Gift Economies – Really, Really Free Markets & Free Stores

A gift economy is one where goods and services are given away for free without expectation for compensation. Two examples are Really, Really Free Markets and Free Stores. These are market places where the items and services are given away for free. They are sometimes privately funded, operated as a hobby, and/or events to promote gift economy ideas and community unity.

By definition, compensation should not exist in a gift economy. However, some who participate in gift economies may expect compensation through some kind of reciprocal exchange. Others simply want the idea of giving to spread. Some gift economies require that if you take something from the pool then you leave something for someone else. This way the gift has a pay-it-forward effect. (Geocaching is a well-known example)

Gift economies have been created for a variety of reasons including anti-consumerist idealism, anti-currency philosophies, and for environmental protection. Also, some people just enjoy giving to others.

See also Gift Economy on Wikipedia.

Really, Really Free Markets

Really, really free markets (RRFMs) are a movement that was started in New Zealand and is spreading slowly throughout the world. The “markets” are temporary gatherings of like-minded people who come together to give away free stuff and services. They are often organized through a social platform online, such as a group on Facebook, and they meet in a public place like a local park. The movement itself could use a better web presence, especially since the main domain name that they used to have (reallyreallyfree.org) is now offline. One of the better-known markets (kashless.org) is also offline. Since many of the groups are organized through private groups on facebook or by email lists, it’s challenging to find links to them. Yet, here are a few examples:

Really, Really Free Market in Louisville, KY

Really, Really Free Market in Preston, Australia

Really, Really Free Market in Anaheim, CA

Really, Really Free Market in Albuquerque, NM

The free stuff that you can find at really, really free markets will depend entirely on what people decide to bring to give away. Many of the items will be similar to what you can find for free on Craigslist. The markets are not orginized just to give away free stuff. People also perform services, such as cooking meals, haircuts, or giving away a massage (they’re not likely a licensed massage therapist). Free hugs may be abundant. Hippies would feel very comfortable at these gatherings. However, you do not have to be a hippie to attend and if you felt uncomfortable at any time then that would be against hippie idealism.

If you have any information on a local really, really free market, please let us know. We’ll add it to the community freebies directory. Also, here’s how to start Really, Really Free Market. If you are involved with organizing any really, really free market, then consider some of the Web Freebies that can help you increase your web presence.

Free Stores and Give Away Stores

Free Stores are also called “give-away shops“, “give away stores”, “swap shops”, and “free shops”.

Free Stores are very similar to Really, Really Free Markets. Both movements started independent of each other. The only real difference is that they have a more permanent brick & mortar location. However, most free stores are not as prominent or visible as standard retail. Some are operated out of a basement. Possibly the first Free Store was opened by The Diggers in the late 60’s. Here are a few examples of free stores:

Free Store in Baltimore, Maryland

Free Store in Portland, Oregon (although the photo on their home page looks more like a Free Market)

Similar to really, really free markets, the items you’ll find in free stores are akin to what you’ll find on Craigslist for free. While free stores are generally operated privately to serve anyone as a anti-capitalist movement, they may overlap with churches, charities and non-profits, such as food banks or clothing banks, which are established to help those in need. However, you do not have to be classified as “low income” to give or receive from a free store.

Other Gift Economies

Any platform or resource that allows people to give and receive used items can be considered a gift economy. This includes sites like Craigslist and Freecycle.org.

Geocaching is a game that is played with mobile devices where people can find a stash of goods the the GPS on their mobile devices. Those who play will leave something in the stash at the same time they’re taking something out. Similar pay-it-forward models have been introduced with books and other other items. For example, you could join a club where a book is left for you in a public place. You pick it up, read it, and then later leave it for someone else to pick up and read.

A “free box” is like a bulletin board. It’s an open box that is placed somewhere public where you can give or receive items. It’s like a really free market where people don’t meet in person or at the same time. In Bolinas, CA the free box is actually a shed built next to the community center.

Gift economies are actually very prominent online because digital freebies can be delivered cheap or free. Anyone who gives their intellectual property a Creative Commons license is contributing to gift economies online. The history of software development is actually an excellent example of the clash between community and consumerism. There are groups of computer programmers who believe that software should always be free and they’ve held to that philosophy ever since computers were invented. This completely goes the capitalist side of software, historically lead by Microsoft, which made Bill Gates the richest man in the world.

Local farmers and gardeners sometimes produce more than they can use or they know the produce will ripen before they can sell it, so they sometimes give it away for free to avoid wasting it. This supports the philosophy of abundance that is propagated by really free markets, which is completely against the philosophy of scarcity that is propagated by capitalism.

As mentioned before, there are a number of churches and charities who supply food banks and clothes banks, which are essentially gift markets.