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

[BrittMontero]

Merely posting a detailed "want" is not at all considered greedy or a faux pas let alone worthy of the scorn demonstrated in this thread.  Why begrudge people something that doesn't cost you a dime and is good for our eco-system?  

I disagree with you.    Looking at this post specifically, it would be far more appropriate to post a "Wanted: Gardening Supplies" and then mention you are hoping to grow tomatoes in the body of the post.  Listing out a huge long list of things you need, especially when that list encompasses *everything* that you need, looks very gimme-pig.  Sure, you can post as detailed a "Wanted" post as you want, but you run the risk of being considered a special snowflake if you expect to find Perfect Exact Item for free instead of purchasing it yourself.  It also looks very greedy to post multiple specific requests while offering little or no items up in return.  I also think it's in quite bad taste to request more than one large ticket item at a time, and also to request the same item multiple times within a few weeks.

For example, the person who I've posted about twice now looking for baby stuff, has today requested (a) a photo printer with paper, (b) a digital camera that has no delay from startup to taking pictures, and (c) a double jogging stroller.  That's three big series of posts looking for specific big-ticket items within about four weeks.  Even if I had any of these items that I wanted to get rid of, I would not give them to her at this point because it's only rewarding the unbridled greed.  And no, she has not put up anything on offer beyond the bag of "mixed baby clothes" that she had up a few weeks ago.

People are welcome to post whatever they want on Freecycle.  Other people are perfectly free to ignore the postings, judge them for being gimme-pigs, or offer them items as they see fit.  

Of course, everyone has a different threshold for determining "greed."  I'm just saying that posting a detailed want list is not counter to the aims of Freecycle; the movement was founded to keep stuff out of the garbage stream, not to make sure only "deserving" or "non-greedy" people benefit from the accessibility of the bulletin board.   It bothers me when people mischaracterize FC as some sort of charity operation.  And to me the specific want list on the gardening supplies seems efficient, not greedy.  The person included some gentle humor and why shouldn't a beginner ask for the entire shebang? 

In the late '90s, before Freecycle, I decided to take up stained-glass crafts.  Not wanting to fork out hundreds of dollars I put a $3 ad in my local paper asking if anyone wanted to cheaply sell a grinder and various other paraphernalia.  My phone rang ASAP with a call from a nearby woman who couldn't wait to get rid of box-loads of valuable supplies; she finally took $20 under protest but my car was stuffed with many times that worth of equipment.  She was so glad to have spotted the ad.  Point being:  some might have said I should have outfitted myself but she had lost interest in the hobby and was pleased to give the soup-to-nuts equipment to a newbie; perhaps the tomato gardener's post will catch the eye of a similar person.  Why ascribe evil motives to what might end up as a win-win situation? 

That said, there are greedy, piggish people in every sphere of activity, I'll grant you, from office potlucks to Freecycle to the food stamps line.  Freecycle seems to me one of the most harmless places for pigs to get it out of their systems.  At least they aren't taking taxpayer dollars, etc.

[Wonderflonium]

I think the thing that gets me about the tomato gardening request is that the poster is even asking for the plants/seeds. That's where it crosses the line for me. Of course, YMMV.

[SisJackson]

I scoured my area's FC list for something outlandish or even something mildly shocking.  I couldn't find anything.  I imagine it's because our list is heavily moderated, "wanteds" are only permitted on Wednesdays, only one Wanted per person per week, and there is a loose rule of posting three Offers for every one Wanted you have - people who get a bit too free with the Wanteds are prevented from posting until they throw some offers out there.  There has been a lot of controversy about it on the "off-topic" area and some have threatened to go to a neighboring community's FC group if they can't Want all the stuff they are wishing for.  The mods' response was basically "good riddance".

I guess there were a lot of problems some time back - people talk about "the old days" when the list was more wants than offers.

[BrittMontero]

I think the thing that gets me about the tomato gardening request is that the poster is even asking for the plants/seeds. That's where it crosses the line for me. Of course, YMMV.

Actually, I have lots of half-used seed packets that could use a good home -- I'm not about to take the time to create a FC post but if I spotted a "want" and could offload the seeds with a quick response e-mail it would be great.  Also know some enthusiastic vegetable gardeners who always overplant when they start seeds indoors and have tons of seedlings to palm off on others.  So it's actually a joy for some people to give that sort of thing to willing takers. 

Again, while I see nothing wrong with the gardening requests, in general I'd say of all places for freeloaders to hang out, better Freecycle than someplace that uses my tax dollars or takes away from the resources of charities. 

[RegionMom]

 Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

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So, 5 kids would keep me pretty busy!  Too busy to care about the look of my dishwasher.  I wonder if she got any takers.  And she put her phone number.  That is supposed to be a no-no. 

[ginlyn32]

Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

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So, 5 kids would keep me pretty busy!  Too busy to care about the look of my dishwasher.  I wonder if she got any takers.  And she put her phone number.  That is supposed to be a no-no. 

Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't care what color it was!

Our dishwasher went out a couple of months ago..but my kids are older and I made them help.

