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Jun 18, 2009 14:53:08 GMT
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Freecycle is great. As indeed is Realcycle, which is like the Pepsi to Freecycle’s Coke. You can get loads of free stuff and of course lots of it won’t be retro related but lots of it can be, with some thought. Some of you may remember I picked up a ton of tools recently off my local Realcycle in just the one week and the wee thread I had up after that so I thought I'd post up a bit of a how-to on the subject so maybe you guys canget some good freebies too if you aren't already on there doing it. There is a load of stuff which has gone through Freecycle & Realcycle which I have nabbed or others have nabbed because they were quicker off the mark than I was. These include VW Polo Mk2, various Haynes manuals, trolley jacks, axle stands, ramps, various tools, brake fluid, transmission fluid, wax, polish, seat covers, tyres, etc. etc. When replying to offers on Freecycle or Realcycle be polite, and it does seem to help if ytou say why you want what it is that they are offering. A lot of people wait until a few people have asked for the freebie then gift it to the one with the best reason to want it rather than just giving it out first come, first served. One of the tricks to getting the stuff is to get it to come to you, rather that you going after what other people are listing. You are allowed to place 1 wanted ad per month on most Freecycle type groups. However you can get away with one every 3 weeks or less so long as you don’t take the pish and/or draw too much attention to yourself. Additional wanted ads probably get overlooked by the admins more if you are also offering free stuff back to the group too. I try to be general in my wanted ads to pull in as much potential offers as possible then I can pick the stuff I want and (POLITELY) decline anything which is of no use to me. I find you also get a better response if you tell people why you want stuff. Its not necessary to make up sob stories, but just putting “Wanted, tools” will probably get you nowhere but if you put a couple of sentences about what you want and what you want to do with it will encourage people to gift stuff to you. A good example: “Wanted, tools & Mini Parts – I am restoring a 1983 Mini Mayfair and am on a tight budget, so any tools which you may have to help me build up my toolkit would be great, also if anyone has any spare parts for a Mini which they would be prepared to donate to me that would be really great, thanks”. See how you also get to ask for two things at once which helps get around the “one wanted ad per month” rule… Also Freecycle is a great place to get all that tat which you need for the garage/workshop/general stuff to help out. Shelving, storage boxes, Tupperware, garden sheds, trolleys, bits of scrap metal, work bench, caravans, scaffold poles, lengths of wood, a vacuum cleaner for the garage, even old appliances you can strip down as a nice supply of stainless steel screws, nuts and bolts then weigh in the carcass... Today I’m picking up 2 sacks of white faux-fur off-cuts today I got off Freecycle. Ideal for pimping an interior, a pimp hat or what have you and am waiting to hear back on a drill sharpener which was advertised earlier today. Have a go… Its like skip diving online! uk.freecycle.org/www.realcycle.co.uk/
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Last Edit: Jun 18, 2009 14:54:38 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Jun 18, 2009 15:32:09 GMT
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Well put.
I have the same approach and have had some great success.
It seems "Payback" helps too, as often people want to bin stuff, and I intercept and offer on freecycle.
Reasons and a pic link to the bus has netted me a few items that are now in use, and makes money available for other jobs.
Personally I get miffed at people who play god with their tut. My way is first come , almost first served.... rudeness, greed, and demand gets my back up, and moves people to the back of my line.
There are people who clearly collect appliances for repair, resale and I have no issues with that, but real need does get my vote.
The anglia was T-cut with a bottle off Freecycle. Nicola's daughter got a new ski suit, and a mates son got a mini BMX.
Using Freecycle means you have more money in your pocket for Beer,Petrol or spares.
Nicola's garden got £250's worth of ornaments from Brian "Split57 " on here when he had no more use for it.
