A revelation or two

[sofadoc]

Bought a new washer and dryer. The old white ones still worked fine, but the missus wanted a set with all the whistles and bells, and a chic new color.

I hate trying to sell old appliances. If you're asking just 50 cents, they'll try to talk you down to a quarter. So the missus and I decided a long time ago that when we had stuff like that to get rid of, we'd rather find a needy family, and give it to them.

But my experience in giving my washer and dryer to a family in need has been a little frustrating. Most needy families are needy for a reason. I've learned this week that in order to help them by giving them useful appliances, you must be prepared to do the following things:

1. Deliver the appliances to them.
2. Install them.
3. Buy them some washing powder.
4. When the clothes are done washing, drive back to their house and move them over to the dryer.
5. When they're done drying, drive back to their house and hang them up (be sure to bring an ample supply of hangers with you).
6. Write them a check to cover the higher electric bill.
7. Don't be too terribly surprised if you see your old appliances through the window of a local pawn shop in the near future.

[SteveA]

The little red car isn't up for donation yet ?

Here the salvation army or big brothers big sisters will pick up the items and you don't see who gets them.

SA

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I quit giving things to the "needy" when we lived in KS.  We had a sectional that we were replacing.  Overall A- shape.  There were a few marks where our cats with claws had scratched.  You couldn't see the stuffing just a few threads had been pulled in places.  The guy from Salvation Army or Goodwill came over.  I showed him the furniture and he declined taking it.  Told me that the "needy" wouldn't take it because it had the cat scratches on it.

So, hubby and I took it down to our area of the yard where garbage pick-up was there.  About 3 AM, I heard a vehicle pull up.  I got up and went to the living room window and looked out (no lights).  A pick up truck was parked in front of the furniture and they were loading it as fast as they could.  I was fine with that.

A few years later, we replaced a hide a bed couch with a newer better version.  I decided to keep the mattress and put it on top of the matt in the new hide a bed when we had over night visitors as those matts are not very comfy at all.  We put the old couch out in the same location.  A few hours later, our door bell rang and a lady politely asked me where the matt was for the hide a bed.  She was extremely irate when I nicely explained to her that I was keeping it.  I assured her that she could purchase one.  She still took the couch, was just very huffy that I "dared" to keep the matt.  I had a full belly laugh as soon as I shut the door.  Funniest experience with someone taking my used items ever.

Virginia

[MinUph]

I've had pretty good luck placing stuff to the curb. Last thing was my BBQ grill. The pan under the burners had rotted away but the rest worked fine. When I replace it I put it out front. I saw a young man get out of his car look it over and rolled it down the street to I guess his house. About a half hour later he came to the door to ask if it was safe to use and I said it is good except the pan. He thanked me for it and was on his way after explaining he held onto the car and rode it home. :) It has wheels on it he said.

[gene]

SofaD, what kind of washer and dryer did you buy? We're in the process of buying a new washer.

We bought a Bosch 4 cubic foot washer, and Bosch dryer, seven years ago when my wife was taking care of her dad and mom. We have gotten way more use out of this than it was designed for. Unfortunately, like all things that are made really well, they quit making this sized washer.

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"I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer." Benjamin Franklin

Can you imagine what kind of bigot and racist good ol' Ben would be labeled if he were alive and said this today? Can you imagine how many people good ol' Ben would freak out if he were still dead and said this today?

Congress just voted to spend 1 1/2 billion dollars on the Zeka virus. Someone's got to pay for that, and it ain't the poor.

gene

[sofadoc]

Gene: The lovely Mrs. Sofa  purchased them. They are Samsung large capacity with all the high tech wizardry, including the ability to control them with an app on your smart phone.

But as far as I'm concerned, unless the app can take the clothes out of the washer and put them the dryer, it's little more than a useless gadgety gadget.

Our local Goodwill is quite picky about what they will accept. And my neighborhood would take a dim view of me sitting an old appliance out by the curb.

[Mike]

I have gave away plenty curbside with a free sign  now my corner lot traffic will end as im being made a culde sac but  there is a facebook yardsale page that ive gotton good luck with when I gave away a riding mower that stopped running   , new washer n dryer, I don't understand this front load craze  id hate taking the clothes out anf bending over to stuff then in the dryer ,id like a top load dryed not a front load washer

[gene]

Thank you sofaD. Samsung and LG are the biggest, both made in S korea at the same factories, from what I read. Samsung seems to have fewer negative reviews.

I listened to an interview of a computer expert and he said the easiest computer to hack is someones' cell phone. Be nice to your neighbors or they might hack into your cell phone and run your washer every night at 3 a.m.

My son has an app on his phone that lets him control the thermostat in his house. It's connected to the GPS so when he's going home and he's within 2 miles, for example, his phone will aumatically turn the thermostat up or down depending on the temperature outside so his house will be nice and comfy when he gets home.

Mike, they make stands that front loading washers sit on so you don't do any bending over. I made my stand out of 2 x 4s and covered it with carpet. The front loader spins so much faster that it gets out a lot more water from the clothes and they dry a lot faster. You have to leave the door open so mildew doesn't grow but other than that I love the front loader.

gene

[Darren Henry]

We have free curbside give aways a couple of times a year. I always laugh at the stuff that people will not take for free but if you set it back in your yard with a price tag on it like you just had a yard sale someone will come in your yard and steal it.

[byhammerandhand]

I took a few things to the woodworker's club a couple of weeks ago. Some things were generating no interest until I mentioned they were free, then there was a line to get them.

My daughter just left, she said that the night before trash collection, there are the same 3 or 4 pickups that cruise looking for scrap or other toss outs.

We have free curbside give aways a couple of times a year. I always laugh at the stuff that people will not take for free but if you set it back in your yard with a price tag on it like you just had a yard sale someone will come in your yard and steal it.

[scottymc]

We have 2 Electrolux 7kg front loaders that get used every day since we run units, had them for a few years, one of them for 7 I think.
Why front loaders? Use less water and electricity. Are more gentle on your washing so cloths, sheets last longer.

Much easier to bend and pull clothes straight into basket than lift clothes out through the top.

Cheers
Scotty

[kodydog]

A customers housekeeper's mobile home burned to the ground. Her church found her and her 3 children a place to live. Besides that they had nothing. When we sold our house the new owners didn't want the old washer and dryer so we donated to them, They were grateful. Washing cloths at the laundrymat sucks.

When we moved into our new home we discovered we had way too much stuff so we made a big pile. Including a bedroom set, microwave, and rear projection TV. They showed up with two pick ups and loaded them past full. The wife was crying with joy at her new found fortune.

[sofadoc]

They showed up with two pick ups and loaded them past full. The wife was crying with joy at her new found fortune.

Those are the kind of needy people that we had in mind when we made the decision that we would give stuff away instead of garage sale haggling. It just hasn't worked out that way.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Yup, I have no problem helping people out when fires, floods, tornadoes, etc destroy their homes.  Pardon me for getting p*ssy when someone who can't/won't work won't take my gently used items because "then aren't new" or getting p*ssed at me because I chose to keep the matt from my hide-a-bed.

I know it is not always people being lazy that don't have jobs but demanding new items with tags just fries me.  Our women's shelter only accepts clothing with price tags still in place.  Irritated me because I had half a dozen tops that I had never worn but price tags were already taken off and they refused to accept them.  I understand that sometimes people find donating a great way to get rid of their stained/torn clothing but it would behoove them to spend 30 seconds looking at an item if the person donating says they haven't worn it.  :Steps down off soap box and gets back to work:

Virginia