How to get free stuff online

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As I write this, I'm staring at my new vacuum. Do you know what's great about this vacuum? It's a token of a free world that's all around you and you know nothing about. Imagine it: Hot tubs! Televisions! Bicycles and toys! They are all big ticket items that could leave your bank account a little light -- unless you get it for free.

And you can -- I tried it myself.

It's all done on line at a Web site called Freecycle, a world where consumerism, environmentalism, and hand me downs all come together!

Once you register, the offers start rolling in. There are about 100 a day in Charlotte area alone, like this one from Chris and John Farrell for a vacuum, which I’m in the market for. So we hop in the car and head over to the Farrells’ to check out their vacuum and talk a little about Freecycle.

"The real purpose is to keep it out of the landfill," said Chris Farrel, mother of a toddler and a Freecycle believer.

Truth be told, Chris is a Freecycle junkie. Her motivation is her daughter Alex, who was playing on a wooden swing set her mom got from a fellow freecycler.

"These sets are incredibly expensive. They run in the thousands of dollars, especially this much of it, it can get really crazy," Chris said.

"Do you find it kind of addictive like I do, like you get kind of hooked to it?" I asked Chris.

"Well yea, because you start looking and people will post a hot tub, I've seen people post cars and all kinds of things and it creates this desire of ‘oh, I got to get the next best deal,’" Chris said.

The only catch is you have to pick up or disassemble the freebie yourself. And you need to exercise a good does of common sense when dealing with strangers.

While we were at the Farrells’, someone else stopped by to pick up a freebie. Chris introduced us to freecycling mom Claire Bingham, who said, "It's so expensive to buy new kids’ stuff so we thought what a great way to pass things along when you are done with them and get new stuff, and they are new to our kids."

And in Charlotte there are more than 7,000 members living the Freecycle mantra - changing the world one gift at a time.