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Last Edit: Jun 18, 2009 15:38:41 GMT by grizz
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Jun 18, 2009 16:03:38 GMT
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Full agreement here. I've also put a fair bit on Freecycle I could have got money for but had no problem in giving away. At one point we had a few spare fishtanks and associated gear etc so we (the kids and I) split it all up, and made a few 'ready to go' tanks with heaters and fish and gave them out at random on Freecycle. The icing on the cake was getting nice e-mails back from people's kids to say thanks and how much they were enjoying keeping the fish which proves manners, as you said Alistairk, are everything. I have reluctantly played 'God' a couple of times with stuff I knew would be popular but purely because I know some hover on there for certain types of stuff and I think it's fair to spread stuff around. I have heard some people refuse to give stuff away to people who they think have plenty of money anyhow but I don't agree with that. We put my neighbours old plant pots/planters on Freecycle and a bloke in a new Cayenne turned up for them. Fine by me as the idea is to stop decent/useable stuff getting binned.
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Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
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Ruki
Part of things
Posts: 480
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Jun 18, 2009 16:15:26 GMT
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I really should sign upto Freecycle I have PC stuff I could do with getting rid off and a need for a budget laptop if someone has no use for one...
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Jun 18, 2009 16:20:20 GMT
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Never heard of realcycle, will give it a try. My only gripe is in the past, I have asked for something offered, and been told it's been promised to somebody else, only to have them come back to me (when I didn't want it) cos they didn't turn up. promises are fine, it's just some people don't stick to them! The other thing I don't like is the 'you must offer before you can ask' rule, which leads to people cluttering the board by offering used carrier bags or empty bottles. WTF? Have they not got a council recycling collection? I missed a black cab recently, that would have been nice! Also try www.gumtree.com. there is a good freebies section on there too, or at least there is on the London section, I have noticed that some of the other cities are a lot smaller....
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Jun 18, 2009 16:37:48 GMT
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I've only used freecycle once and that was to give away my old dishwasher which wasn't cleaning very well.
I had a chap come round and collect it, thanking me and telling me what a help it was as his son was ill with cancer.
A week later it was on ebay with a photo of the bloke next to it up for £100, I emailed him asking why he lied to me and he told me it was tuff.
Never used freecycle since.
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Last Edit: Jun 18, 2009 16:38:45 GMT by trigger
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Graham
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,282
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Jun 18, 2009 16:40:20 GMT
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my wife uses freecycle that much that i have started to call her skippy
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Maximum signature image height: 80 pixels
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Jun 18, 2009 16:48:15 GMT
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We got shot of some baby stuff and after a few emails with a genuine sounding single mum who was trying to sort a mate with a car we offered to drop off it. She really seemed grateful and felt we'd put the items to good use, but I was worried my car would be up on bricks by the time the doorbell rang as it was one of those bits of MK you don't go to!
It's great for getting rid of stuff as well without going to the tip. We've got shot of hardcore, UPVC windows, non-working garden vac etc.
The MK one did go through a period of idiots "Wanted: Car with MOT and TAX, must be reliable and in good condition" WTF?!
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Jun 18, 2009 18:00:01 GMT
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Haven't used it for a bit but I scored an old style valve spring compressor and I tend to get my bike bits on there too. If you put a wanted out for a 'junk bike' for the bits or so you can restore it you'll be surprised what people consider to be junk.
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Jun 18, 2009 19:18:26 GMT
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you'll be surprised what people consider to be junk. And occasionally amazed. I have no problem with people selling my tat on for a profit. If I take it to the tip thats what will happen to it anyway. The local groups have rules against "wish listing" expensive stuff like PS3, T&T cars, etc. and theres very little of that. I just ignore the people asking for stupid stuff. When you sign up make sure you are on the "daily digest" then you get one email a day, not loads. Or just look at the listing on the web every now and again and see whats on. Getting dozens of emails "TAKEN: 3 plant pots (City Centre)" is a bit meh. The digest is much easier to deal with.
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Last Edit: Jun 18, 2009 19:20:02 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Been looking through freecycle for the last few days looking for parts for my 1603, Though strangely no luck. One thing I have noticed is what people try and expect for free, as some of you other guys have said, this a good one I've just found. For Free! Come on, Get a grip!
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Last Edit: Jul 3, 2009 16:52:49 GMT by trigger
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timasorus
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 439
Club RR Member Number: 90
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No really, freecycle...timasorus
@timasorus
Club Retro Rides Member 90
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hahahahaha we use it to get paint for touching up round the house and a seriously retro food mixer..... works now they recond it was wrecked all it needed was a new plug.... sucks to be stupid
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banditos ahoy!
