"I'll take 'em off your hands"

:1pig: :1pig: :1pig:

Hey AJ... I reckon it must be wintertime and everyone has cabin fever!



"People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along?"

-- Rodney King

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

I will say that I'll take something off your hands occasionally, usually in a joking manner when it is clear that the item has quite a bit of value. As an example, my mother got a brand-new Kitchenaid. I told her if she ever got tired of it, I would be more than willing to take it off her hands.

It is something I've used sometimes to "gentle" an email message, kind of make it sound a little less impersonal. I also add that I would really like an item and am willing to pay a certain amount if it is posted someplace other than freecycle. I had no idea so many people hated the expression.

To drift just a little bit: How much does it bother everyone else when you respond about something on freecycle and the email you get back includes a price for the item? Especially a large one?

Kayleigh

That's why I enjoy the "ignore" feature. While it doesn't keep you from getting irritating/rude posters' messages in your inbox, at least you don't have to read posts from the heartless, spoiling-for-a-fight types in the threads.

Also, if you find a post out of line, you have the option of clicking that little exclamation point in the triangle (top right of the message box). Then you can report it to the moderators (God bless them!) and they'll deal with the snarky people.

Pony!

If someone is trying to sell you something on FREEcycle, you need to let the list owner know about it. That is absolutely against the rules!

Pony!

Now, _that_ is about the funniest thing I've read on this forum.

You refer to yourself as 'goddess' but you don't like cocky people. Truely rich. (Laughing with you, not at you....)

This whole thread is pretty funny to me. If you offer something for free, it's for free. No insult or rudeness that I can see if someone takes it off your hands. Can't see anything wrong with the comment, just how it is? Seems odd it take issue with it.

--->Paul

Hey, dont make it sound like I reach ond slap their face if they say that to me! I just dont like the expression, and like another poster said, its a lack of social skills. Now, said as several has said, (esp. the new kitchen aide!!) its sometime said in a joking manner, with someone you know.
The lady that said that with the tomatoes? I was nice, gave her a small bag, instead of a huge one--and the one on freecycle? I just bypassed her, so she never knew it.
One person on our freecycle complained about someone offering to sell her the item she was asking for, but hearing the other side, they said they merely e-mailed her, and said if you dont find one free, I have one thats cheap--so theres always two sides--LOL except mine--and I still dont like the expression--just dont fight about it.

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In Life, We Weep at the thought of Death'
Who Knows, Perhaps in Death,
We Weep at the though of Life.

I don't really like the expression "I'll take 'em off your hands" either since it sorta conveys the idea that what you are giving them is trash but they will take it anyway. Unless of course, it is a lovely new KitchenAid, then everyone knows it is a huge joke!

We do a lot of yard sales and bartering and it just seems more respectful to me to not ever complain about the item in question or disparage it in any way. It can be a beat up rocking chair that is going to need a couple hours of repair but when we refer to it, it will be a "well loved rocking chair which could go to a good home - unfortunately a new home which can't really pay much for it". It is always OUR fault that we can't (won't) pay what the item is worth (well, what the seller would like to get for it) so even though the seller is essentially giving the item away - in their mind it is still a valuable item since we all agreed it was. They get a good feeling of having given away a valuable item which will be cherished (we do repair them and use them) and that sort of makes up a little for the money we don't give them. Appreciation is almost as valuable a barter item as money.

We also all live on a small rock in the middle of a really big pond so we kinda all have to get along. Kinda a bigger version of "no man is an island", well, unfortunately we ARE an island so we have to get along. Appreciation and being polite are very important.

Respect and good manners is always a winner for getting along with folks. With the reactions revealed on this thread, it might be a good idea to rethink use of the expression. When receiving a gift of some value from anyone, it seems poor manners and disrespectful to sound like you are giving, rather than receiving the favor...Glen

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The more a man travels, acquires wisdom and learns about life, the more likely he is to marry a Country Girl.

I find the comment less than civil because it does seem to sound like they're doing some kind of favor by taking your free stuff. I particulary thought the tomato lady was out of line. :1pig:

But there's even more to this thread; what I'm learning as I read these threads(all across the board) is who Not to do business with if they decide to sell on the barter board.
Could you imagine what some would be like if there was a problem with a purchase if they can't even be civil to others opinion?
So thanks for the lessons, I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed & was able to read the comments before they got deleted.
Sometimes it's the little things that leave the biggest impression.

cheap, cheap, cheap,lol thats funny. My dad is the same way.

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Professional Tool. 1220 Woodmere Ave,Traverse City, MI. 49686. 231-941-8003. http://professionaltool.com/

Not cheap, frugal! and smart!

I've had several instances where letting folks know that I'd save them from their clutter (treasure :baby04: ) paid off in gold...

Back in the early 90's I asked a neighbor (who owned a multi millon dollar construction firm) if he still had his anvil (that'd belonged to my g grandpa in a previously life)... he said he did... I asked him how much? He asked me how much I was willin' to pay... I said, well, money's tight... he said, just take it, and remember it was 'his anvil' (wink wink nod nod)... So I got a humongous 200lb anvil for free (Ken S probably knows how much they go for... I've seen >500$ for new ones)... later he called and said to come back and get the portable (sorta) forge with blower... The next year, he gave me a barnload of pine lumber... 6 years ago, he gave me unfettered access to his pipe yard... a few months before he left this world, he said forget about the blacksmithing tools... and btw... he had a trailerload of cypress and cedar planks if I wanted them....

all because I dickered down below the negative... if I'd'a paid him 100$ for the anvil, I'd'a probably missed out on 5 or 6K worth of freebies...

so yep, I confess, I'm tight! and cheap!!!

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Gee, ceresone

I kind of wish that you were giving away some shoes.

Then I could offer to take them off your feet.

That's why so much stuff goes in the dump, because people are too afraid to ask, because they have been chastized by someone who takes offense to the expression "I'll take that off your hands"...

Ceresone, the person who said they had something to sell cheap if you didn't find one for free should not respond to a freecycle ad that way. If they are perusing free cycle, they too are looking for something free...or looking for people whom they might sell items to. Who knows, they could be resellers of freecycle offerings. I'd report them to freecycle.

Oh, the lady DID report to freecycle--I just happened to hear both sides.
And gee, oggie, I'd say I'd have some pretty big shoes to fill--but then some might think I was bragging on myself--when all I'd mean is that I have big feet--which I do BTW

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In Life, We Weep at the thought of Death'
Who Knows, Perhaps in Death,
We Weep at the though of Life.

Though the expression could be annoying, depending on the tone and manner said, I get more annoyed by the people that say they want the offered item, but only if you will deliver it! Just because they didn't want to come get it, I have had a kitten miss several potential homes. Finally, someone wanted her enough that she will be picked up tomorrow Only 2 boys left to find homes for now, but I'm not too worried since they are all good mousers and get along with my "wild" chickens (and like to tease the dog).

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Nevermore

Good thing I wasn't drinking coffee when I read this!

I will have to start keeping a bottle of Windex on the desk...

Pony!