The Scoop on Buy Nothing Groups

Alright, so I have mentioned Buy Nothing groups in a few posts before, but I wanted to go into a bit more detail about what they are and why they are AWESOME.

A Buy Nothing group, if conducted properly, is a community of people with the mindset that it is better to share with your neighbour than buy or throw away items unnecessarily. I have been finding Buy Nothing groups through Facebook, but really they could be organized through any platform where people can post and message each other. You post things that you don’t need anymore, and someone in the group who does need them can pick them up and give them a new home. Conversely, if there’s something that you need, you can post about it and there may be someone in the group who has been looking to get rid of theirs. Depending on the group, you can also ask to borrow things, which is perfect for occasions when you want to test out an item, or you only need it this one time (like supplies for a Halloween costume or a fancy recipe).

Why give things away on a Buy Nothing group rather than just dropping it all off at a thrift store? Well, donating to a place like Salvation Army or Value Village is better than nothing, but not everything that is donated will be accepted, and even less will find a new home. Just like a regular clothing store, thrift stores need to rotate their stock, and anything that doesn’t sell will end up getting tossed or sent out of the country. Also, a donation centre generally won’t accept things that are opened or half-used, like a jar of peanut butter or a colouring book. But there’s usually someone in a Buy Nothing who’s happy to take free food.

I am lucky to have been part of very generous and friendly groups so far. Obviously it would be possible for a greedy miser to take advantage of the group, but if you have good moderators and the right group culture, being part of the Buy Nothing feels a lot like being part of a community from an older time. People give when others are needy, they offer their time and their resources, they share food and advice and lend a ride and trust and look out for each other.

To respect this culture, I try to balance the things that I give and take. That being said, I’ve gotten dynamite stuff from the groups over the last couple of years. Here are some of the (free!) things that I have been gifted:

• Brand new curtains

• Shower curtain rings

• Ironing board

• Little Tikes picnic table

• Makeup

• Cake boards

• Protein powder

• Colouring books & crayons for the wedding

• Baby Halloween costume

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Here are some things that I’ve given away:

• Microwave

• Chest freezer (left behind by the previous home owner)

• Baby clothes

• Petit Pot yogurt jars (the glass ones)

• Maternity clothes

• Books and movies

• Odds and ends like picture frames, decorations, pantry items, etc.

Both lists are full of things that were in perfectly good shape but weren’t of any use to the owner. Instead of letting it all sit in our homes, or tossing everything in the trash, we can share with our neighbours and everyone feels like they’re getting a good deal. It’s the best way to turn trash into treasure.