Comments on: Social Supply-Side Economics

By: Tracy

Tracy — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:11:33 +0000

I agree with Sue. Freecycle.org is a wonderful resource. When my step-daughter had a baby last December, she didn’t have to buy much at all. Between her baby shower that I co-hosted with her mother, Freecycle and yard sales that I frequent, she had almost everything she needed for the first year, other than diapers. I am always on the lookout for things for my friends and family that I know they need. I guess it’s the thrill of the hunt…..kwim?

By: Esther Ziol

Esther Ziol — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:41:24 +0000

This is why church groups are so wonderful. Our Sunday School class gave us a shower that supplied almost all we needed for the first six months.

By: Hope D

Hope D — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:32:57 +0000

My kids have lived off hand me downs and yard sale buys. My daughters have oodles of clothes. I’m still trying to manage all the clothes. I have 4 daughters. Keeping the clothes for the next is overflowing every storage area. I’m currently culling the clothes and giving away things we don’t “love”.
My sons have not been as lucky. I have had to buy my sons more clothes. I have found boy clothes much less handed down.
People, my self included, like to give things away to people who can use them. If I don’t need something but don’t know anyone who can use it, I give it to Salvation Army. A lot of charities now only want new. Remember Salvation Army also wants your stained clothes. They sell them for rag to manufactures for insulation and other products even paper money. Other charities might do this too.
Our community has these red metal boxes that you can put clothes in. They had a website listed on the box. I looked them up. They are a commercial company, not a charity. They take your clothing and sell it to third world countries. I guess that is great for recycling but I prefer charities. There are charities that give the clothes away to third world countries. The red boxes are convenient though and the business or school who lets them have their box there gets paid.

By: Jules

Jules — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Good things come to good people–what can I say?

By: kristine

kristine — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:43:32 +0000

I had two children with my first husband. He had 13 siblings. Yes, 13! Ironically, I have one sibling, and it was my brother’s wife who kept us in kids clothes for the first 10 years- just happened that she lived nearby, and her kids were 2 and 3 years older. Perfect! But I felt guilty sometimes, as she was a spendthrift, and many of the clothes still had tags. I think sometimes she had in the back of her mind…if my kids don;t like it, Kristine’s kids will wear it. So true!

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:11:03 +0000

When our baby was born this August, I knew going into it that we wouldn’t have to buy anything for him. Too many grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends who would be too thrilled at the thought of the new baby. We had five baby showers, all planned and demanded by different groups of friends and family.

Was it mooching or wrong that I knew this going in and didn’t budget any money for baby stuff? I don’t think so.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:11:24 +0000

Another way that this works is in the vein of the borrowing friendships. Items that are pricey but used only a short time work well for this. There is a bassinet in my family that is used this way. It is actually a pram that my mother bought in England in 1978 when she had my brother. That pram has mostly been used as a bassinet since, as it is a bit unwieldy for for American stroller type use. But Many of my cousins, nieces and nephews and both my children have slept in it. It has even survived a flood (my husband had to replace the wooden frame). So no one in my family has ever had to buy one, but it is always there. So far, no two families have ever needed it at once, so it has worked out well.

By: Swap Savers

Swap Savers — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:29:49 +0000

I am the oldest in my family and did not expect any free or hand-me-downs when I had kids. I was so surprised to receive (and still receive 5 years later) an over abundance of toys, clothes and other baby/kid items from friends, neighbors and friends of friends (who I have never even met). I never asked for these things–people just offered. I think people can be very generous and also I think it is important to always accept their items or they may not offer anymore (you can always donate it to someone else or a charity if you don’t need it).

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:44:05 +0000

This also applies to things like setting up a first apartment. My boyfriend and I just moved in together a few months ago, and pretty much the only piece of furniture we bought was our bed. Almost everything else was hand-me-downs from family and friends. Some of it I inherited from my grandmother. My mom’s handyman donated his couch because he was upgrading. People vaguely connected to us that we’d never met (my boyfriend’s aunt’s friends) were moving in together and had duplicates of *everything,* so that’s how we got our cutlery, coffee maker, and a lot of our kitchen stuff.

And, yes, we’ll probably pass on a few things when we decide it’s time to upgrade. We’re already going to have a “free stuff: please take” box at our housewarming. Wouldn’t you know it? After only two months of living together, we already have duplicates!

Just to say that social supply-side economics can work for other areas than just planning for kids.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:08:40 +0000

Maybe it’s just how the ‘intent’ part occurs. I can’t see developing relationships with people because, “I hope they have a lot of good stuff to give me”…..

I know..I’m probably taking it too far…it’s just what it seems like to me.

I can’t remember where I heard this, but I recall a suggestion to try to live in a neighborhood where you are probably the wealthiest person around. That way, you never develop envy, and you can become more of a giver…..

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:53:15 +0000

Freecycle.org is a great way to share the stuff for people whose friends don’t need it. And to find stuff that you might want, although sometimes you have to be quick to get it.

By: momof4

momof4 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:50:24 +0000

The first time I read the tightwad gazette series one of the things that stood out was the phrase “mutual mooching relationship”, a term that the author used to describe a friendship where they could borrow things freely. I’ve been fortunate enough to establish a few of these relationships. With my own friends, I do keep the things that are precious to me ( sentimental), but the rest we just keep passing around and I’ve never not had the items I needed when I needed them. Of course my family with 4 children is one of the smaller ones in our social circle and we’re always trying to keep the amount of stuff we have at bay.

By: E

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Dan did you read the post? I got the exact opposite impression you did: generosity happens, but plan to be the giver rather than the receiver.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:12:15 +0000

how is this not “mooching” off friends and family? we can’t go through life expecting everyone to “give” us stuff, especially when we are fully capable of getting it ourselves. not sure i like the tone in this post- i’d rather have seen it the other way around, like, “we intend to give away all our stuff”….not, “we expect to get stuff from people”….i don’t know, this one kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

i’m not trying to be a critic, just don’t like to rely on anyone for things i can do myself…

By: Mighty@LettersTo.Us

Mighty@LettersTo.Us — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:36:14 +0000

Can I mention how awkward it is when a friend asks for your baby clothes, knowing that you intend to have more than one child? I’m not talking about, “Can I borrow these things for a few months, and I will give them back sooner if you need them?” but “Can you ship your clothes cross-country, never to be seen again?” I just reply as nicely as possible, “We intend to have more than one child, so we’re going to keep them for now.”

Along with supply side, it goes without saying that if you lend things out, don’t be shocked if you don’t get them back, or you don’t get them back in great condition. I settle this by lending things that I can live without or that are duplicates, but holding onto the things that are precious, like hand-knit sweaters and blankets.

When my sister had her first child, she had a huge shower with 30 people. When I had mine four years later, it was smaller, with much smaller gifts. (Neither of us planned our showers or put together the guest list.) I think that my relatives knew that I would be using most of her gear. Or they don’t like me. :)