Ten Lovely Things That I’ve Got For Free

I recently found an article about a woman in Australia who lives very nicely without money. It makes an interesting read. What stands out is Jo Nemeth’s faith in community. She gives and receives, and as such leads a life that is abundant in love and meaning.

Now while I’ve never been skip diving (the nearest was the eye test lamp below) I’m pretty good at bagging a freebie. I gift a lot of my surplus stuff as well to friends and charity shops. Perhaps the maxim that you reap what you sow applies. I’ve come across some pretty amazing stuff for free. Here are some examples.

White Pussy Chair

This was given to me in exchange in return for a shedload of firewood that was generated when I had a tree chopped down in my backyard. In those days I didn’t have a wood burner and had no use for it. My gay best friend thinks it is very James Bond and gave it its nickname. It’s awaiting a new cushion so is looking uncharacteristically minimalist in this picture.

Not One But Two Greenhouses

As we have two allotments we have two greenhouses. The first, this one, had to be carried from about a quarter of a mile away. Our friend, who was giving up his plot on a different site donated it to us. During the sweltering summer of 2023 we carried it across to its new home. The second, thankfully was on the next plot over to us. Transporting it to its new home was a relative doddle.

A Rubber Duck

I bought the guy on the right for my son Louis when he was little. He was expensive at the time for a rubber duck, about seven quid. If I recall he was billed as a designer duck! The little chap on the left was a found freebie. He turned up when I was litter picking on the beach.

My Bike And Its Paniers

Mum gave me her bike which she could sadly no longer ride anymore. . My partner Paul converted it into an e-bike and made it into one of my favourite possessions ever. And just as he was doing so my friend Jayne donated paniers that she’d found while declutter. Not only is it very handy for shopping and the like it covers up the battery nicely. An unassuming pushbike that’s a bit tatty is far less likely to be nicked.

Eye Testing Lamp

There was a time that the skip at the hospital where I worked was a veritable treasure trove. A few of us took home solid wooden wardrobe for our kid’s bedrooms when the ward was being refurnished. All they needed was a lick of paint and a few transfers.

My favourite item would have been a skip diving treasure but I managed to rescue it while it was still in the corridor. It graces my living room up to this day and is much coveted. In fact I’ve been offered good money for this beauty on several occasions

Redcurrant Bush

In the absence of a picture of the stick-y thing that I found last summer at the allotment I’ve borrowed a picture from Pixabay. A redcurrant bush was abandoned at the allotment gate with a ‘Free To A Good Home’ note. How did I know it what it was? Well a few delicious berries remained. I’ve planted it in a hole filled with rotted horse poo and scattered blood, fish and bone around to give it a good start.

Hopefully it will crop next summer and I’ll be able to show off the fruits of my labour, literally.

Yellowstone Blanket

I do love it when other people declutter and beautiful objects come my way as a consequence, This Yellowstone blanket was one such thing gifted by my travel buddies John and Julie. I’ve been to my favourite place in the world with them on three occasions now so it’s a wonderful keepsake.

A Rocking Chair

I seem to be a magnet for free chairs. Actually I have three. The one that I’m not showing and telling is a old rush seated church chair that my dad restored. This lovely bentwood rocking chair that lives in our main bedroom was given to me by my friend Mel when she downsized from a house into her one bedroomed flat. The rockers have a large footprint, too big for a dwelling with a limited space.

My Current Needlepoint

My sister passed away a few years back and I inherited this Ehrman needlepoint that she’d already started. It’s my current project. I’m going to gift it on to my mum when its completed so that she’ll have something made by her two daughters.

While I’m working on it I find myself getting annoyed with my sister. There’s places where she’s worked big sections of the canvas which are nice and easy and left me with the smaller fiddly bits!

Firewood

And last but not least the unglamorous freebie that has saved us hundreds of pounds over the last two winters. We are now always on the hunt for properly dried wood to go on our wood burner. Facebook Marketplace has been our friend for finding scrap building materials and the products of demolition jobs, old floorboards and the like.

Disclaimer

This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.