We rent so our landlord ordered us a new one post-haste and we were all happy.

ginlyn

[MommyPenguin]

Yeah, I can see caring about a white dishwasher if having your kitchen match is more important to you than being able to wash dishes in the machine, and if nobody has that color you'd rather wait until you can buy a new one yourself.  Personally, I'd take a purple dishwasher with green racing stripes over not having one at all.  And I'd care more about features than color!  (Our current one has no sort of delay feature, so you can't set it to start in an hour, you can only set it to start immediately.)

I guess, to me, I wouldn't so much have a problem with a person posting, say, "WANTED: baby stuff" and then saying, "Hey, I'm having a baby soon, and if anybody has anything they're ready to pass on, please let me know.  I'm particularly interested in a crib, swing, bouncer, and boy baby clothes."  I mean, what's the harm in asking?  They grow out of it so fast, and sometimes people keep it for years in case they have more kids, then they decide not to, but it might still take them a while to get time to go through it.

What I would have a problem with would be, "WANTED: baby stuff" and then saying, "I'm having a baby and need tons of stuff!  I'm interested in a white Storkcraft crib, Eddie bauer bouncer, swing, and high chair in sage/brown, Eddie Bauer musical rocking bassinet, Gap or Old Navy baby clothes for boys, preferably new."  Riiiiiight.

[RainhaDoTexugo]

I think the thing that gets me about the tomato gardening request is that the poster is even asking for the plants/seeds. That's where it crosses the line for me. Of course, YMMV.

Actually, I have lots of half-used seed packets that could use a good home -- I'm not about to take the time to create a FC post but if I spotted a "want" and could offload the seeds with a quick response e-mail it would be great.  Also know some enthusiastic vegetable gardeners who always overplant when they start seeds indoors and have tons of seedlings to palm off on others.  So it's actually a joy for some people to give that sort of thing to willing takers. 

Yeah, seeds and plants are the one I minded least.  We sometimes buy plants in the little four packs, and since we have a very small garden, we only plant two or three of them, and have to find a home with a friend for the spare plants.  I'm too lazy for Freecycle, but I could see using it to pass on the spares, since I can't exactly store them for next year.  The list does seem a bit over the top, though, since it pretty much has everything but the garden space on it.

[M-theory]

Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

As someone who's handwashed every dish for the past 7 years, allow me to introduce this concerto adagio I've written for the world's tiniest violin.

[RainhaDoTexugo]

Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

As someone who's handwashed every dish for the past 7 years, allow me to introduce this concerto adagio I've written for the world's tiniest violin.

As someone who's never in her 27 years had a dishwasher (except for that one week when I was staying with a friend), I'll join you in your concert

ETA:  Hmm, maybe I do need to check out Freecycle..... 

[GoldenGemini]

Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

As someone who's handwashed every dish for the past 7 years, allow me to introduce this concerto adagio I've written for the world's tiniest violin.

As someone who's never in her 27 years had a dishwasher (except for that one week when I was staying with a friend), I'll join you in your concert

ETA:  Hmm, maybe I do need to check out Freecycle..... 

Me three!  We were told we WERE the dishwashers!

[MissRose]

My sister and I were told by our mother we were the dishwashers as she has never gotten a dishwasher!!!!

Wanted: I need a white dishwasher that works and looks good!  Sday, May x, 2010 PM
From: "Name"
All of my appliances are white and my dishwasher went out!  I have 5 kiddos and we go through dishes like crazy!  Anyway...I have been handwashing but would love to be able to get a dishwasher again!  If you are switching to stainless or just updating and have a working white dishwasher that is in decent cosmetic condition...I would love to have it...  !  Thanks so much!  123-456-7890 or email me

As someone who's handwashed every dish for the past 7 years, allow me to introduce this concerto adagio I've written for the world's tiniest violin.

As someone who's never in her 27 years had a dishwasher (except for that one week when I was staying with a friend), I'll join you in your concert

ETA:  Hmm, maybe I do need to check out Freecycle..... 

Me three!  We were told we WERE the dishwashers!

[Sophia]

LOL, about being the dishwasher.  I contend that is why I love gizmos.  When Dad bought a gizmo it made my life easier.  I remember a deep and abiding love for their first garage door opener, since of course that had been my job.  Same for the dishwasher, remote control, etc. 

I have been thinking of posting a WANT.  What do you'll think of this? 

"Baby/Toddler stuff wanted, girl due mid-July. 
I already have crib, car seat, stroller, ...
I will re-freecycle anything I get.  "

I also have about 5 boxes of stuff in my entry for offers, I plan on doing at the same time.   

[RainhaDoTexugo]

It sounds okay to me, Sophia.  You might add "when the baby outgrows it" or something, to the part about re-freecycling it.

[Cupcake Fiend]

I think the thing that gets me about the tomato gardening request is that the poster is even asking for the plants/seeds. That's where it crosses the line for me. Of course, YMMV.

I dunno.  One of my friends recently sent an email around to a bunch of people offering up 100 extra tomato seedlings that she had available.

Asking just doesn't seem that outrageous to me.