Freecycle

I started this out as an answer to Ashley's last answer to Carolyn's question about Infomercials, and decided that it might be of interest to enough readers to warrent a post of it's own.

Has anyone tried or used Freecycle? It is set up on Yahoo Groups and has sub-groups all over the country. It is designed to be a forum for giving and receiving unwanted items--like a big Garage Sale with no money exchange. You can post items you want to get rid of or items you need, as long as everything is appropriate for children and there is no money involved. The receiver has the responsibility to pick up the gift.

Ashley mentioned buying a blender on TV that she could have gotten cheaper at Wal-Mart. It is quite possible she could have found a free one on Freecycle, of at least Garage Sale quality.

In checking the Texas groups, I found New Braunfels (isn't that where you live now, Ashley?) has 408 members, while San Antonio has 569, and San Marcos 242--so you would probably want to join all three.

Houston has 7218, with almost as many more in the surrounding suburbs. The Longview area has 447. Strangely enough, Shreveport has no group.
Even stranger is Taylor, where brother Don used to live. It has one member. I guess that person gives him/herself unwanted items...

I just joined the Houston group and was inundated with messages until I found the place to turn off email and go to the site to check messages when I wanted to. Actually, I originally joined 2 years ago to give away the atrocious futon that I bought at Wal-Mart. Carolyn helped me put it together, but neither one of us could sleep on it. It was black, and I had just obtained two kittens. They loved it, and soon added a tint of gray and white hair to the cover so no one would sit on it, much less sleep. I gave it away as is.