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.

What's wrong with a 2nd hand pram

I’m a bit biased because a friend had a nasty accident with a second hand pram. The top part (with the baby in) came away from the base and fell forward, landing face first. The baby was hospitalised, though thankfully no lasting damage. They thought it was likely a crack in the mechanism which clipped the top part on to the base that hadn’t been spotted. There’s also risk of damage to the chassis or harnesses which aren’t the correct ones for the model.

They aren’t as risky as car seats, but I wouldn’t chance it. And I am not at all surprised social services won’t either. As a general rule of thumb, anything which has to be safety tested before sale shouldn’t be sold on.

For babies, that is. I’m fine with second hard cars!

i listed a desk and work table on Freecycle, desk used, table brand new in box.

the amount of people who thought they were entitled to get it, wanted it… never again… and I thought freecycle was better as I’d had bad experiences listing things on FB for free! Had so many messages couldn’t respond to all of them either! But tried to. Then people accusing me of ignoring them…

in fairly nice area too.

Cheap not free is the key to avoiding the CF, or just donate to charity.

You can’t understand why a statutory organisation with a duty of care wouldn’t distribute goods if let’s face it, to them unknown provenance and maintenance, but a friend could choose to take items from someone she knows and make a personal choice about managing risk to her child?

and you are still aggrieved about it TWENTY YEARS on?

Yes, if it’s free you just get a lid of people who don’t really care whether they get it or not so they’ll turn up when they fancy or perhaps not at all. I gave up freecycle after waiting in all day for a man who told me he was late because “it’s not possible to arrive somewhere at a predetermined time in London” (pretty sure I’d managed it my whole working life).

Generally I haven't had this problem with either Freecycle and more recently FB when giving or receiving free stuff. I just ignore the 'give me' respondents. Last resort it goes to the Recycling Centre as no 'tip' nearby.

Don't give up on it because a few chancers are out there - I've given and received some great and useful stuff over the years. Re Use is best for the Environment and Pocket and much better than Recycling, so it's always my first port of call.

Same here, had a clear out weekend and stuck some items on our local free Facebook page.

Had one person not turn up, not bother letting me know he wasn't coming etc. Next in the queue was a bit odd, asking stuff which I'd made clear in the post.

Makes you feel like not bothering

I've got more stuff to come, so I think I'll just take it to the charity shop

Social services have got better things to do than assess/clean/fix/store a load of second hand equipment.

I block everyone who gives even a hint of rudeness or I think will be difficult

if the item is picked up i block anyone else who got in touch about the item - bit extreme I know - but had a bad experience when my baby was a week old and we were moving house - I was giving away a few bits (unopened dove moisturisers and a hair dye) I said on the listing - moving house out of the area tomorrow - needs to go today! A woman said can I have this - I said sure when can you collect - I hear nothing - give to someone else

a few days later I mark as collected and she responds saying what happened you said I could have it etc etc

I say you never got back

she says she was waiting for my address

then she starts tearing into me super abusive messages - I was already very emotional - new baby, stressful house move and she pushed me over the edge and I literally cried about it for a week (I’d usually find something like this funny as it’s so ridiculous) but she got me at a bad time

i was clearing my dads house after he died,could write a book on insulting people,how did not turn up etc,a free arm chair great condition lady did like the colour, i said put a throw on it, she asked if i had a throw for her,another chap wanted a few things kept being a no show,on the forth attempt i messaged him to ask if he was coming he said he was busy on a roof working in the next road,i told him where to go,gave it someone else,

Aaargh, yes! I’ve had a couple of those recently: a man from whom it was like getting blood from a stone to get him to name a time/any information at all, his messages went: “Yes.” “Later.” “Afternoon.” With me going YES BUT WHEN LATER, A SPECIFIC HALF-HOUR WINDOW. And him just being weirdly evasive?! Until I gave it away to someone else.

And a woman who did the “I’ll let you know Saturday morning when I can come.” No, let me know now, I’m not arsing about all Saturday at home with fractious DC who want to go out waiting for your message. “I’ll let you know first thing.” First thing came and went. “I’ll come at lunchtime.” At lunchtime: “I was on my way but my car broke down.” I’d given up and had relisted it when the doorbell rang in the middle of DC’s bedtime and she’s at the door with zero warning of her arrival, not only wanting the item but also, randomly, trying to give away stuff to me in exchange?! People are bats.

