Get Free Stuff Online by Joining a Local Buy Nothing Group
When Irina Jilishitz moved from her tiny New York City apartment to a house in New Jersey, she needed to buy couches, bicycles and tons of baby toys. Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars, Jilishitz found a cheaper (free!) alternative: Buy Nothing groups.
The name might seem a little misleading. It’s not that you’re getting nothing. It’s that you’re not buying it. Buy Nothing groups allow people to snag everything from dog food to pots and pans for free from their local community.
“I’ve seen people give out grills and furniture from bed frames to couches,” Jilishitz said. “I’ve gotten a baby bassinet as well as tons of clothing and shoes for the kids.”
Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. What beats free? Here’s everything you need to know about snagging and offloading items through Buy Nothing groups.
What are Buy Nothing Groups?
Buy Nothing groups are local online communities of people giving away and receiving items for free. The project started in 2013 in Washington state, and now these Buy Nothing groups are in nearly every community across the country.
In these groups, neighbors post anything and everything they want to give away, and you reply “interested” to the posts. The first one to respond gets first dibs on the item, and the neighbor will typically leave the item outside their door for an easy pick up. If you live in a city, the items are usually exchanged at a given time.
While you don’t need to give anything to get something, the groups work best if you give away stuff, too. But at the end of the day, it’s an honor system that doesn’t require anything from you.
The goal of the Buy Nothing groups is to reduce consumer spending, help neighbors share their goods and extend the life of the items. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Save Money Outside of Using Buy Nothing Groups
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What Can You Get From Buy Nothing Groups?
You can get nearly everything from Buy Nothing groups. I’ve been in a Buy Nothing group for about a decade, and I’ve gotten everything from newborn clothing to books to an entire couch in fantastic condition.
I’ve given away kids toys, dishes, passes to the zoo, Broadway show tickets and even a fully cooked meal we ended up not eating.
There are some items you can’t give away. The group doesn’t allow anything illegal, nor may you give away something from your business if it’s a marketing attempt. While you’re allowed to give away expensive items like a place to live, you can’t ask for anything in return, including a barter. This is truly a free site only.
How Do They Work?
It’s very simple. Someone will post an item that they want to give away free, and they typically put up a photo of the item. They write about its condition. GUD is good, used condition; EUC is excellent, used condition; UC is used condition; New without tags is self-explanatory.
If there are any issues with the item, like scratches, rips or stains, the giver will usually take a close-up photo of the problem. They will also explain if any pets or smokers were around the item. Finally, they explain what type of pick up they’re requesting. PPU means porch pick-up, where they would leave the item outside their door.
How Can You Find Them?
Most of the Buy Nothing groups are on Facebook. Do a search on Facebook for “Buy Nothing” and enter the name of your neighborhood or the nearest large city. Alternatively, you can go here to find your local group, or you can download the very simple app that will lead you to a group.
If you don’t find anything, you can form your own group by filling out this form and donating at least $10 to the Buy Nothing group cause (it’s all explained in the form).
Etiquette You Should Know
There are a few etiquette rules you definitely need to know before starting on your Buy Nothing journey.
Anyone giving away an item must report its true condition. Sure, it might be more difficult to get rid of a chair that’s ripped. But if you list that chair in perfect condition, it’s going to be very upsetting for the recipient.
This is a first-come, first-served group, so the first person to respond gets the item. If that person changes their mind, then the giver will go down the list.
On the same note, it’s bad etiquette to not show up or to ghost the person giving the item away. We all understand that life gets busy and sometimes, we forget things. But do your best to show up when you say you will.
Finally, there’s a large emphasis on Buy Nothing groups being neighborhood gems. Technically, you’re supposed to live in the neighborhood, but if you don’t have one near you, you can join one in a different location. The caveat is that if you post something to give away, you’ll have to drive the item to the Buy Nothing neighborhood to be passed along.
Pros and Cons
In my opinion, there are more pros than cons — but there are still cons.
The pros: Did we mention you’re getting this stuff free? You can save thousands, you’re helping the environment by not buying new and you see a picture of the item before you commit.
The cons: If you are looking for a very specific item (maybe a rug in blue and yellow that’s 6×8 and in new condition), you’re going to have a hard time. Maybe this will be your lucky day and you’ll find the exact item you need. However, you’ll most likely need to be flexible.
Also, the majority of the items are in used condition. So you may have to do a little cleaning, sewing and scrubbing to get it looking the way you want. But again. It’s totally free.
Similar Alternatives to Buy Nothing Groups
Buy Nothing groups are fabulous, but there are other ways to save if you can’t get what you need from them.
My favorite alternative is Facebook Marketplace, which is a tab on Facebook where you can buy and sell items. I love Facebook Marketplace because you can adjust the filters to find an item close to your home, or you can expand to see all your options. Very rarely is there an item for free on there, but the prices tend to be at least half of what you’d find in the store.
Poshmark is also a good alternative if you’re seeking clothing or accessories. Again, you won’t find anything free, but the items will be shipped directly to you at a significant discount for the used goods.
Finally, I always love to check out Etsy for vintage items. Often, these are practically given away, and you can find everything from vintage dishes to vintage furniture. Pro tip: Put the item you want in your cart and walk away. Usually, the seller will offer you a discount within 24 hours.
The Penny Hoarder contributor Danielle Braff is a Chicago writer who specializes in consumer goods and shopping on a budget. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Real Simple and more.
