Freecycle / giveaway sites Bag sofas, beds, clothes, toys & more

It�s possible to furnish your house, kit out a new baby or get gear to start a small biz � all for free!

This is a step-by-step guide on give-away websites, including Freecycle, Freegle and others, showing how to best use them, avoid spam, bag the best items and the most common freebies.

What you can get for free

It�s possible to grab anything from a brand new coffee machine to a mountain bike for nothing via Freecycle & Freegle. The idea's that folks �recycle' goods they'd otherwise have thrown out, by giving them away to other local freecyclers online.

This is brilliant for both kitting out a home for nowt, as well as saving the hassle of heaving unwanted possessions to a tip.

Every hour, people give away hundreds of wacky and wonderful freebies. All you have to do is email a request, then pop round to pick it up. Some of it is junk, some are top notch goods from generous people.

You should give as well as receive

It�s crucial to remember it�s not about take, take, take. So remember...

�Freecycle is not just a source of freebies. The spirit is that it�s a recycling community, so you should give, as well as get.�

Advertising discarded items on Freecycle is also an excellent way to offload objects unsuitable for donating to charity shops (as many no longer take electrical goods or collect large items).

To be pedantic, Freecycle isn't a website in its own right, it's run via group emails, which are highly localised. This means you become a part of your area's club.

Each community is free to join, and run by locally-based volunteers. It�s up to you to monitor new freebies on offer. When you want to offer something, you just send an email to the group.

What's the difference between Freecycle & Freegle?

Freecycle was set up in the USA, and some UK groups become unhappy with the US founders� policies. A rival UK-based site, Freegle, was set up by some of the folks who moderate local groups on this side of the pond. Many local UK Freecycle groups have moved to this new site.

Yet nothing has changed except the name. The two groups work via group emails in exactly the same way. To find local groups, search on both Freecycle & Freegle.

So what can you get?

Some types of items crop up with regularity, from a variety of sources. Common donations are from office clear-outs or emigrating families, while others are just from givers happy to see people benefiting from their old hand-me-downs.

It�s astonishing what people chuck out. Everything from pianos, to windsurfs, to professional knife sets pop up at some point!

We monitored five Freecycle groups over a week, to discover the most commonly cast off items. If you're coveting any of the following, and are patient, you really should be able to find it for free�

Furniture The most popular is big �n� bulky household furniture that would otherwise be flung in a skip, such as sofas, futons, beds, book shelves, computer desks, lamps, lighting, curtains and rugs.

Electricals Big white goods that are hard to shift are common. There are scores of old CRT tellys, fridges, freezers, kettles, ovens, blenders, coffee machines and elderly computers.

Office equipment Also common are office clear-outs, where you can grab desks, PCs, monitors and computer chairs (people are especially generous as it�s their boss�s stuff!).

Entertainment Books including text books, DVDs, games consoles, videos and often big piles of old magazines.

Broken stuff If you�ve a knack for fixing things, Freecycle is a dream. People post broken cameras, washing machines, computers, GHD hair straighteners and more.

Sports equipment There are many bicycles, a few treadmills � we even saw a ski machine!

Garden gear Lawnmovers, strimmers and tools.

The proof of the pudding

MoneySavers have nabbed some great finds �

MoneySaver �lofty_cherrytree� -

We received a car for my daughter (needed MOT and service and tax but cost us around �350 and she was thrilled). We got a breadmaker and a kenwood chef (retro) and various other bits and pieces down to drawer runners for my husband to fix a chest of drawers. I think it's fab!

Read more Freecycler stories: MoneySaver �fayjmck� got a freezer, sofa bed, two chickens & MoneySaver �notlongnow� got free computer games.

Report your freecycle successes

Step-by-step guide to Freecycling

Each local group has its own rules, which are worth reading up on, as the finer points do vary slightly.

Step 1 - Sign up

The first step is to sign up to your local Freecycle group. Just plug in your town�s name. If you�re on the borders of two or more groups, join all of them to boost your chances of bagging a gem. Though NEVER use your normal email address - you'll be pelted with emails.

Many local UK groups have moved away from the Freecycle Network and set up a competing site called Freegle. Just search for your town to see if there's a group. It's worth joining both Freecycle & Freegle; both communities work via group emails in exactly the same way, so you won't notice the difference.

How to check new freebies

When you sign up, it will ask you how you would like to be notified about new freebies. You have two options: receiving a daily highlights email and browsing the rest online, or receiving every single email to your inbox. Read how best to monitor freebies

Step 2 - Give away a freebie

When you first join, it's Freecycle etiquette to email an offer to the group. Nothing is too small; just look in those cupboards and find something you would otherwise bin. People will take old magazines, empty paint pots, stuffing for cushions. The only rules are it must be free, legal and suitable for all ages.

Though do be wary when donating computers, as the hard disk drive can retain personal security details and private information even if it looks like they're deleted - see donating PCs to charity below for more info.

