What weird/outrageous requests have you seen on Freecycle/Craigslist?

[siamesecat2965]

I can see the reasoning behind wanting old medical supplies, e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, bath seats, even the CPAP machine.  Some of that stuff can be expensive, and if someone is going to have to use it for the long term, it wouldn't pay to rent it.  Plus, I'm sure there are people out there who end up in my aunt's situation - she had two different types of walkers, a four-prong cane, and a wheelchair sitting in her garage after my older aunt who had lived with her passed away.  She gave one walker to a friend of hers who had had a hip replacement, and donated the other items to the local nursing home.  My aunt is still quite young, so the odds are that if she ever needs anything like that it won't be for many years, and in the meantime it's just taking up space, so it's good that she was able to pass it along to someone who could use it now.

POD - why not donate it to someone who can really use it?  And while I totally understand WHY its illegal and can't be done, ESPECIALLY on Freecycle, its too bad there isn't some way to get un-needed medicine to someone who does. I mean legally and through some sort of strict system.  I know when my dad died; we got rid of TONS of stuff; pricy stuff, and my mom kept saying it was such a shame that there wasn't any way to get it to someone who needed it, but couldn't afford it.  But like I said, I totally understand why it can't be done.

[mrs_deb]

I offered three grocery bags of beef fat trimmings.

They went like a shot.

[ica171]

The first one that comes to mind is a boat.  I believe there was even a length and type specified, although I can't remember now.  The guy who asked for it asked for lots of big things--riding lawnmower, car, TV, computer, etc.  And every ad ended or began with some variation of "I am handicapped and would love to have this."  I didn't really understand what one thing had to do with the other aside from trying to garner sympathy.

[SheltieMom]

I can see the reasoning behind wanting old medical supplies, e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, bath seats, even the CPAP machine.  Some of that stuff can be expensive, and if someone is going to have to use it for the long term, it wouldn't pay to rent it.  Plus, I'm sure there are people out there who end up in my aunt's situation - she had two different types of walkers, a four-prong cane, and a wheelchair sitting in her garage after my older aunt who had lived with her passed away.  She gave one walker to a friend of hers who had had a hip replacement, and donated the other items to the local nursing home.  My aunt is still quite young, so the odds are that if she ever needs anything like that it won't be for many years, and in the meantime it's just taking up space, so it's good that she was able to pass it along to someone who could use it now.

POD - why not donate it to someone who can really use it?  And while I totally understand WHY its illegal and can't be done, ESPECIALLY on Freecycle, its too bad there isn't some way to get un-needed medicine to someone who does. I mean legally and through some sort of strict system.  I know when my dad died; we got rid of TONS of stuff; pricy stuff, and my mom kept saying it was such a shame that there wasn't any way to get it to someone who needed it, but couldn't afford it.  But like I said, I totally understand why it can't be done.

There are nonprofit organizations that can use some of the surplus medical supplies. One I highly recommend is Rapha International:
http://www.raphainternational.org/index.asp?IDRapha=1
I know some of the people involved in this, and can guarantee it's legitimate.

[Wulfie]

For things like walkers, canes, wheelchairs, ect try contacting a local nursing home or senior/diabled apartment building.  We have tenants who constantly need things like that and it takes FOREVER to get them via insurance (a wheelchair can take up to a year to get) having spare items that you can loan out/give to those who need them makes life so much better for them.

[Giggity]

The Craigslist posting for Satanic s3x was too funny.

This morning, my Freecycle e-mail included an offer of empty game boxes - Risk, Monopoly, Yahtzee, and (of course) Scrabble, among others. The giver is storing her games without boxes, so if your game box is torn or icky, now's your chance!

[deadbody]

Can't search it at work, but there is a very amusing craigslist Super mario posting looking for a casual encounter.

"The Fireworks are key to the experience"

[LadyClaire]

I've never noticed any especially weird offers or requests on my local freecycle group. It seems pretty toned down as far as outrageous requests go. I do notice that a lot of cats are offered through freecycle here..it seems every day there are multiple cats put up on there.

[Elphaba]

I've seen people ask for working cars, flat screen tvs, and Wiis. Yeah, good luck with that.

I've asked for old metal bed springs. And got them. DH made a harrow from them.

What's a harrow?

[Tosha Go]

The ones I find really wierd are the people who are expecting babies in a few weeks time and have *nothing.*  One mother who was pg with her third child was asking for a number of fairly expensive items, like a crib, chanigng table, bouncy chair etc...

Ps - I once tried to give away the bottom half of a blender, as i had accidentally broken the mixer part.  No Takers.

[otterwoman]

I've seen people ask for working cars, flat screen tvs, and Wiis. Yeah, good luck with that.

I've asked for old metal bed springs. And got them. DH made a harrow from them.

What's a harrow?

A device for breaking up ground or for smoothing it out, depending on what you want. DH had spread gravel along the driveway. He used the harrow to smooth it out a bit.
http://www.answers.com/topic/harrow

[Slartibartfast]

I think over the course of my last several years on Freecycle, I have seen maybe half a dozen offers of cars (mostly not running) or other big-ticket items.  We considered putting DH's car on Freecycle (we eventually sold it for $150) - but honestly, we could have gotten $100 from a scrap place who would come and tow it away, or we could have donated it to several nonprofits for the tax writeoff.  Sure, it was about as cheap as a car can get, but $100 is still $100!

Someone here was desperate for a chick incubator for a while - posted once a week for months.  I always appreciate when someone offers something and they take a picture of it first - I'm not going to reply to "offer: sofa" because I assume it's probably full of cat pee and vomit, but if the picture looks nice I might actually find the sofa useful 

[Kimblee]

The Craigslist posting for Satanic s3x was too funny.

This morning, my Freecycle e-mail included an offer of empty game boxes - Risk, Monopoly, Yahtzee, and (of course) Scrabble, among others. The giver is storing her games without boxes, so if your game box is torn or icky, now's your chance!

That's actually kinda nice though.

I have a complete clue set,but the box is ratty and falling apart, I might appreciat having a newer, nicerbox for it.

[FunkyMunky]

The Craigslist posting for Satanic s3x was too funny.

This morning, my Freecycle e-mail included an offer of empty game boxes - Risk, Monopoly, Yahtzee, and (of course) Scrabble, among others. The giver is storing her games without boxes, so if your game box is torn or icky, now's your chance!

That's actually kinda nice though.

I have a complete clue set,but the box is ratty and falling apart, I might appreciat having a newer, nicerbox for it.

That's why I bought the 'vintage' versions in the wooden boxes.

Weirdest thing I've seen asked for - wedding dress. Must be unworn, off-white, by X designer. I have seen offers for previously worn dresses, but not by X designer (whose work is gorgeous, but starts at 3.5k). And anyone with an unworn (or really, any) gown is much more likely to eBay it than give it away.

[wolfie]

Re: all the posts about wants for new items.

Do people not understand what freecycle is? A place to give away things that you would otherwise toss in the trash - not a charity group?