CARRBORO, N.C. — A nationwide hyperlocal gifting group is seeing an increase in members over the past couple years.

With inflation soaring and gas prices climbing by the day, saving a dollar here and there has become even more important.

It's called the Buy Nothing Project.

These groups primarily exist on Facebook and it involves listings of items that are free by people who live nearby.

It started with the intention of being an eco-friendly group by cutting down on consumption. 

But since the pandemic started, it has taken a whole new direction. 

Melanie Unwin is an administrator for her local Buy Nothing group. 

“People list items. You either list it as a gift or if you are looking for something, you list an ask," Unwin said.

She almost always has items she is giving away on her porch.

The group started in 2013 with hopes of cutting down on consumerism and has now branched out all over the country. 

During the pandemic, these groups gained new members, with most of the giveaways happening through porch pickup. 

“During the pandemic, we’ve had folks who, for whatever reason, don’t want to go into the grocery store or are in the middle of a quarantine and say, “ I need some bananas, I need some fresh produce. And people really come together over that. Everybody has a little bit extra they can pass along," Unwin said.

Unwin says the group gives new life to items that are otherwise considered clutter, and connects neighbors in a meaningful way. 

“It would be much easier to take things to a thrift store of course, but people are taking time out of their day to put this together," Unwin said.

You can type in “buy nothing" and then the name of your town or city on Facebook to see the nearest group near you.