I did clothes a few years ago and I had one woman repeatedly messaging me to ask if I had a particular dress in a larger size (!) another asked if she could get a refund on a pair of shoes if they didn't fit her. When I said no as they were free, she said that she wanted me to pay for her travel costs to come and collect them! I even had one asking if I would dye a lilac dress navy blue and she didn't mind paying for the dye. All the items were free. It's much easier just to give them to a charity shop.

I also have stopped saying free even if I would be happy to give it for free. I've found that attaching some element of monetary value to it weeds out a lot of the people who are time wasters/rude/entitled etc and then I often still end up with a (more orderly) queue of people in line for the item in question.

What I don't like as a buyer is when it becomes a "no saving" race to claim the item in the quickest time when clearly most people can't just drop everything to go and collect something immediately. When I do it I ask the first couple of people when they can collect and look at their profile etc to see if they seem legit then keep the order in line so if the first person says they can collect during a time scale that's reasonable I'll go back to the others to say that I've potentially got someone but I'll come back to them (in order) if it doesn't work out.

@RosesAndHellebores

Women's aid took my old nursery stuff as long as it had a certain testing level (basically under 6 years old) got a lovely (anonymised) letter from the recipient too. The only thing they couldn't take was the car seat which I knew, passed that on to a neighbour.

Women's aid is different to social services, the former is a charity.

Ha! A lady in one of the mums group WhatsApp's posted a story about being knocked over by a cyclist, ruining her coat, breaking her glasses etc etc and how she'd set up a go fund me page to cover the cost of a new coat and glasses!!

Cue me offering her a brand new no tags warm winter coat. She told me she would take it but only it it was clean.

Love it !

Facebook marketplace is bloody awful.

I posted listings for various toys a couple of years ago - I had some very aggressive people offering 10% of the price I’d posted. (And my original prices were low, for good quality items).

I had one chap turn up asking for other things available that weren’t online. Tried to explain that wasn’t a fricking toy shop, but he was adamant that I must have other cheap things on offer. Glad that my husband was home at the time.

I’ve had people insist on delivery otherwise “their children would be Devastated”.

CF at its best.

Yes this is what I do. Half of the time don’t even take the money when they come. The fact they are willing to pay a small amount means they actually want the item, not just anything for free.

The worst ones are the ones who take stuff for free and within an hour it’s advertised for sale on the local selling site.

never give anything away for free. A small charge is a great filter for the chavs and losers.

I will occasionally give things away. I only post in my neighborhood FB group and my offers are “Item is X, condition is Y, it’s sitting outside until Z and then will be tossed. First come first served”. Never had a problem and the rest of the neighbors do similar. Seems to work out well for everyone.

There are good people in the world, years ago I offered up a student desk for free on my work e-notice board, years ago. Someone offered to pick it up, It was at my mum’s house so I wasn’t there when she came to pick it it up. She offered $25 for it because it it was in great condition. Apparently there was a a bit of back and forth with my mum who refused it. I came into work that Monday to a thank you from her as it was perfect for her daughter.

I really won’t tolerate any foolishness if I’m giving something away (and I always give it away vs. sell).

Some people do offer free stuff though that is only fit for the dump near me
'Collect today or it goes to the dump' yes where it belongs
I turned up to pick up an item that was £100 on time agreed a few miles away only for the seller to say sold them to someone else 5 mins ago , despite agreeing time etc for me to collect and paid full price etc

As with some PPs here, I've found the best thing is to list items for a nominal amount rather than for free. You may still get a bit of a clamour of messages for it but rarely no-shows IME, especially if you let them know you've had multiple messages of interest so if it isn't collected as agreed you will be moving onto the next person.

I'm gobsmacked by this.

My only experience of something similar is buying off Gumtree.

We rescued a pup. He gradually destroyed our 15 year old, very expensive, couch, cushion by cushion, until we were left with a base cushion and 1 scatter cushion. We expected that anyway.

I found a 3 seater, faux leather and reclining sofa on Gumtree for £50 (because i'm not willing to pay £££ for another one to be consumed by -twat- adorable puppy). The poster showed photos of the very minor imperfections, and when I messaged them they reiterated the imperfections. Turned up at a time that was suitable for us both, with a van. Paid the money and was off. Transaction complete.

It's probably the best purchase I've made 🤣. He hasn't chewed it yet either.

Sorry you've had such a shit experience offering people, who sound terribly rude, items for free.