Frugal Fun with SwapIt FlogIt
I was fed up of watching steel ‘TP’ climbing frames go for more than I wanted to pay on eBay. I’d decided a while ago that a climbing frame would be a great investment in my kids health and had some money given to them for Christmas by their Aunty and Grandma in the giant piggy bank in my bedroom. I was prepared to spend £126.79 I decided but all the TP Challenger Frames near enough to us to collect were being sold for £170. Very occasionally some kind soul would offer a metal climbing frame on Freecycle but was overwhelmed by responses.
I lamented to Bealers that there should be something ‘between local Freecycle groups and eBay’ to which he suggested I try the Malvern FlogIt/SwapIt group. I’m thrilled to have signed up as its is similar to Freecycle in the way that messages are distributed to subscribers but people are able sell things second hand via an email description and can put out ‘Wanted’ adverts too which is exactly what I did. After posting that we were after a climbing frame a local family got in touch saying they would be happy to sell us their frame + slide for slightly less than my top price would have been on eBay.
Both parties are happy as they did not need to go to the bother of photographing and description writing for an eBay sale, they made money from something that had been gathering dust in their garage since they moved and we did not have the stress of bidding against others and watching the price rise. My kids are beyond thrilled and so are we to have such a fine piece of equipment for such a brilliant price. Admittedly I do now owe my blessed husband a day of his time…
The new climbing frame - halfway assembled (it now has a slide & scramble net too)
May 6th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
That is really neat! I have never seen a “climbing frame.” Most everyone here either has a metal swingset or trampoline for their kids. (Although we do have a neighbor who swiped a playset from the local McDonalds when they took their playground down. That makes for an interesting conversation piece.)
May 15th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I couldn’t find the address for FlogIt/SwapIt group. Could you, please post it? Thanks