20 websites where you get things for free

We've updated this article for 2011 - click here to see the best websites where you can get things for free... in pictures!

Original article

In this day and age, with a little bit of effort and some moneysaving know-how, you really can get something for nothing.

Here is a roundup of 20 websites that help people trade things they don’t want for something they do, and perhaps make a little cash in the process.  

Freecycle

Freecycle.org works as a free mailing list where people can post the details of items they want to get rid of, while people searching for items can collect them for free.

Once you have registered and joined a group in your local area, everything advertised on the website is free of charge, so if you spot something you want all you have to worry about is how you will collect it.

The idea is to encourage people to recycle things they no longer want and keep usable items out of the landfills.

Snaffleup

Snaffleup.co.uk is another community website that works in a similar way to Freecycle, promoting the recycling of reusable items. You simply register with the website for free and then you can search for items based on where you live or by category.

You can also view items before arranging to collect them and set up an email alert to inform you when someone else has posted an item you are looking for.

Gumtree

Gumtree.com is a well known website where people can find anything from a job and a flat to a date and a nanny for their kids.

However, Gumtree also has a ‘freebie’ section where you can browse through items people don’t want anymore. If you see something you like it’s free!

Readitswapit

Readitswapit.co.uk is a free service that helps people trade books they have read in return for books they haven’t.

You simply search the online library for something you like, ask the owner if they want to swap it for something of yours, and then you both exchange books. However, you do have to pay for postage and packaging yourself.