Freecycling

Like most of us I like to spend as little money as possible on things. I am not the type that needs the biggest and best, and it is a good thing since my pocket book would never allow that type of living. I have expensive tastes when I look in stores, so I am better off not going. How can we get our non-food needs without going to the store?

I have several ways. One is yard sales. You can find such good bargains at yard sales! I love them. Problem is I often find things I do not need but they seem to call me as I go by them. Temptation!!

I have discovered another way of getting things, as well as getting rid of things — Freecycle! I have given away a nice wood table that I loved but was not big enough when the whole family gets together. Our family has been growing over the last year or so and is continuing to grow, so we needed a bigger table. It was nice to know someone else needed our old one.

My husband and I have had no couch. We had a love seat that is an antique so it is a bit delicate and he is big. I told him I was going to put a request on freecycle and he was skeptical. I put the request up and within a few hours I had 3 offers. The first one sounded like a winner and I told my husband we had a couch. When we got there to pick it up it was huge, in great shape and comfortable. It is a light color and not something I would buy new, but it is great and looks so nice in my livingroom. My husband likes my frugal ways, but he makes fun of me too. Tells people I am tight with the dollar, but brags about my finds.

Here are a few suggestions for using freecycle:

• If you live in a small community sign up for nearby towns as well, especially if there is one that is larger nearby.
• get individual emails, if you do not you will miss offers as things go fast.
• when giving away, select who you will give it to, do not just take the first response. Rules say you can't get it to sell, but people are people and some can come up with a good story just to make money on your free item.
• Contact people fast, things go quickly!

I recommend freecycle for saving money. For more frugal ideas go to Biblical Womanhood.