Know what you’re looking for
Hey, we’ve got nothing against scrolling endlessly on your mobile device, but when it comes to the Gumtree freebies section, to really bag that bargain you need to be focused. This is especially true if you live in a large city where there are hundreds of free listings – for example if you’re searching for Gumtree freebies in London. If you’re on the hunt for a particular type of item, then it makes sense to narrow down your search, so you can home in on finding the perfect freebie.
✅ Top tip: While it helps to know what you want, being too specific might mean you miss out on some great items. For example, if you’re looking for newborn baby clothes, you might have more luck starting with ‘baby clothes‘ and going from there to find listings that fit the bill.
Browsing the ‘Gumtree Freebies’ category
🔍 Looking at free listings
If you just want to browse, you can take a look at all the free stuff in every category. From the Gumtree homepage, you can select ‘For Sale‘ and look for ‘Freebies‘ in the drop-down list. You might be surprised at the amount of useful things that are listed completely free.
🔍 Finding your ideal freebie
Know what type of item you’re looking to snag? You can enter it into the “I’m hoping to find…” search bar at the top of the page and scroll through the categories to find freebies.
✅ Top tip: You could try searching for the word ‘free’, as this can bring up extra listings – some sellers add their ads to the category page instead of the ‘Freebies’ section. You might even come across items listed for random amounts like £1 or £1234 when they’re actually free. This can help you find some hidden gems.
Adding your location
Narrowing down your search can make it easier to look through listings. This can be really helpful if you’re looking for Gumtree Edinburgh freebies, Gumtree Manchester freebies or you live in another big city where lots of new ads are posted everyday. Pop your local area or district into the ‘location’ box to reveal freebies nearby.
✅ Top tip: If you don’t mind travelling to get a good find, use the drop-down box to set your search area. Being willing to drive a few miles could help you grab some amazing freebies.
Setting up a search alert
You can set up a search alert to let you know when something is listed for free in your area, so you don’t miss any brilliant items at no charge. Search alerts are sent out by email every day if there are new results for your search, so you’ll get the details of all the latest free items delivered to your inbox.
- On the ‘Freebies’ page, you can simply click the ‘set search alert’ button to be notified when anything new is posted in your area in that category.
- If you know what you’re looking for, you can search for a type of item, such as toys or furniture. Once you’ve found ‘Freebies’ in the category list on the search page, you can click on ‘set search alert’, so you’re notified as soon as a matching free item is listed.
To manage your alerts, you can click on ‘my alerts’ in your Gumtree account. From there you can turn these saved searches on or off.
Getting in quick
Because they’re in demand, lots of free items go very quickly. Most sellers work on a first-come, first-served basis, and some fab finds are collected within hours of the ad being posted. This is why it’s really useful to send the seller a message or give them a call as soon as you see something you like.
Asking questions
If the listing description doesn’t have a lot of details or the photos aren’t very clear, it can be useful to ask the seller questions. This ensures you know what’s included and what you’re getting – this can be important if you’re collecting something like furniture, where size matters. It’s helpful to be realistic when looking at the condition of free items, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure the product you’re interested in is in working order, unless you plan to repair it or use it for spares.
Collecting your Gumtree freebies
Once you’ve arranged a time to collect your freebie, you can head over and take a look at your item. When you’re getting something for free, it’s important to be punctual, so the seller isn’t left waiting around. Giving the item a quick once-over will help you make sure it’s what you were expecting.
Sending a little ‘thank you’
Being polite helps keep the Gumtree community a great place to buy and sell. Sending a quick ‘thank you’ message to the seller once you get home to let them know how grateful you are for your new item is a thoughtful gesture that we’re sure is always appreciated. Some people even send a box of choccies!
Now you know how to search for free items, you can take a look at the Gumtree Freebies category to discover something amazing. It’s a good idea to check back regularly – you never know what freebies you’ll come across. Perhaps you’ll be able to turn your free Good Finds into treasured items with our guide on how to get started with upcycling.
View more tips on grabbing Good Finds on Gumtree.
