An Ode to Craigslist and Freecycle (or how to save the world with your garbage)

We decided to remodel our original 1973 bathroom, and most of the pieces were well-maintained despite being well-worn. This was the ugliest stuff you've ever seen, and not even in terrific shape (not abused, but, come on, 30+ years of gentle use leaves its mark). But it was SOLID and it seemed a shame to haul it to the landfill. So I decided to post everything to Craigslist's Free Stuff board, just to see if anyone would want it.

Remember my mantra - America's bums eating garbage STILL eat better than 80% of the world's workers. What we think of as garbage still has use to someone. And, sure enough, my tacky, nasty, crappy old bathroom stuff was somebody's gold. The closet doors were big, heavy, and ugly as sin - a landlord with the same model took them with GREAT gratitude - seems he was facing a huge bill for a custom replacement, or else a renovation to make standard doors fit. I only posted those ugly things because I wished someone would take them, and save us from having to carry them. Everything we posted, somebody wanted. There were artists who wanted to rework them, poor-but-handy folks who were willing to re-finish them, even a guy who used old doors as work benches (the door knob hole is perfect for running cords down to an outlet).

We also - finally - got rid of the bathroom etagere (a shelf thing that stands over the toilet). It was rusty, outdated, ugly (and it blocked a window, but we needed the storage in the old bathroom). Sad, sad little thing - an elderly fellow claimed it. His wife wanted one, but, on their fixed income, even a used etagere was out of their price range. With a free one - and free time in retirement - he could afford a can of paint and some sandpaper to make it shine. His wife e-mailed me the next day to say that he gave it to her for her birthday, and she loved it.

It does take a little more time to give your stuff away vs. hauling it to the dump. But if you spare the time, you can help an industrious neighbor and reduce the volume of the local landfill (plus reduce the amount of stuff leaching chemicals into the ground). I have been amazed at how many people (retirees especially) make a side income repairing or refurbishing stuff to resell. So if you're thinking about making a dump run, you might consider an alternative. For home building and improvement supplies in good condition, check whether your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore will take it. For things in bad condition, snap a picture, post it to craigslist or freecycle, and see if it can find a new life in a new home.

Some tips I've learned over the years:
- Describe your general location in your post (nearest major intersection) so people know how far they'll have to travel BEFORE they contact you.

- I hate posts that say "this is the address, come get it" - that means anyone who wants it has to drive out to see if it's still there (gas is $4/gallon!). I post it, promise it to the first person who meets my criteria (first response, or first person to promise to pickup right away), and ask the person for a firm commitment to pick up by a set time. I tell them I'll give it to the next person if it's not picked up by 1 hour after the agreed time (and I do!). I do not provide my address until the person sets a pickup time.

- If I don't feel comfortable having someone in the house, or if I don't want to spend time "entertaining," I put the item outside and tell them to just take it. Usually I just say "We'll be in and out, but if I'm not here, I'll leave it [describe location so they know where to look]." That way any possible crooks don't think they have free reign over the house, but you still don't have to spend time on it or open the door to a stranger.

- I know it's free, but respect the receiver's time. Post it like you were selling it - include a picture if at all possible and describe any flaws (no magnifying glass needed, but general description like "extensively chipped and stained" or "great condition" saves everybody's time and effort).

- As soon as you find someone to give it to and agree on a pickup time and place, update your post to say it's "promised." That way you won't keep getting inquiries on it (saves their time and yours). If the person doesn't show up, go through the remaining replies or update your post to say "still available." When it's picked up, delete the post (on craigslist) or post it as "taken" (on freecycle).

- 100% of the people I've encountered freebie-ing have been great. Still be security-conscious. Don't show them your diamond tiara collection on the way to picking up the free chipped china, and don't tell them that you're home because you're waiting for a delivery of gold dubloons. If you get a bad gut feeling, tell them (through the security chain) that you're really sorry, but [whatever excuse you choose]. No 10 p.m. pickups. And I, personally, approach security from the first e-mail. If it feels hinky, no reply. I don't say "we're giving this away because we just inherited money and decided to splurge on a renovation" when I post it. I use a throwaway e-mail address instead of my work e-mail Rich&Careless@I'mABillionaire.com.

- Include a phone number for fastest response. The people who call are usually more motivated and reliable. If you don't want to use your personal phone number, get a google voice number and forward it to your home or cell.

- People will flake. Just move on to the next person on the list. Get a time commitment, tell them you'll hold it until a specific time and then offer it to the next person. If you're getting a lot of interest and a lot of flakes - check the tips above (especially pictures and description), consider posting somewhere else (In my area, freecyclers can be flaky, but craigslisters are pretty reliable - that will vary by location and type of item), include specific info in your post (i.e. "I would like it picked up today"). When you select someone to pick the item up, play up their competitive spirity (boy, a lot of people want this, but you were first to respond; I'll hold it for you til ___ but any later and I've got to be fair and offer it to the next person). Or decide it's not worth the extra effort. You tried.

Unlocking your cell phone - ask your cellular provider

I am contemplating changing cell phone plans. My current cell phone, long since paid off, is locked to my current carrier. I wanted to unlock it so I could either use it on a pre-paid plan or sell/gift it to someone else. I googled unlocking, and the advice was generaly to pay for unlocking or to have the buyer contact the carrier to try to unlock the phone. The rationale was that the carrier won't want to unlock the phone for a current customer, making it easier for the customer to switch providers. Since calling my current carrier sounded like a long shot, I tried a paid unlocking service, but they couldn't find my unlock code (they did refund my money, though). In desperation, I called my carrier. They provided the unlock code with no hassles other than a few days' delay.

Since I didn't see this method discussed much, I thought I would share how it worked for me. I put my SIM card into another phone and called AT&T. I explained that I was using a new phone and wanted to gift my old phone to someone on another network, so I needed the unlock code. It took some time on the phone with them, and a few days while they waited for the code to come back from the manufacturer. They e-mailed me the unlock code, I typed it into the phone, and it was all done. I did have to have another carrier's SIM card in the phone to do the unlock. I had purchased a SIM card from T-mobile pre-paid to test whether I received an acceptable signal in the places where I use my phone, so having a SIM card was no problem for me, but I could have just as easily borrowed a card from a friend.

I wish this would catch on. I see so many locked phones on eBay, and an entire cottage industry has sprung up to unlock phones; used cell phones would be more useful if they were unlocked. Our monthly cellular bill pays the purchase price of the phone, and it is fully paid off in 2 years. There is no reason for the phone to remain locked to the carrier's network after the 2-year contract period. Before you sell, gift, or donate your old phone, consider calling your carrier and asking for the unlock code. It will make your phone more useful to the next user.