Let's All Help Each Other - No Money Required

I hope I put this in the right place. Mods feel free to move. This is my first thread so bear with me, but I just had to get some thoughts off my chest...

It seems to me that this economic crisis has no end. (Arguably, the PTB could end this on whim; however, they would lose too much of an opportunity, so I don't see that happening.)

As every day passes our increasing dependence on the system (since we aren't self-suficent any longer) and money, becomes even more apparent.

Every day that passes, I realize that we have to be each others solution. The government is not going to bail us out. Honestly, I don't think the government has our best interests at heart anyhow.

Every day that passes, our money increasingly becomes more and more worthless thanks to the actions of our benevolent government (tongue in cheek).

Every day that passes, I realize that we, at least most of us, are asking ourselves how can we help in these trying times. I know the government tells us to spend, spend, spend. I say do what you want with your money - it probably won't be worth much any longer anyhow. Personally I would spend it on food and supplies, but that's just me. Anyhow...I believe we all want to help. Screw the economy it seems to be out of our hands anyhow, instead take what you would normally throw out or donate to places that then turn around and sell your donations, and instead offer these items on Freecycle.

Freecycle is nationwide (not sure if it's global).

It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.

Link

Click the above link to locate a Freecycle group near you. Then you can start helping people in your area as well as receiving help yourself. Let's all join together and be each others solution.

Blessings,

hstock28

I freecycle all the time. The only problem with freecycle is that it's centered around recycling, ( which is great!) so it's not always the needy who get the items. I'd much rather my stuff went to someone who needs it, as opposed to someone who's doesn't really need it, but will sell it on ebay or somewhere else. If I wanted to sell it , I would have sold it myself. You never know who is going to get your stuff, but at least you can try to screen emails and make a decision.

I won't give to Goodwill anymore. I can't even afford to shop in goodwill stores. That's pretty bad. They mark things up so high, you can buy new for cheaper.

[edit on 26-3-2009 by virraszto]

reply to post by hstock28


Good idea to post this now! I love to recycle...although I know that it takes more of my time, and energy...something about it feels so right.

All the jobs that are created in the chain of recycle...it is a good thing!

S&F!

Hi hstock28 - nice post.

I no longer support Goodwill for the reasons you mentioned. An alternative for sharing is to contact a local church - they often know families in need , and what they are in need of. I volunteer time at community out-reach answering phones & making referrals. Sometimes serve food at a local soup kitchen - tuff duty for me - so many downtrodden families with small children - when these kids hold their plate-up with hunger in their little eyes - it rips my heart-out.

GL

Nevermind. Wrong thread. Please delete if necessary.

[edit on 26-3-2009 by Lasheic]

If you have not already known about The Venus Project, please do so via my signature link.

Thanks for all of your responses.

I think we should take it upon ourselves to look out for our fellow man. We must be the solution for each other. We just need to open our eyes and start stepping in where we see a need that we can fill. I like all of the suggestions that OBE1 gave in his post - all good ideas.

The thing I like about Freecycle is that it is already in place in most communities and can be utilized for your own needs or as an outlet for you to help others.

Virra is right not everyone on Freecycle is exactly needy, but like she suggests you can always screen your emails to determine who seems the most needful of what you have to offer. However, in MHO I don't feel that there are a lot of people that abuse Freecycle. Most, especially in these times, seem to have a legit need. And of course this could also be because of the area I live in ( Arkansas - not exactly the richest state in the Union).

If we already had our eyes and ears open to the needs around us, we could use Freecycle as a means of filling those needs - either through providing the needed items ourself, requesting the items on Freecycle on their behalf, or obtaining the items from Freecycle offers on their behalf. I just think it is a very useful tool that we are not currently using to the fullest extent.

This is just my 2cents and would love for others to understand and take advantage of what I'm thinking, to help one another. We don't need the government to look out for us. We only need each other.

Again, if you don't already Freecycle, here is the link

Blessings,

hstock28

I have found a few drawbacks to freecycle and others, and am thinking of putting up a website to fill the void.
There is no place to trade skills and labor. Many of us can do things that others cant.. in order to fully get away from money we have to offer services to others with no strings attached, and when we need help with something we can go to the same source.
my problem as of now is coming up with a name for it. All the ones i have tryed are taken , spent a few hours at internic looking.. nothing i like yet. But set it up a lot like craigs list, by state, and then by city and split the services into catagories.
Still working on it, may be a little while before i get the time to put it all together, but i think it should be a useful tool.