Everyone likes to save a buck. One of the best ways to do this is to take advantage of the sharing economy. After all, the cost of any item is going to be much less if you split that cost with someone else, and that is essentially what the sharing economy is all about.
Wondering how you can use the sharing economy to save some money here and there? Here are four ways the sharing economy helps you share the cost of everyday expenses with other people in order to cut back on both expenses and waste.
Ride-Sharing
We all know that driving is not exactly good for the environment. Add to that the cost of gasoline, insurance, and regular maintenance, and you have a pretty good case for not owning a car at all, especially if you need to save money.
That said, unless you live in a big city with excellent public transportation, there will almost certainly be a time when a vehicle is needed in order to get from Point A to Point B. Fortunately, the sharing economy can help in these situations with ride-sharing programs.
From the taxi-like Uber and Lyft to carpool websites like Commutewise, there are plenty of ride-sharing options to choose from. In fact, there are even options for those who prefer to drive themselves around. These include peer-to-peer rental companies such as Getaround and Turo.
Space-Sharing
Whether you are in search of a vacation rental, in need of a place to crash for a night, or hoping to find a convenient parking space, the sharing economy has something for you. Best of all, the peer-to-peer rental options for these things tend to offer much more value.
For instance, those who need a place to crash can check out Couchsurfing for a free couch to stay the night on. Those looking for more long-term stays might have good luck with a site like Homeaway. Finally, people who need a perfect parking place will be happy to learn about ParqEx.
Used Item Rentals
There are many items you may find yourself needing only once or twice a year. If you don’t already own these items, it may feel pretty silly to go out and buy them just to watch them gather dust in your garage.
Fortunately, peer-to-peer item rental websites solve the problem by allowing individuals to rent the things they need rather than shelling out large sums of money for something that will only be used a handful of times. Not only does this save money, it also saves resources—something we could all do a bit more of.
Wondering where to look for peer-to-peer item rentals? Check out PeerRenters.
Used-Item Sales
The final piece to the sharing economy money-saving list is the option of used-item sales. There are a great many things we buy new that we could likely pick up for much less money (and still in perfect condition!) if we were only willing to buy used.
The owners of such companies as Mercari and Letgo recognize this fact, and both of them do a great job of helping others see it as well.
So the next time you need something, consider purchasing from one of the many peer-to-peer used-item sale sites rather than visiting your local box store. You’ll save some money, eliminate a bit of waste, and help out a fellow individual.
Want to learn more about how the sharing economy can help improve your life and tighten your budget? We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to have a look around our website, download our app, or contact us today.