As all gardeners know, gardening can be expensive if we let it. Who doesn’t want all the newest gadgets that they see in the magazines and catalogs? In today’s economy (and really at any time) we can still be smart with our money and enjoy a few new toys and plants.

Freecycle.org is a great resource to both help out fellow gardeners in your area, and enjoy a few free things for yourself. What started out as a means to reduce items going to our landfills, have ended up helping many people and creating a sense of community that our grandparents took for granite. Once you sign up, you will receive emails of others asking for the items they need and offering those they have extras of. You will also be able to ask for the things that you are interested in. This is a means to share the items we no longer need with those in our community. You no longer have to let things go to waste if you no longer need them. I’ve seen tomato cages, wood for raised gardens, lawn mowers, excess seedlings, and excess crops offered, you only have to pick them up. Many people have items around their home and garage that are taking up space, they no longer need them but they are still of good use. I even saw a piano offered when someone was moving and no longer had the space for it. Sharing with others can be a wonderful thing, for both parties.

Simply go to Freecycle.org and search for your area. Remember, there are lists for both cities and counties in your area, so I’d suggest looking for a county (Seminole County has a nice one) if your city isn’t listed. You will be registering for the yahoo group in your area. I hope everyone enjoys freecycling as much as I have.

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They included a ‘freecycle’ bring-and-swap stall, children’s games and a recycled fashion show. There were also information displays, organic vegetables, and free low-energy light bulbs.

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Ocean Gate resident Barbara Cotto volunteers as a moderator for the Ocean County Freecycle group, which is a community of people who post items that they are giving away for free.

“Although we are a recycle group, it does appear from members comments on their applications that there are quite a few who do join looking for items they could not otherwise afford to buy,” Cotto said, adding that members can also place “wanted” posts for items that they need.

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CHICO — A forward-thinking Web site has championed the idea of community giving.

Freecycle.org is a collection of 4,767 groups across the globe whose 6,883,000 members engage in selfless giving.

The concept is simple: List items you no longer want, give them to someone who needs them and keep excess trash out of the landfill.

“I don’t mind sharing,” said Nadine Cox, co-owner of the Chico Freecycle group. “I prefer to give stuff away because it’s more fun.”

With more than 3,000 members in the Chico group and 15-20 new ones joining daily, there’s never a lack of messages being posted on the group’s Yahoo site, said Cox, who spends five or six hours a day approving members and moderating messages.

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Sign up for Freecycle. This is a Web site that gives stuff away for free. You may find a treadmill or a set of weights for free. You just have to sign up at Freecycle.org. You can give away some of your stuff as well.

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Well, how about getting stuff for free?

The Montgomery branch of Freecycle.org is part of a nationwide movement that lets local people post objects that are free for the taking. Since the non-profit, grassroots effort got its start in 2003 in Tucson, Ariz., it’s had nonstop action. There are now 4,763 groups and nearly 7 million members around the world.

The whole concept is based on that old axiom, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

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And who doesn’t want to be frugal by getting stuff for free? Check out FreeCycle.org. Everything on the Charlotte post is free. It’s filled with posts from people in the area who would rather give it away instead of throw it away.

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The students used the Freecycle website and college emails to get much of what they needed to create the garden in exchange for tips and advice.

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Purchasing less doesn’t always mean you have to go without. Recycling is a great way to do this, as are yard sales, secondhand shops and freecycle.org.

Freecycle is a Web site that makes it simple to donate things you are no longer using. It works like this: You put in an ad that describes what you would like to give away. In response, you get e-mails from people who are looking for just that item.

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“Rather than throwing the item away, think first whether you could give it away or swap it with any of your relatives or friends.”

Speaking yesterday at the start of Recycle Week, Mr Griffiths suggested using websites like freecycle.org which helps people give things they don’t want to others who do.

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