Since I'm a lemming and like to follow the trends of the internet world, I'm back to couponing and store ad reading. Err, I mean I'm trying to save money and eat better and therefore shopping more wisely. But I'll go into my version tomorrow (mostly because I need to go to one more store before I can show you my savings this week). Today I want to discuss Freecycle!
I like the concept, you post about a gently used or new item that you no longer need and people in your area can email you and then you can give it to them (and they usually pick it up too, no mailing costs. Free!). Kinda like "Random Acts of Kindness" without the random. I decided to give it a try because eBay's seller fees are looking way too expensive and the items I have would probably sell for next to nothing in the first place. And I still haven't found a local Goodwill store.
So I have these unopened printer ink cartridges. 3 of them, two color and one black. The printer was Greg's and I think it was struck by lightening or fed too many peanut butter sandwiches. Anyway we don't have a printer for the cartridges and on eBay, some crazy power seller has them on Buy It Now at about $1.05 each. (After eBay fees, I think they are losing about $.95 per item.) I have no idea where we bought these either, it was in Ohio and therefore over a year ago and oh lord, don't make me look through our boxes and boxes of receipts.
Therefore Freecycle seems to be the perfect place for this! I signed up for the local group and made my offer exactly as they suggest (I received like 6 long emails with the rules and guidelines and "don't let strangers into your house" warnings). I figured I'd hear from someone in a few days and then pass the items along and be happy that they aren't under my desk anymore and I'm doing my itty bitty part to reduce waste in landfills.
Imagine my shock when I received 15 emails overnight. Huh? Now I have to choose... And the confusing part is that some of the emails are "I'll take one color so I'm not hogging them both" and then another was "I could really use the black one only" and another "I'd love to have both color ones so I can have some fun printing." (I can't say I've ever found printing "fun" but maybe I'm just weird.)
"Oh oh! Pick me, pick me!"
So do I spread out the Freecycle love and give 1 cartridge each to 3 different people? Or make it less confusing for myself with pick-up schedules and give all 3 to say, email #7 on the list? This is kinda freaking me out and making me not want to post anything else on Freecycle because my Libra tendencies show, I.can't.decide.please.don't.make.me.choose.ACK!
To be honest the real reason I joined Freecycle (obviously before I realized how stressful it would be), was for the slim chance that someone offers a freezer. Cause with all the stocking up on sale that I plan to do in my new "save money on groceries" and "30 Day Freezer Gourmet" goals, I need more space. But I'm thinking that if I received 15 emails overnight on stupid printer cartridges, there's no way I'm ever getting a freezer this way. (Saving the money I save on groceries to buy a new freezer is probably the most reasonable plan at the moment.)
Email #9 maybe? Or the one who is closest? Or didn't capitalized the beginnings of sentences? Gah...
All Content at katiefleck.com is Copyright 2003-2008 by Katie Fleck, All Rights Reserved.
