What's everyone's biggest find from 'free' items off facebook marketplace? Any opinions on it as well? Do you think it's gross or are you a treasure hunter?
I've had a few good finds with chairs, desks and even a monitor! Obviously not the highest quality equipment with probably a few cosmetic blemishes but certain items aren't a problem with getting second hand if I can save a few hundred
I like free stuff on FB but the issue is they go too quick - you pretty much have to be surfing Facebook marketplace all day to get anything decent
I've just been lucky a few times, randomly searching and the posts have been up less than 30 mins
I've picked up dining table + chairs for free on Facebook Marketplace.
Also not on FB Marketplace, but 2 weeks ago my wife picked up an almost-new Norflex treadmill from FreeCycle for free.
Slightly different but same, I join a local buy nothing group and have gotten so much great stuff (mostly baby stuff). Bassinets, cot, and lots of great clothes. Sorting through them right now š
What's everyone's biggest find from 'free' items off facebook marketplace?
Over the last 2 months, my wife has picked up an ADSL2 modem, an electronic picture frame, and a VHS-C camcorder…
Why the hell would she bother getting an electronic picture frame?
Because it was free…
16" and 120x80 pixels?
Someone married you?
I married them…
A few dining chairs and one of those smart modem gen 2s - already have one, so a spare
Makes no sense, just put it out front if its for free
Our council will fine you if you put stuff out on the nature strip and you haven't booked a hard rubbish collection.
Our council will fine you
Dont believe all the propaganda
Ryde Council in Sydney has set up covert cameras for this very purpose.
@Caped Baldy: Since someone must have gotten salty and negged me here's a couple of sources.
https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Media-Centre/News-and-Puā¦
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8940727/Can-spot-hiā¦
@Caped Baldy: Patrols? Maybe a lot cheaper if they just organize pickups every 2 weeks or so.
Or increase awareness that they can get free pickup anyway, about 12 times a year? Not sure how many in Ryde council.
MacBook Pro 2012 unibody with its original charger. It was advertised alongside a 2012 21.5ā iMac (which I originally wanted, but someone nabbed it before me), and both were advertised as āfor parts / not workingā. The MacBook Pro wasnāt detecting any internal drives upon boot, but all it needed to get up and running was a new SSD, four drive screws and a new SATA cable.
I picked it up a couple of years ago, and itās still going strong. The trackpad needs adjustment and the screen hinges are a little loose, but the laptops is still functioning and very capable. Not bad for an eight year old laptop.
Honestly, I give everything I get second-hand a good clean after I picked them up, because goodness knows what kind of life they had before I took possession…
if you have a small area, getting heaps of free stuff can cause problems with space + also roaches if you can't see the eggs etc. People in the Gold Coast seem to just chuck things out the front if they don't want them. I also got people clearing a sold house for example or a tenant that left stuff around. Best finds are a recent Samsung LCD and Sony Theatre system. Ironically, the tv only got damaged when I was moving it. Sound system was great. I gave the person $50 as it seemed right.
Definitely a great thing!
There used to be a thing called āfreecycleā where you could join a local group and give and receive things. Now thereās ābuy nothingā Facebook groups.
Free stuff on marketplace has been great for baby items. I got a change table, huge amount of baby clothes, play mat, toys, baby swing etc all of which I then giveaway again once we grow out of it. I even picked up a brand new never used Kmart umbrella stroller from someone the other day. Everything gets cleaned and washed, so itās not gross at all.
When giving things a way, you can get bombarded with messages, so I always ask people to include some times when they can pick it up and just donāt respond if someone says āis this still availableā and nothing else. I also give preference to people who send a polite message.
FB:
Not FB - aka council clean up:
2 solid wood buffets and matching shelf next street when family walked by and saw an old table left out; they wanted us to take 2 other display cabinets but no space at the moment
near new top quality coffee table couple houses down the street
various Ikea furniture in good condition
elliptical machine and stationary bike couple of years before COVID
I picked up two original Xbox consoles for free on Gumtree last year. One not taking power (A) and the other (B) had a disc drive issue. Transplanted disc drive from console A into console B, worked a treat. Even had an NRL game inside.
Got a perfectly functioning original Xbox and a repair project on the second one.
Thats pretty cool, I'm really impressed! You must be good with tech
I'd say slightly above average with tech, original Xboxes are famous for being ridiculously easy to pull apart and modify.
Excellent emulation machines too.
I prefer looking through hard rubbish. Have got plenty of good usable items from the kerbside including a laundry rack, chairs, outdoor table.
Also the source of materials for many chicken coops, kids billy carts and similar projects.
Yep. It's a can't lose situation since the raw materials are free and even if you don't succeed, you haven't wasted any time because you've learnt something.
The wife wasn't happy when I brought home a brand new roll of bird wire netting that costs nearly $100 at Bunnings. I didn't have a use for it immediately, but since then it has been used for a leaf compost bin and to wrapped around a raised garden bed cover to keep the possums and rats out of the tomatoes.
My workmate does this, he has a side business reselling stuff on eBay. A lot of collectable items that make an easy $10-100 if you know what you're looking for. I think his biggest sell was 1k for a vintage record player
I got my bedframe for free off Gumtree. It was supposed to be temporary. 30 months later…
Don't leave us hanging man. What happened 30 months later?
I'm still using it.
Apologies. Didn't realise you needed closure.
Never got anything free. But sometimes people sell what I'm looking for for 5% the resale cost, so it's almost free if I was gonna buy one anyway.