Do you have a bunch of stuff you don’t want or need anymore, but is still in decent condition? Or maybe you’re on a very tight budget and really need some home necessities? If you said yes to either, you might want to consider joining the Buy Nothing Project!
What is the Buy Nothing Project?
The Buy Nothing project is a not-for-profit organization that has created communities across the world, and members of these communities participate by offering goods they no longer need for no cost. According to their About Us page: “BuyNothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide gift economy network in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people.”
How does it work? It’s actually quite simple, just find your local Buy Nothing Group either on Facebook or in the Buy Nothing app and join. Then all you have to do is either snap a picture and post the things you want to give away or find the things you need.
What can you give away? Pretty much anything! And if you are looking for something that is not posted, you can make a post requesting it and people who have it will reach out.
What are the benefits of this? By giving to others and receiving used items in good condition, you are contributing to minimizing waste. You are also actively helping people who need these items but can’t afford them; and with inflation on the rise, stuff like this makes life a little more manageable.
My Experience So Far
After hearing about this movement I decided I had to check it out for myself. I installed the BuyNothing app on my phone and joined my local group. After a bit of scrolling, I found home furniture, kitchen appliances, baby items, clothing, and exercise equipment just to name a few. I also see posts of gratitude from people who have received items from others, which shows how nice this community of people is. I definitely plan to post a few items myself pretty soon, as I have a lot of stuff at home I could do without.
Interested in joining as well? You can learn more, find your local community, or download the app at https://buynothingproject.org/
ㅤ
ㅤAlexandra Medina
ㅤㅤShe/Her
ㅤㅤLibrary Peer Ambassador
ㅤㅤㅤ
