People asking for things for free on freecycle and the like - annoys me - aibu?

[bibbitybobbitybunny]

I have just seen a post on my local forum asking for a particular wardrobe from a particular shop in a particular finish ... and I just want to send them a message saying are you taking the actual piss?

I understand perfectly the need to furnish your home for nothing or next to nothing at all, I have done it myself when I was younger, but surely you have a trawl through what is available, not make actual up-front fucking requests?

vajazzler this perhaps: www.regretsy.com/2011/04/18/peg-it-will-come-back-to-you/

There was a lady on our local one offering a brand new Wii, I emailed her and told her about the children's ward at the local hospital, they use the fit physiotherapy but their last one got stolen
She sent back a very rude email saying that if she wanted to go out of her way to take it somewhere she wouldn't have posted it on Freecycle

We get a lot of cars with mots wanted, also some really nice, genuine people.

I asked for a desk! Dh and ds1 were sick of me cluttering up the dining room table and we couldn't afford a desk, so we asked and a very nice lady kindly said we could have hers because it was going to the tip and she didn't bother to offer it because She thought no one would want it!

We gave her a very nice bottle of wine in appreciation and I think it is actually one of the nicest items we own, it's a 1950/60's partners desk and I love it! I was happy to home any desk, just so I would have one to spread my access clutter across.

I do get cross with all the requests for Xbox 360's and wii's etc. They are very common on the sites I use.

We do offer by the way, it's only fair!

I hate it when people don't even say please. It's so entitled! On a local 'for free' Facebook page I once saw, ' wanted: pink dress for pink themed party. Must be fushia not pale pink. Must be vgc' ffs beggars can't be choosers! And no please or thanks in advance or anything. I hope she didn't get one.

I've only ever offered stuff, never posted 'wanted'. Have responded once or twice to offers on my local list but never had an answer, so have never yet managed to get anything successfully from Freecycle myself.

Most recently I was giving away a DAB radio and some other items....amazing how the other items lost their lustre once people were told the DAB had gone, even though they'd replied saying they wanted all the items. They ended up in the charity shop instead.

Have to say I still find it useful for getting rid of unwanted stuff, and sometimes you feel you are doing some good: I Freecycled an old sleeping bag to a homeless shelter & a primary school teacher took a stack of my old magazines for an art project. That made me

I think you should at least give something before you ask

What if you dont have anything to give? I get what you are saying but thats not what freecycle is about is it?

Ive never done a 'wanted' but ive replied to an offered a few times....never ever been successful though and im always polite too!

There was a working car offered on mine once!

The freecycles I used in Ireland had a offer-before-wanted rule which I think weeded out the grabby types. It does seem more grabby here. Having said that, I've posted wanteds but not as specific/fecking cheeky as the OP.

And just about everyone has something to give. Old clothes, shoes, books, old magazines, half used seeds - anything not actually disgusting will prolly find a home.

I started out "taking" from Freecycle, now my circumstances are better, I am a regular "giver" to it. That's how it works isn't it?
Surely if someone asks for something ridiculous they just won't get it.
I got a loft bed once for my DS, and they gave us a bag of clothes too (that finally fit my DS 3 years later).

My bugbear at the moment with my local freecycle group is people who fail to read the posting correctly. I was recently trying to get rid of some carpet that I had taken up and wanted to get shot of it quickly. I got into email exchanges with three people, giving out my address and arranging a collection time, only for them to realise at the last minute that they were looking for a rug, and I was offering carpet.

Is it me? Do other people use rug and carpet as interchangeable terms?

YABU. I've never asked for anything but when looking for a wardrobe on freecycle I did wait until one came up that matched my other furniture. I've also responded to peoples wanted ads if I have the item they are looking for and i'm not using it, including a working playstation!

