What Is a Buy Nothing Group? Here's Everything You Should Know

When I first heard about a "Buy Nothing group" in a friend's Brooklyn neighborhood, it sounded like a cool concept that was a niche idea particular to her close-knit community. However, since then, I have heard about the thousands of Buy Nothing groups cropping up everywhere.

Friends from all over share the joys of their communities' eco-friendly exchanges. I spoke with a few Buy Nothing users for more insight into how this phenomenon became so widespread. Here's what you need to know about how Buy Nothing groups work and how to find one in your local area—or how to start one of your own.

What Is a Buy Nothing Group?

While giving away or donating items isn't a new concept, Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller of Bainbridge Island, Washington, started the Buy Nothing Project to create a "hyper-local gift economy" in their community.

Their idea is simple—to create a platform where people could donate, lend, and share home essentials amongst neighbors. The project has grown into what could arguably be called a movement. (They wrote a book about it, too: The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan: Discover the Joy of Spending Less, Sharing More, and Living Generously.)

According to the organization's commitment statement, the international network of local gift economies "offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of gift economies in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people who are real-life neighbors." The founders believe that communities are "more resilient, sustainable, equitable, and joyful when they have functional gift economies."

Why Join a Buy Nothing Group?

Free stuff? A place to offload your clutter? While those are benefits of joining a Buy Nothing group, there's a lot more to it. The idea, ultimately, is to cultivate communities of trust and empathy. Community members enjoy various benefits, like experiencing gratitude for gifts and assurance that their beloved belongings have found homes. Here's why else these groups are important.

Sustainability

Professional organizer Lindsay Downes likes Buy Nothing for "re-homing items," which is better for the planet than tossing them in the trash or leaving them at Goodwill, where they may end up in the landfill anyway. "Knowing these items are going to a good home makes the separation so much easier, and hearing the gratitude from recipients always makes me feel so good!" Downes says.

Elizabeth Partridge, a mom in Brooklyn, has been on the giving and receiving end of items that would have otherwise ended up in the trash. Partridge gave away a stash of opened beauty supplies and two training potties. On the receiving side, Partridge picked up a stack of blank CDs from a neighbor (because her mother-in-law still burns CDs).

Simplicity

While knowing that their gifts are going to good homes (instead of landfills) helps makes some members feel better, others find it easier than donating to charities or nonprofit organizations. Since all members of each Buy Nothing group are local, members can rest assured that their gifts are directly benefiting their own community.

"My clients are often hesitant at first, but once they get going and see how rewarding it is, they get really into it," says Downes, who notes that Buy Nothing is faster and more satisfying than trying to sell. Partridge says it's also user-friendly, "I like that Buy Nothing is on Facebook and is therefore easy to use. The photos are clear, you can see what people have, and you can communicate quickly."

Diversity of Donations

Buy Nothing is not just for sharing tangibles, it's also for goods and skills. "I've seen people borrow baby gear for visitors and yard equipment," says Downes, who adds, "I've even borrowed books when the library waitlist was too long!"

The Buy Nothing Project encourages "gifts of self, talent, and time" (giving a ride somewhere, tutoring, or being a workout buddy). When New York got hit with a big snowstorm, members of Partridge's group asked for and offered to dig out sidewalks and parked cars.

Buy Nothing Group Rules

Each online community has its own admins and code of conduct (you can read the general guidelines here), but a few rules are universal:

• No buying, selling, or bartering of any kind
• Everything must be given freely
• Mentioning the monetary value of items is forbidden
• Join only one Buy Nothing group (near where you live) so you can "give where you live"
• No stealing
• Don't share anything illegal
• Post items where everyone can see them (no private communications)
• Cruelty, harassment, and hate speech are not tolerated
• No spamming, scamming, or trolling in groups
• Reselling gifts is not against the rules, but "the disclosure of reselling respects each participant’s right to make informed and mindful choices about their giving"
• You must participate as yourself (with a personal account, not a business account). This also means personally doing the pickups and drop-offs

Dos and Don'ts of Buy Nothing Groups

Don't try to conceal poor quality. "Be honest about the condition of the items you are giving away," says Downes. "That being said, you might be surprised what people can find a use for, so it's always worth it to post! I've given away laundry detergent that was half-used because it was not tough enough on my kids' stains and someone else was happy to have it."

Do give everyone a chance. Diana Jadín, an admin for a Buy Nothing group in Queens, New York, says that while convenient to give things away to the first responder, Buy Nothing encourages people to let items "simmer." That allows people without constant access to Facebook to have a chance to claim popular items.

Don't ghost gifters. If you say you want something but then change your mind, just say so. Never leave a gifter hanging.

Do communicate quickly. If you express interest in something and get chosen to receive it, make it easy for the gifter: Message them back ASAP and stay on top of messaging until you secure a time to meet.

How to Start a Buy Nothing Group

If you don't have a Buy Nothing group in your area, you are welcome to start your own. In fact, it's encouraged. Here are some steps you can take to kick off your community's Buy Nothing group.

Take the Buy Nothing Academy Course

To learn more about the Buy Nothing program, the website suggests "an optional online course called the Buy Nothing Academy that provides you with all the resources needed to steward a local gift economy.

According to the website, founders Rockefeller and Clark, along with Jennifer Lansdowne, have "written this course as a means to provide you with background on what flourishing gift economies can look and feel like, and how you can help to build and sustain an equitable and inclusive gift economy in your community."

Join or Start a Facebook Group

Buy Nothing communities started via local Facebook groups. To go that route: Go to Facebook, search your area for The Buy Nothing Project, and follow the directions there. After becoming an administrator for her Buy Nothing group last year, Jadín spends about an hour a day volunteering her time to her group, noting that "mainly, it's the upkeep of the member requests."

Jadín says the Buy Nothing training documents were very detailed and left her prepared for her duties. It's a time commitment that feels worthwhile. "Something rewarding about being an admin of a group is that it helps you be part of the community," Jadín adds.

Partridge's original group split into four smaller groups, and the experience gave her a taste of what it would be like to be in a start-up group. "It's harder with a smaller group," says Partridge. "The stuff doesn't get claimed as quickly and in-search-of requests are much less likely to get fulfilled." But both women agree: The payoff of getting one going is worth it.

Download the App

Understanding that not everyone can or wants to access Facebook, Buy Nothing developed its own independent platform, which may be better suited for local sharing. Anyone can get started quickly via the app (on iOS or Android), which is custom-built specifically for local sharing, with new features each month.