to think this is a bloody cheeky post on freecyle

[rosieposey78]

Someone has posted saying they need clothes in a certain size and that they must be trendy and you need to deliver them. Or words to that effect.
Aibu to think that this is rude

always Someone came to collect something when I was having a pre-move clearout. Other stuff to be collected that evening was in the front room. They started rummaging through that stuff (AND stuff clearly not earmarked for collection) and asking for it. Had to watch really carefully to check they didn't take/steal anything! She was a blue-rinsed, well-spoken lady, too (not that that means anything).

I hope the donors remember to say thank you to the person saving them the bother of disposing of things!

FTR I've only used freecycle once - to give something away. I don't remember if I thanked them. Probably not.

Some of these requests/ responses must be wind ups. Being-a-cheeky-bastard-on-Freecycle must be the new trolling, with fewer legal and serious consequences (children committing suicide, etc. )

From reading a few of the posts about bad manners, the irony is that many of those will probably be more in need eg may have a less good grasp of English or tougher upbringing where manners not taught. But I do find it very annoying as people come across as having a sense of entitlement to what is often a generous gift

I worded that badly but you know what i mean hopefully.
I really notice when you get a thank you too and mind when don't eg if I've given an almost new table and chairs away and no quick thank you leaves you a bit put out!

I only freecycle stuff I really want rid of, I don't want any more and I don't want to pay someone to come and take away.... (climbing frame, sandpit, broken bike - listed as such ....etc..) so I am always grateful to whoever comes to get it...

I gave up on it long ago, it was terrible.

I do not understand why freecycle isn't 'offers only'. It would eliminate at least half of the utter grabbing bastards on there.

WANTED

Subject
three piece suite wanted asap due to break up

Description
really bad divorce

LOLOLOL!

Wanted ads on my local Freecycle at the moment include...

Cooker/hob - post 3 times over the last few weeks
Tripp Trapp baby chair
Slow cooker/breadmaker
Bunkbeds
Singlebed with guest bed underneath
Dining table & chairs
Dehumidifier
Smart phone/iPhone for poster's 9 year old DD

I'm at how many more Wanted Ads there are than Offers.

We used it loads when we cleared out our house prior to renovation (8 years ago) and met plenty of genuine people who were very grateful.

There's still some great people on there but there's also a lot of rude people who reply to every single posting and who presumably are just selling things on.

I listed a washing machine once

Guy said he could collect that evening
Great I thought
Next day emailed me to say sorry could he collect today instead
Yeah ok
Next day I re listed item
Same guy answered
Gave it to a grateful young woman who had just got her first home
Got shit loads of abuse from the original guy

Cheeky bastard

this one really made me laugh on ours (have removed name)

Hi, I have a square, stand alone, chest freezer which, admittedly, is on
it's last legs. If you want it, it does not freeze very well, although
it could be used as a very cold fridge. The seal is ok but not great
(this could be why it doesn't work properly but not sure). If you know
what you're doing you may be able to fix it..?

ccsays awww that mike Reid one is so sweet. I think I would reply just to advise her to try to find a better place to advertise it so it went to someone who shared her freakish adoration of him. I love the idea of a lifesize model that says 'terrrrific' every time you walk past. Not enough to want one though, obvs.

Just seen this on my local site,

OFFER
Sun Oct 13 12:34:05 2013
Girls Wellies Size 12
Hi I have a pair of girls pink willies size 12 still in good condition. Would like gone today
See details

Just seen this on my local site,

OFFER
Sun Oct 13 12:34:05 2013
Girls Wellies Size 12
Hi I have a pair of girls pink willies size 12 still in good condition. Would like gone today
See details

And this

Description Hi All,
Does anyone have any unwanted french style/ white bedroom furniture? Bed frame, dressing table,chester drawers etc?
Can collect - Thanks

The most shocking thing I saw was a "received" post, that stated
"Thanks for nothing Freecycle!"
So I guess she didn't receive what she wanted?!
Then a post 1 minute later by the same person asking for something else.

That said I love freecycle. I have been lucky enough to receive some lovely items from there over the years, and give away some items to people.

It has gone downhill.

Back in the day, I used freecycle to get rid of an old sofa to a lovely young lad who had just got his own place. He came round with his dad to get it and even brought me a bunch of flowers.

Then when DH and I were skint we used it to ask for a table. We honestly would have taken anything in pretty much any condition. A lovely man invited us round to his house to choose one of his (weirdly) large collection of tables.

Sadly those days are long gone.

I listed some spider plants on there as i loathe them and had been coerced/guilted into buying them at the school fair. Someone said they just adored spider plants but they didn't have a car so could i deliver them.

It was about 8 miles away. I was so stunned all i could come up with in reply was a simple 'no'.

If I want to get rid of stuff now, I stick it on ebay for 99p. The number of people who promise to collect and never show up, or send rude emails. It's infuriating. I've never had anything off freecycle, I just want to rehome stuff rather than chuck it!

My favourite was the person who wanted me to post her my dad's wheelchair powerwheel. The batteries to that thing weighed the best part of 10kg.

I used to love free cycle, I have got lots of great stuff, playhouse, swing, girls desk, toys, food processor etc as well as gotten rid of things such as prams, kids clothes, rocking chair, ct etc but now it seems all the offered are for things like half an eaten orange, 1 broken brick and all the wanted are for iPhones and ferraris!

How do you spot the car-booters?

"Is it okay if I sort through on your doorstep incase there is something I don't want - 4 bags of nearly and new clothes , all M&S or Wallis due to weight loss !!"

with clothes, I now always say the person wanting it must come and try it on before collecting.

If you post several items, you may get replies from certain freeloaders for everything, sometimes with the same (?automated?) message text, within a minute of the ad going up.

I replied to a "wanted" ad a couple of months ago for someone who had wanted a hutch got their guinea pig. I replied they could have mine it was two months old so excellent condition with food and bowls as my guinea had moved indoors. She replied "if it's indoors you no longer need its run can I have that as well". Cheeky cow.

I also listed five seperate things to go, I had the same bloke reply to all of them with various different stories: his daughter needed it, his son was expecting a baby, his son had had a baby, he was learning electronics, he was collecting this that and the other. Then when I didn't reply he just kept e mailing and e mailing.

With booters/ebayers then tend to reply to every ad going. I noticed this when I had a pre decorating clear out. The things were very random but the same people wanted all of it and I also got a couple of messages saying if I had anything else I was getting rid of then they would have that as well.

No you wont matey! The best way to weed them out is to save up your stuff and post three or four items in seperate listings, you will be able to tell straight away who is genuine and who is just scrounging stuff to sell.