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i've had some good stuff off freecycle recently,i managed to pick up a brand new tap and die set with about 50 taps and a decent rachet screwdriver,mind you the loonies come out of the woodwork every so often.i offered up a futon a while back,it came with the house and the landlord didnt want it so i freecycled it.one woman wanted me to measure it (ok) then take pics of it (pushing it but ok) then she wanted me to measure myself and have someone take pics of me lying on it (get a grip luv) some guy asked for it then categorically stated that under no circumstances was he going to collect it,i'd have to deliver it way across town and when it suited him,he also refused point blank to offer any petrol money or any help.pah some people!
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I scored my wifes Vauxhall Belmont daily driver off of Freecyle last December. I put up a wanted ad asking for a small economical car that was in need of work as my wife wanted something cheap on petrol to drive to work and we were kind of skint at the time. I had one reply from a lady whose elderly friend had an "Old Vauxhall" that had been off the road for a couple of years. Initially the owner said she intended to call the scrappy happily she changed her mind. The car was in remarkably good nick and had been well cared for. All it needed was a replacement battery, and a new rubber fuel line (the old one leaked badly) and it then went straight through it's MOT. I did break Freecycle rules and paid the owner £50 because I felt guilty for getting it for free.
I scored a dozen or so Haynes manuals and two retro roof racks and a large portion of the furniture in our flat is from freecycle.
I've ebayed a fair amount of Freecycle bits (mostly furniture, and recently the roofracks) and I'm not fussed if other people make a profit on stuff that I freecycle. Lately though there has been debate on some of the local freecycle groups about people acquiring stuff to eBay.
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1995 Range Rover 4.0 1995 BMW 320i Saloon 1989 BMW 325i Touring 1991 Mercedes 300TE-24 1991 Mercedes 190e 1970 Sunbeam Imp Sport
1966 Valiant 200 Custom 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Station Wagon
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I've been a bit sceptical about Freecycle, having heard about a fair few people who spend all their time on it to swoop on the good stuff, and make a fair wad of money picking up stuff and ebaying or selling it on.
My local one (Blackpool) was a bit of a disappointment when I signed up, a lot of awful tat that really should go down the tip, but it's not a particularly affluent area so that's understandable.
However just having read this thread, I flicked onto it to see a 'taken' post for a '96 Vauxhall Corsa with a duff alternator! Maybe I was too hasty...
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Last Edit: Jul 4, 2009 17:27:56 GMT by whitbytom
1967 Morris Traveller 1971 Series IIA Land Rover 1991 Golf GL 4+e 1992 Corrado G60 1986 E28 BMW 528i
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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I've had two fairly good nick sofas and a nice table
given away a pc
went to get a fridge as well when ours packed up - the bloke hadnt cleaned it and it was completely full of mould. Who the hell would do that?!
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I've been a bit sceptical about Freecycle, having heard about a fair few people who spend all their time on it to swoop on the good stuff, and make a fair wad of money picking up stuff and ebaying or selling it on. My local one (Blackpool) was a bit of a disappointment when I signed up, a lot of awful tat that really should go down the tip, but it's not a particularly affluent area so that's understandable. However just having read this thread, I flicked onto it to see a 'taken' post for a '96 Vauxhall Corsa with a duff alternator! Maybe I was too hasty... I'm lucking living between two of the weathiest communities in the Surrey stockbroker belt. It definitely makes for quality tat.
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Last Edit: Jul 4, 2009 19:17:02 GMT by mrabody
1995 Range Rover 4.0 1995 BMW 320i Saloon 1989 BMW 325i Touring 1991 Mercedes 300TE-24 1991 Mercedes 190e 1970 Sunbeam Imp Sport
1966 Valiant 200 Custom 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Station Wagon
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All I see is baby stuff wanted... too little too late luv... lol. Then the people wanting taxed and tested cars/4X4's, laptops - a favourite and stupid stuff no one in their right mind could afford to just give away.
I asked about some block paving - no reply, a Hi Vis coat as mine's probably still on my chair at work where I left it when I walked out, lol, already gone, and some concrete foundation blocks that I can have but they won't answer the phone. humbug. :-(
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