Freecycle

What we liked:
Since its launch five years ago in the US, the site has grown into a global network and has more than 450 groups in the UK, made up of around 1.2 million members.

Freecycle uses Yahoo Groups to create its local communities and, to get started, you have to join one (or more) of their message boards. Some groups require membership approval and while that permission can sometimes take a while, especially with smaller groups, everything else is fast.

To list an item, send an email to the group’s Yahoo address with the subject line ‘OFFER: [name of item], [general location]’ – for example ‘OFFER: Two-seater sofa, Swindon’. Your listing appears in the relevant Yahoo Group and, before long, your item or request will begin to attract interest. Once you’ve offloaded your item, you send another email telling the community that the item has been taken.

Design-wise, Freecycle isn’t much to look at – you get a smattering of information, links to groups and frequently asked questions – but using the site is incredibly easy. With hundreds, if not thousands, of members in most major towns and cities (Manchester has 8,000 while London, split into smaller areas, has tens of thousands overall), Freecycle really does prove that one person’s trash is another’s treasure.

How it can be improved:
The actual action takes place in Yahoo Groups, meaning you have to register with both Freecycle and Yahoo, which might be confusing for first-timers.

Our verdict:
It may lack refinement, but Freecycle’s massive popularity and simple structure make it the best place for getting rid of unwanted stuff and picking up a bargain.

Reviewed: Issue 205 (16 January 2009)