I’ve got this old sofa, charities aren’t collecting, no one will buy it so I’d like to donate it to someone in need,

[Nosleeptilteenagers]

AIBU to be fed up of the amount of people attempting to get rid of their old stuff by virtue signalling on social media?

My fbk is full of it. Literally every other post on my local pages. I get people want to do good things but if you’ve got some baby stuff to donate then googling local baby bank is probably the best option. No one would tell you what a lovely human being you were then. Or put it on marketplace for free, people will want it. How do you judge who is “in need?” you can’t. You just want rid of it and to get some kudos.

Plus it coincides with a local lockdown and charity shops being closed and not collecting!

i agree! most of it looks only fit for the tip too. best is ‘just needs a clean’ - well clean it then!

So weird I was just reading a post like this on my Facebook, and yes there's lots at the moment!

'can anybody let me know where I can donate old toys to, for families that might be struggling for presents this year, no charity shops please, condition of toys is played with'

Just donate them or get rid! You don't have to offer your old used stuff!

I saw a filthy couch on a free to a good homes page the other day, it was meant to be white leather but parts of it were black with dirt 😭 description said 'be okay with a throw over it and a wipe down ' you need to that that to the tip mate...

Somebody on my Facebook is selling an 80s style ghetto blaster with a cassette deck that's broken. Selling. Not giving away, actually looking for money for it.

Just put it in the damn bin!

Put it on the freebies section of gumtree.

Lot of this by me atm too. They can’t be added to get rid of it themselves mainly. There’s some awful, good only for the tip stuff.

Plus virtue signalling is constant on Facebook these days. People like praise!

best is ‘just needs a clean’ - well clean it then!

Totally agree! Hate seeing this, it’s so lazy.

Im always surprised at people selling stuff on fb for £1....why in gods name would you bother...all the messaging...arranging a time....waiting in for someone to turn up...for a bloody £1....just put it in your wheelie bin.

@Bearnecessity

Put it on the freebies section of gumtree.

Did you read any further than the title?

Another vote for gumtree

I've always loved "I want to donate this to a family in need". I'm endlessly amused thinking about how the family will prove they fit this criteria. Maybe show a bank statement before the item is handed over?

Virtue signalling bollocks.

@MushMonster

Another vote for gumtree

Another vote for RTFT

@myusernamewastakenbyme

Im always surprised at people selling stuff on fb for £1....why in gods name would you bother...all the messaging...arranging a time....waiting in for someone to turn up...for a bloody £1....just put it in your wheelie bin.

Yes, just add to landfill - despite the fact that someone would find it useful 🤦🏻‍♀️

I wouldn't sell it though, just donate it.

@Nosleeptilteenagers. If FB annoys you, complain on FB. There's a reason many of us live FB free lives!!

Coming up to xmas, I always see a few posts like 'I've got a tree and lots of decorations to give away. Love for them to to to someone in need.' Followed by a hundred 'aww that's lovely hun' type messages and people suggesting donating them to the library/local schools. Literally nothing ever comes of it. Just give it to the charity shop FFS or take it to the tip. I think it's a sense of guilt because they are buying all new decorations.

I dont think the OP has a sofa to get rid of. I think they’re talking about people who try and get rid of stuff by virtue signalling on Facebook.

There’s one by me this morning a manky old ‘needs a clean’ pram that the owner would really like to go to someone who is struggling, in light of the current situation. If they put it on gumtree their Facebook friends wouldn’t be able to see what an amazing human being they were.

I give away loads of stuff on Facebook groups. I hate the idea of adding to landfill. Most things I have about 5 replies to within about half an hour so clearly there is demand.

I don’t write a load of drivel, I just list the item for free collection.

What else should I do?

Im always surprised at people selling stuff on fb for £1....why in gods name would you bother...all the messaging...arranging a time....waiting in for someone to turn up...for a bloody £1....just put it in your wheelie bin.
Because people are thinking of the environment and trying to ensure less stuff is going to landfill?

We have a local save from landfill fb group. I think it’s great! Yes cheap things can be binned but I hate binning things that I know someone else could get use from plus it is more environmentally friendly. Everyone standards are different as well. I have seen some quiet questionable items though. I once went to pick up an item from someone but it was filthy, I refused it and the girl sent me abusive messages and said she would do it cheaper for me. She said she worked full time and had a little so was to busy to clean it. I would of cleaned it again anyway but I don’t want to clean someone elses filth. This really put me off buying from selling sites.

Have you considered gumtree?

Because people are thinking of the environment and trying to ensure less stuff is going to landfill?
Yes exactly. It is a major nuisance to list items for free or next to nothing and manage the loads of people who want it and then don’t show up or whatever, but it’s better than just putting stuff in the bin.
I try to buy toys second hand and then when they’re done with sell or donate them. No guilt that way.

I put stuff up for free regularly. I just list it for free on marketplace. It usually goes although I do get time wasters which pisses me off. Or asking do you deliver on a post which I have clearly said collection only.

What annoys me is the the want to give it to someone in need so that everyone can see how charitable you are. It’s always “what a lovely thing to do hun” “you’re so thoughtful hun”. Load of bollocks.

And how the hell do you know someone is in need? They need to bring proof or do you take their word for it?

Plus a lot of it is shit that the British Heart Foundation won’t take and they can’t be arsed to go to the tip.

I also love knowing someone else will get use out of my items. I don’t know their circumstances and don’t feel the need to either. I once gave a kids paddling pool to a lady who I know could afford her own but it was for her grandchild coming to stay for a few days. The lady was so thankful and said she was going to give away some of grandchild’s toys as I way of carrying the favour forward. That’s enough for me, I didn’t advertise on fb that I did this or the outcome.

There used to be a guy who sold on eBay. I spotted him in local listings.
He tried to sell anything that wasn’t nailed down. Carrier bags, bus time table, leaflet from the local museum etc. Each item was meticulously listed and photographed next to a ruler so battered you could barely read its digits.
How I laughed when the last listing he had was for said ruler.

He did this for years and as far as I could see never sold a thing. It was at a time when you paid to list as well regardless of sale. Very strange.

I worked for a women's refuge for a number of years and we used to get people trying to get rid of their clothes and toys on us because they "wanted them to go to a family in need" I'd tell them to take to a charity shop because we had no storage so unless they were offering something we really needed right then we couldn't take it. Lots of people were horrified at the thought of donating to a charity shop - apparently the people that volunteered in the charity shop would be so desperate to get their hands on their old tat they would take it before it got to the shop floor.
Its so weird how desperate people are for their stuff to go to "people in need".

Freecycle!

I listed a large and heavy good quality wardrobe on our local reuse page and I made it clear in the post that it was heavy, didn’t come apart and would need a van. I didn’t check with the person that wanted it because it was clear on the post, not to mention the pictures and she turned up in a corsa. She did have her brother with her to help lift it though! Lift it down the drive and back to the house again! I hade to relist it then and messaged them several times to check they had a van.