Have you ever thought about things you can share to make money? With everybody feeling the pinch at the moment, collaborative consumption has really taken off, and it’s surprising how much money you can make just by spending the time to share. Just check out these things you can share to make money, and see which ones could help pad out your wallet…
Okay, so thrift stores are nothing new, but typically you only use them to offload clothes that are still good, but you don’t want anymore. And while it’s a great way to help charities make money, many people find that they can’t afford to donate clothes without replacing them. If that’s you, try using services such as ThredUp, which will help you to earn money for those items you’d have donated or thrown away, or even Poshmark, which lets you buy and sell from your mobile. Most people have plenty of clothes, so sort out those pieces you never wear; they make great things you can share to make money.
Do you have a house full of toys, outdoor gear and electronics that don’t get used? Most people have a lot more than they really need, but selling can seem like a hassle. Shops like Swap.com are perfect for uploading anything from clothes to old toys and selling them effortlessly, or try using electronic trade-in sites like Gazelle to get money for old gadgets.
Car sharing has been around a while now, but it’s only recently that it’s really kicked off. If you’ve got a car, try hiring it out on a site like Wheelz or Getaround, and get paid for other people borrowing your car. Read the T&Cs carefully before signing, but in most cases, your car is fully protected from damage, and petrol and maintenance are covered. If you don’t have a car, check out rental schemes like ZipCar, so that you only pay when you actually use the car, or use a service like Lyft, where drivers will collect you and drop you off at your destination. Perfect for non-drivers!
Holidays can be expensive, but there is a way to cut the costs. Register your home with a service like Home Exchange or Home Away, and you can allow people to stay in your home while you are away, or even arrange swaps to get a holiday or break. The service is full of everything from mansions to cottages and normal homes, so don’t be worried that your house won’t measure up. Get registered, and see where you could stay.
Love to ski, or sail? Got a whole bunch of cooking gadgets you only use at Thanksgiving? Snap Goods is a service that lets you make your items available for rental while you aren’t using them. You can quickly earn back the price of ski gear during the snow season, and it’s a great way to stop things from collecting dust! You can even rent things yourself, to stop yourself from having to buy them, or to test them out.
If you need a lawyer, a doctor or an animal behavior specialist, and you don’t know any, information can be expensive. Just getting an appointment can be costly! Use a service such as Pearl to get information from experts without the big outlay. Simply choose which section you need, and enter a question. Some big questions may cost up to $50, but that’s still a lot cheaper than you’d usually pay for professional, expert advice.
Time is another great thing you can share for money. Micro jobs might only earn you pocket money, but it’s still income! Use a site such as Task Rabbit to register for things you’d be doing anyway. Taking parcels to the post office or grabbing a few essentials from the supermarket won’t take you much time, and can earn you some money.
Other things you could share for money include cakes, a skill such as translating or speaking a certain language, or even just your knowledge of a local area. It’s always worth seeing what you can share or sell in order to make some extra change. What are your favorite things you can share? Let me know!