my wall outside my house. It’s usually gone within a couple of hours. Anything still there after a day goes to the tip. I’m always amazed at what people take. I’ve even had my neighbours take pots and chairs and one even took a little cupboard. Another couple of students took a pine bed.
someone came up to me once and said “ oh what are you putting out today”
I think it’s a fantastic way of upcycling locally.

This totally.