Source any equipment you need for free through Freecycle (freecycle.org), a community website on which people can recycle unwanted items, or the freebie section of listings sites such as Gumtree (gumtree.com) and Craigslist (craigslist.co.uk). Right now, for example, someone is offering a free office table in London and free catering equipment in Edgbaston.
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TIP When discarding old cutlery (or anything for that matter) consider “FreeCycle” (look it up on the internet).
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I thought there would be no harm in posting a couple of items we no longer needed on eBay and, given our thrifty peasant nature, it made sense to sign up with the local Freecycle group to sniff around for items being given away in our area. There might be something useful to help us in our bid for greater self-sufficiency, so it all seemed very practical.
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Alternatively, you could join up to a Freecycle group – you can find free laptops, TVs, bicycles and more. Look to ‘Freecycle’ everywhere in your life: text books, mobiles – ask friends, ask strangers, post on noticeboards. You’ll be amazed what people will give you that they don’t want anymore.
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55. Whatever you need, check if you could get it for free first. http://uk.freecycle.org/
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MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – May 15, 2012) – With the double dip recession in full swing, savvy UK homeowners are saving their money by filling their homes with second hand items.
Swinton, the UK’s leading high street retailer of home insurance surveyed 1,000 online customers and found that 27% regularly find second hand bargains to furnish homes.
Where once there was a stigma attached to buying second hand items, this now seems to be disappearing. Charity shops, online auctions sites and website such as Free Cycle were the main places customers go to when looking for bargains for their home.
In fact, nearly a fifth of homeowners (19%) admitted to showing off their best bargains to their friends and family, while only 5% said they were too embarrassed to admit that they had purchased second hand items for their home.
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3. Essential equipment
There’s a lot of baby paraphernalia out there, so you need to focus. You don’t need it all!
Moses basket – these are regularly advertised on Freecycle (probably because babies are rarely in them for more than six weeks) so check groups in your area regularly.
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Freecycle
Freecycle is a worldwide movement made up of individual community groups across the globe where people can come together to give (and get) stuff for free. The idea is to reduce the amount of waste we produce by matching and connecting people who are throwing away goods with others who might have a use for them. The first UK Freecycle group was set up in London in October 2003 and today there are 540 groups spread across the country.
Listing cost: Listings are absolutely free and come through to subscribers on group emails.
What you pay: Nothing at all. If any money is exchanged alarm bells should ring because Freecycle is a not for profit charity.
Postage: No postage is paid as users are required to pick up items they desire in their local area.
Photos: Most listings do not have photos and if they do they certainly aren’t paid for!
Payment system: Absolutely no money is involved just postings of items and responses from people interested in the community.
Verdict: The only downside is that you don’t make any money, but you do get to get rid of unwanted items that may not sell well on an auction site like eBay (old tvs, bedding, top soil) for free rather than shelling out money to dispose of your junk.
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Use Freecycle. People throw no end of stuff away and usually the only cost to you is the time and petrol involved in picking it up. In a similar vein, there are a good many second hand and charity shops where you can buy perfectly good second-hand items at a fraction of the cost of new – and do some good for the world at the same time.
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HULL: An organisation that helps people recycle unwanted items across the city is looking for volunteers.
Hull Freecycle needs group moderators to help with its website.
The Hull branch of Freecycle is a non-profit organisation which reduces waste, saves resources and eases the burden on our landfills.
A spokesman for the organisation said: “Being a moderator doesn’t require a lot of time but does require some dedication.
“There is lots of support available and it’s fun.”
The job would suit a person who is interested in making a contribution to the community and the planet.
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