Guidelines and Disclaimer

1. KEEP IT FREE, LEGAL & APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES. This means, for example:
   • No alcohol, tobacco, firearms or other weapons, profanity or sexual content, medications (of any kind, including over-the-counter supplements, vitamins, etc.);
   • Never send money for anything offered on Freecycle (this includes money for shipping/couriers);
   • All copyrighted material must be the original media;
   • In local groups that allow resale, full disclosure of intent to resell must be disclosed up front;
   • No unregistered waste carriers [UK only].
     
2. WANTED POSTS ARE TO BE USED SPARINGLY. Numerical limits on Wanted posts vary by local group.
   
   
3. NO POLITICS, NO SPAM, NO MONEY, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS/RUDENESS, NO PROSELYTIZING/RELIGION.
   
   
4. NO SWAPS/TRADING PLEASE. Go to your local swap/trading organization for this. It can be quite fun.
   
   
5. NO PERSONAL ADS. Posting oneself or another person from the human species is not allowed. There are many fine Internet dating sites better suited to this purpose.
   
   
6. NO POSTS ABOUT ANIMALS FOR BREEDING OR FOOD PURPOSES. Beyond this, some groups do allow non-breeding-related posts to find new homes for pets, but ask that it be kept legal and lovingly careful. Other groups prefer not to allow pet postings.
   
   
7. BE NICE. A brief note on Freecycle etiquette: we are all volunteers and we've got a great little community here so when you arrange to pick up an item from another Freecycle member, it is basic good manners to accommodate them as much as possible in terms of scheduling, and then be punctual; they are, after all, giving you something you need and asking nothing in return except that you will show up when you say you will. Also, unless the giver tells you otherwise, assume that they would like you to come by as soon as you can to take away the item.
   
   

PICK UP. Arrange as you like. Generally, you'll wait until you get a handful of responses or maybe overnight, and then you can pick whomever you like! That's half the fun. Consider giving your starving local charity preference if one should respond. Arrange pickup with one person only, rather than "It's on the porch, whoever gets here first gets it." Otherwise you'll become unpopular pretty quickly with your fellow Freecycle group members. Also, only give your phone number to one person at a time or ask for the recipient's phone number. Otherwise you'll get swamped with phone calls.

SAFETY. Be aware! It is up to each individual member of Freecycle when arranging for pickup of the item being given away to be appropriately aware of the potential risk of having "a stranger" come to your home to pick something up. Freecycle as an organization assumes no responsibility for this risk. You may want to arrange to meet in a public place or leave the item on the front porch without mentioning whether or not you will be home at the time of pickup.