One way to keep down the cost of Christmas shopping is to make your own gifts but if you’re not that way inclined, how about using one of the many ‘freecycle’ websites that are rapidly popping up?
There’s no denying that we’re much more of a throw-away society than those generations before us. We have definitely lost the knack of repairing and recycling, often choosing just to replace or upgrade. However, one of the upsides is the need to be rid of ‘old’ items and one way of doing so is to advertise them on freecycle sites – simply put, if someone is happy to collect your old items they can have them for free.
Never wishing to miss an opportunity to save money, it got the YourLifeChoices team wondering if you could actually do some, if not all of your Christmas ‘shopping’ this way, spending no more than your time and transport costs.
So, if you’re interested, here are some potential gifts you can find on Ziilch.com
For your grandchild – how about this giant teddy bear, found within 10km of Melbourne?
For the teenager in your life – why not pick up this full-sized pool table, found within 50km of Sydney?
For the person who still enjoys watching VHS videos – how about this selection, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel – within 100km of Adelaide?
Finally, for the film buff in your life – why not check out this projector and photographic equipment – within 25km of Brisbane?
Obviously depending on where you live, and who is offering what at any given time, the options are varied. If you see something that catches your eye, all you have to do is sign up and contact the person offering the goods. You can ask questions about the item before you commit. And while you may not be able to do all of your Christmas shopping on such sites, you may be able to pick up a gem or two that could save you some cash.
If you’ve got some items kicking around that are simply cluttering up your space, you can list them for free and be rid.
What do you think? Would you consider giving a recycled gift for Christmas?
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How to sell your old smartphone
Christmas gifts that count