Last Saturday, San Francisco’s Really Really Free Market [1] spread out across the Mission District’s Dolores Park as it does each month, attracting a diverse crowd of gift economists with books, clothes, food, art and skills to share. Aptly named, Really Really Free Markets may be the only intentional marketplaces on earth where no money ever changes hands. Instead, people may freely take anything and everything on offer, whether it be a toaster oven, a stack of old National Geographics, or a pair of new suede shoes. Participants might be offered free massages, haircuts, live entertainment, home-cooked food, workshops and resources for artistic endeavors of all kinds.

While for some people this event represents a fun, low-pressure way to get rid of unwanted clutter, for others it is a concrete and thriving example of “gift economy.” Gift economies differ from barter systems because there is no expectation on the part of the gift giver to receive something of equivalent value, though all participants are encouraged to “share” whatever they can.

Another example of gift economy, upgraded to suit the hi-tech world is Freecycle [2]. Founded in Arizona, the Freecycle concept has attracted over 6 million members across the globe connected by locally-moderated computer listserv groups of like-minded individuals who either have free items to give, or a need for a specific item which a fellow member may be able to provide. As with the Really Really Free Market, no expectation of equal exchange or barter is permissible, but the sky is the limit on what can be given or received.

How can you find out if there is a Really Really Free Market near you? Some markets have websites of their own where the calendar is published, other markets might publicize themselves on culture and politics websites such as www.indymedia.org [3] or event listings sites such as www.eventful.com [4]. For towns without an RRFM, an informative article on www.wikihow.com [5] has step-by-step details on how to inspire one. Similarly, www.freecycle.org [6] has a list of active Freecycle groups from around the world, and an FAQ for helping new and would-be moderators start a listserv in their community.

Turns out that old adage is true: the best things in life really can be free.