To think people shouldn't complain when getting something for free?

[thenewduchessoflapland]

Just that really;if you're getting something for free you shouldn't complain right?

Over the last 24 hours I've emptied the contents of my shed/storage and posted it for free on a local Facebook page;a free cycle sort of thing;some of the items were expensive as new.

The level of entitlement,rudeness and cheekiness from people has been unbelievable.I've just had a message from someone telling me off because everything in my post (I posted a bundle of items) wasn't in her box to which I replied she only sent me a screenshot of one of the items in said bundle asking for that item and then told she didn't want what I've given her.

I've had multiple begging messages even though group rules ban those sort of messages.

I've had verbal accuse with swearing and disgusting insults because I didn't "pick them".

And one item which was large and heavy and I've specified a van is needed;they wanted to come in a car and cut said item up on my driveway and do multiple trips and I said no.

I've waited in this afternoon for someone who didn't turn up and then told me they were coming tomorrow instead to which I told them I'd be letting the item go to someone else as they've wasted my time which I felt was unreasonable.

About 85% of things I was getting rid of has gone and I'll be taking the rest to a charity shop because I can't be doing with dealing with these people.I won't ever be listing things on these free groups again either.

Well - you could offer them a 50% discount on the asking price, for their trouble, @thenewduchessoflapland!

I had clear out in summer and the entitlement was ridiculous, people wanting things delivered (a freezer), people not turning up and others who did turn up asking if various other items in my home were “for free” that I hadn’t listed. Never again! I had another clear out a few weeks ago and contacted the British Heart Foundation shop who came and took everything away. I will never advertise things for free online again.

Glad to read this - I was thinking of free cycling a whole lot of under 7 toys and books and this kind of thing is exactly what made me take it to the charity shop instead.

Never advertise anything for free on marketplace or gumtree. It brings all the nut jobs out in full force!

I've never got over phoning social services circa 2001 to say I had a cost to cot, wooden high chair, McLaren pram and all the gizmos plus a cosatto changing table and various stair gates to snottily be told "our clients are only given new equipment due to H&S". Mynfriend whose DH was a director of Warburgs was very grateful. It made my teeth itch.

I've given lots away on free cycle and Facebook over the years and very rarely had any problems do I don't think people should feel put off.
Good experiences don't make good MN threads

I've seen this recently OP! A lady was offering free kitchen items and the comments were ridiculous. People almost demanding items or expecting the lady to drop it off to them.

I’ll tell you what I don’t get. People who repeatedly say they’ll come to get something (I’ll be there at 2…sorry 3….do you still want it? Yes I’ll come at 6….it’s 7 are you coming? Yes be there soon….) but just don’t come. Why not say you’ve changed your mind??

(the item in question was a sofa, with no fire labels so charities wouldn’t take it and it was too big to fit in the car, otherwise I would have said not to bother after the first no show!!)

Oh, I know OP! I listed a free bed recently, and the lack of intelligence and manners is astounding!

Time you got over it by now

And it's not really the same thing is it?

Freecycle is better, you do get the odd one that doesn't show or reply but I wait until a few people have responded and choose one that is polite. I ask for a time they can collect and say I will leave the item in a certain place.
They tend to pick up on time and send a thank you message. May not be as civilised in all areas but the ones that have multiple variations of spelling for the same name tend to be the ones that ask for everything so I avoid those.

Someone on here back along said they stopped giving things for free and started charging a small amount as she got less idiots that way.

I find freecycle fine - just be clear what it is and that they need to collect. Having said that I have had people being arsey because someone picked it up before them

I have found (after multiple experiences like OPs) that you are better off advertising it for a small amount rather than free as people often want things just because they're free as opposed to because they genuinely want them. I now advertise things for a couple of quid and then when the buyer comes to collect I say don't worry about the money. Has worked so much better!

I agree with a PP that Freegle / Freecycle is less bad than using FB.

I take some things to charity shops but they don't really want some of the stuff (bundles of clothes etc).

I'm on an FB group and end up muting it quite a bit as that tends to have the "I need you to drop it off to me" (a 40 minute round trip) specials and the no-shows.

This is exactly why a lot of stuff ends up down the dump from our house. Even charity shops are fussy about when and how the stuff is left, their opening hours are so erratic that I cant get down there etc

Such a waste

DH had an old leather set of 2 sofas and a chair pre us moving in together. His old housemates cat had used them as a scratching post so whilst they were very comfy weren’t in great condition. Definitely couldn’t sell them. Put them on gumtree or whatever is was back then for free. Took photos of the worst of the damage, explained the cat had been using them for years. Someone turned up, DH having taken time off work to meet them, to have them decide that they weren’t in good enough condition. If they hadn’t been damaged he’d have sold them. This wasn’t the last time, the number of people who expect something to be pristine when it’s second hand and being given away astounds me.

Almost as much as the people trying to sell they’re broken stuff. Two posts on my local FB group recently:
TV, £20, top right corner is damaged so you can’t see part of the screen but would be fine as a second set. (Photo provided, about the size of a hand).
American style fridge freezer, £150, only 2 years old, freezer doesn’t work but it looks great.

I get you op - so many time waters. I had one that did the 'I'll come at 2, no 3 ok maybe 4 and now can't come til tomorrow'. They were outraged I decided to offer it to someone else when 1. It was my item being offered for free and 2. They had mucks me about.

We have a local site on FB with very strict rules - might be worth trying to find one of those local to you.

I do this, people seem a bit more committed when they think they're paying plus they're pleased when I don't accept the money.

@Autumnnewname the common thread is entitlement. I don't appreciate the patronising tone. It happened. It is remembered. I remember that poor people can't compromise.

And oh the roses or whatever you're name is now - 21 years is a long time to not get over something so trivial

What did your name used to be @Autumnnewname. Please don't tell me tonget over something when you clearly have been unable to let something go.

I'm thrilled that MNetter's comments, good or bad don't stay with me. It's a pass time and a bit of fun. No need to hold onto things relating to other posters.

Oh dear, oh dear.

I gave away a fridge to a young couple and clearly specified to be collected after 4pm. They turned up at 11am. I said my reason for specifying 4pm was because DH and his mates are coming here after football to carry the fridge outside! No worries said they - we have a trolley. Great but how will that help you get a fridge which is in the kitchen on the first floor? It needs a few big lads to haul it down the stairs. Well they absolutely lost it and said they’d only hired the van for a half day, and asked me to pay to extend the hire because I hadn’t brought the fridge downstairs. Um nope!

I offered my sons single bed frame and took a picture of it with the mattress still on and bedding as well as the frame dismantled, clearly stated pick up only and mattres and bedding not included. A woman who "won" it came to collect it. I helped her carry it downstairs and her husband followed with my sons mattress and bedding from his new bed. I told the her he leave the bed and everything such a CF. It brings out the worst in people.