Freecycle tip of the day: Go with the local instead of the sob story.

[eyesroll]

Last Thursday, I posted a microwave/TV cart to Freecycle. I got four replies, and I decided to offer it to the woman who was the operations manager at a senior center on the other side of town. It's underfunded, and these people don't get visitors, blah blah blah. She said she'd send someone to pick it up Thursday night.

Thursday night? No pickup.

Got an e-mail Friday; we'll pick it up Friday night.

Friday night? No pickup. I got a phone call Saturday morning, said she'd pick it up Saturday by noon.

Saturday afternoon? No pickup. I called and said she had until 4 pm to call me and set up a FIRM time to pick up, or I'm moving on, as it's cluttering up my living room. No call.

So, I sent an e-mail this morning to the next person on my list (the only thing she said in her initial response was: "I'm interested. I live in Bay View too so pickup should be easy.") She's coming over with her husband at 8:15 tonight to get the cart. She lives three streets down. I bet she shows.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Used Freecycle to get rid of some living room tables

Posted the tables online. Someone wrote that they had a friend who had nothing, was moving into a place, really needed them. So, the needy person called me. Said could pick up on Friday...no show, called again, said maybe Sunday after church, or Monday, ...would let me know...didn't call by Sunday afternoon...

I told myself, "Fuck that shit!", and called the next person who had responded. She was over in less than 20 minutes, with her son, loaded the tables up and was very happy.

So, am with you...go with the locals, not the sob story :P

[sleepyhead]

2. I give everyone one chance to reschedule.

If they miss two pickups (unless they have a *really* good excuse) I figure they don't need the stuff that badly. I have had locals flake out as well as the supposedly needy. If they can't even be bothered to call, forget it.