Want the thrill of the bargain hunt without spending any money? Join a buy-nothing group. These local groups usually hang out on Facebook, and their mission is to allow neighbors to pass around things they no longer need and ask for items they desire.
Find your local group and sign up to get the lay of the land before making your first request or listing your first item to give away. There’s no need to trade; simply offer items you have lying around and find you don’t need anymore.
You might find that you can get free clothing, tools, event tickets, or even larger items like appliances. Toys and baby clothing tend to be popular in these groups, since kids often grow out of them before wearing them out. These groups are also a great way to get supplies for your hobbies, avoid spending on necessary (and unnecessary) items, and get to know your neighbors.
You can also look for a Freecycle email group for your area. These messages are a bit more transactional—members just send short email messages to the list containing their offer or request along with their neighborhood and details of the item. Freecycle groups are especially useful for giving and receiving moving and packing supplies, baby clothes and other items for kids, and furniture.