Freebies are posted by emailing the group. See the full note on how to write your freebie email.

Wait 24 hours

Many folks offer freebies on a first come, first served basis. Yet this excludes many nice folks who don�t sit at a PC all day at work (like nurses and teachers). So try to wait at least 24 hours to give everyone a fair shot.

Who to pick?

If you get 100 eager offers, it can be difficult to pick one. It�s worth searching for usernames to see if they have donated in the past. Then just give it to the nicest, most genuine email or a charity if one�s responded. If you�re not sure, just put the names into a hat.

Once it�s been collected, send another email to the group with TAKEN in the subject line, ie, �TAKEN Grand piano SW16�.

Step 3 - Get a freebie

When you first join Freecycle, it�s easy to get hooked as you see the staggering amount of freebies put up for grabs. Items are snapped up at speed, so to bag the best haul, check for new posts as often as possible.

Email the giver

Once you spot a top find, simply email the giver and offer to take it off their hands. Though do think about whether you really need the item, or whether someone else could benefit more. Plus, factor in petrol costs; small items mightn�t be worth it. Read full info on freebie requesting

Wanted ads

One of the more controversial features of Freecycle is that you can post �wanted� ads. Just start the email with WANTED in capitals, and say what you want and why.

Yet be careful what you ask for. People won�t take kindly if you start slapping in requests for cars and iPods. But if it�s an old fish tank for a school project, someone might just remember they have one in the garage.

Rules vary from group to group, but most only let you post one or two wanted ads per month.

Step 4 - Stay safe!

While incidents are rare, there are simple precautions you can take to make sure the transaction is a safe one. The main rule is not to be pressurised into letting someone into a particular area of your home, or going into someone else�s. Read a full list of Freecycle safety tips.

Freecycle is not the only way

As well as Freecycle, there are several other freebie sources. Most are tiny in comparison, but worth a look.

Gumtree. Classified site with a decent amount of freebies

Many people offload old gear on the �Freebies� section of the free classified site Gumtree* which divides the UK into different towns. People giveaway anything from beds to bikes. Gumtree doesn't charge either the buyer or the seller to post listings.

Interestingly, Gumtree is owned by eBay. It was bought in May 2005, probably as eBay started to identify it as competition. Thankfully it hasn't impacted its free community-based operations.

Ecobees. A free-to-use cross between eBay and Freecycle



The most straightforward freebie site to search, Ecobees.com is fast gaining a following. It's US based, but there are hundreds of freebies across the UK too. It's free to post 'offered' or 'wanted' items.

The best bit is that you sort freebies by distance and even plot them on a google map. If you want to get rid of an item and don't have any luck on Freecycle, it's well worth trying Ecobees.

SnaffleUp. Good for browsing freebies online



One site that works in a similar way to Freecycle is SnaffleUp.co.uk. While still relatively small, its modern design means it�s easy to browse for freebies. The site lets you search for goodies by postcode (MoneySavers' acquisitions inc. a perfect-condition Laura Ashley sofa bed and a wedding dress).

It�s free to list and to collect items. Simply type in the item you're looking for or just plug in a postcode to see what�s nearby. When you see something you want, you need to sign up to message the owner.

Goodsnews ... Worth checking for a belt-and-braces freebie search



This isn't the prettiest of sites, but Goodnewsforpolarbears is worth a look for belt 'n' braces freebie hunting.

It's free to use and lets you see pics of goods, as well as contact people outside your area (some folks may be willing to send lighter goods for free). You can also set keyword alerts to get emails when someone offers something you need.

Or donate to chariddee instead

Many charities would also love to take cast-offs off your hands. There are different options depending on the item:

• Charity shops. Save for top quality goods

  When looking for homes for hand-me-downs, don�t forget your local charity shop. They are always looking for good stock. Go to the Charity Retail Association to find one near you.

  

  At most charity shops, you simply take your donation to the shop, but call the shop first before taking in any bulky items. Also ensure that they take electrical appliances (shops need a qualified technician to test the goods).

• Cycles. Donate old bikes to developing countries

  It�s possible to donate old bikes to riders in developing countries through the Re-Cycle programme. The scheme isn�t able to collect bikes, but has drop off points across the country. Large Oxfam shops may accept bicycles.

• Computers. Be sure to give to a well established charity

  Donating computers can be a security risk if it retains personal data (even if you delete information, it may lurk on the hard disk). Thus it�s a good idea to donate discarded PCs to a well-established recycling charities, such as Computeraid International, Computers for African Schools or Donate a PC.

  

• Glasses. Send specs to developing countries

  Many opticians run charity programmes where they donate second-hand glasses to developing countries, including Dolland & Aitchison, Vision Express and Eyesite.

• Tools. Help self-reliance in Africa

  If you�ve old tools to donate, consider Tools for Self-Reliance, an organisation that reconditions carpentry tools for use in Africa. Tools for bicycle repairs, blacksmiths, carpenters, engineers, mechanics, and shoe repairs are all welcome.