I once saw someone offer paperclips on mine... then I remembered the rule about how you must offer something before you request something and it made more sense. I expect they asked for a laptop the week after . Laptops are the thing on mine. There is a guy on there though who specialises in building PCs from the parts of old ones, as a hobby, then he offers them on freecycle which is lovely of him.
I've found it useful for getting rid of stuff but rarely ask for anything. I once got rid of a massive teddy bear someone had given DS which was far too big for him to actually play with - that went to be used as a prize in a school raffle, so they were pleased.
It is annoying when people ask rudely or inconsiderately, but I just laugh / grimace and ignore. I assume they get fewer responses because I am far less likely to reply to a rudely phrased request.

I am both a giver and a taker, all my takings have been for things like jars and once an old projector in any condition as it was a prop, both times been offered the items by lovely people.

I give anything I don't want after all one persons trash can be another persons treasure. I recently demolished my shed and a lot of broken furniture, one old gent was ecstatic to get all the wood for his crafts in exchange I mentioned I liked to see and his wife gave me a huge bag of fabric and a wedding dress to cut up and reuse and a little sewing kit it made my week!

When posting things I am offering though I never give to those who contact me without a please, you always get simple "I'll have it, when can I collect?" which I think is rude.

What I hate is people not replying after you've answered their question.

I got about six questions about a particular item I was selling, responded to them all and not a single person bothered to reply to say yes please or no thanks.

I assumed no and gave it to a charity shop instead.

Just rude.

I've got a 28inch flat screen tv from Freecycle as well as phones, 3 in 1 printer, cat bed, filing cabinet and rabbit hutch.

I've given 2 tv's, phones, mattress, saucepans, a lamp, a coffee table and various small unwanted things.

In the past week I have asked for a rabbit run and a beanbag.

I am always polite and refuse to reply to anyone who doesn't say please or thank you, we also get requests for working wii, playstations, xbox and laptops, I don't think its cheeky I just think people are trying their luck as I did when I posted asking for the items I want.

YANBU though I recently saw a post asking for a washing machine it said. 'Wanted a washing machine as mine broke, must work and be silver not white! Also would prefer hotpoint but will consider other makes, can't collect so you will have to deliver' I felt like replying and reminding her that she wasn't ordering from currys and had she forgotten how to use the word please!

My favourite request from our local freecycle;

Wanted: 7-seater car!
Location Shropshire
Description We have a growing Christian family (3 children and another on the way) and find that a small Skoda Fabia is just not big enough. Also, my husband's van (used for work) has recently died on us. We now share this small car between us, and living in rural Shropshire proves difficult. This car would be an answer to prayer. Thank you!

It annoys me when people put on a local seller page stuff like, i manky old pair of shorts that a bobbly nd discoloured, wanting 25P. really???

Ours is full of requests for laptops (latest model) - usually because they need them for a university course.

There is also one today saying baby stuff - I am pregnant after years of trying and need everything for my new baby - new items preferred, but will consider nearly new.

I know I am hoiking up my judgey pants, but that one really annoyed me.

bambino81 I can never understand that either.

A gem from today's Freecycle: "Wanted, Balalaika..."

I think it the "must deliver" phrase which gets me the most. If i am being king enough to give away stuff for free than I certainly don't waqnt to go the expense of hiring/borrowing a van to deliver it!

kind not king

buxton I know! I have seen the 'must deliver' with even small items.

I also hate the people who are clearly setting up an auto-reply to say 'I'll take it' to everything. I never give stuff to them on principle.

I have to agree about the rudeness of some people, who either respond to an offer or request.

The best one I got was " gimme your addy, I'm coming now to collect" ? erm, no!

I am intrigued though about what it is like to be an insider in Freecycle and a moderator.. anyone care to divulge? (someone on here mentioned it in an earlier post) - AIBU to be nosey?

I have mostly had lovely people come and pick up stuff. I am a sucker for sob stories (more fool me) and I hope I have managed to suss out the repeat offenders who always ask for my stuff (I think they may resell)

In truth, I find it a useful way of getting rid of items I no longer need. I am after a bay window curtain pole if anyone has one tho'

Dowagers friend of mine asked for a bugaboo on our local one ...and got one! All perfect condition with bunch of extras!
So you could say, you don't ask you don't get!!