Thanks to the sharing economy, you can now rent someone else’s camper, boat, van, and more. Or you can make money by renting out your underutilized toys. Here’s how.
Most of us have already used rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft or stayed at an Airbnb or Vrbo. The concepts of peer-to-peer marketplaces and the sharing economy aren’t new. What is new is the wide diversity of things you can now rent from individuals and easily rent out yourself. For low-use items, it’s really nice to be able to reduce your ownership costs — or not purchase at all.
The summer travel season is here, and tons of people are looking for new and innovative ways to travel. In fact, there are a handful of new peer-to-peer companies gaining traction across the country that might inspire people this summer. Let’s have a look at some of the rental options out there that might make your summer activity plans that much more fun — and affordable.
Hipcamp
I, for one, am always searching for the perfect camping spot. “Perfect” changes based on who I’m camping with, time of year, budget, and the outdoor activities that I’m interested in at the time.
While basic chain, state park, and national park campgrounds are pretty easy to find and reserve, uncovering those hidden gems isn’t often easy. Maybe you want a five-star glamping experience for a romantic weekend getaway, a camping spot among the grapes at a vineyard, a private mountaintop yurt, or a secluded rustic cabin the in the woods. These types of shelter are much harder to locate and reserve.
Hipcamp is your answer to finding the perfect getaway, as it’s the largest online resource for camping and glamping in the U.S. The site and app provide listings on both public and private land, offering the most diverse camping options out there. What’s even better is that if you have your own getaway spot, you can rent it out while you’re not using it yourself.
Outdoorsy
RVs are super comfy and a great way to travel around many parts of the world. Having an RV that sits in your driveway or in storage most of the year, only to be taken out a few weekends, is a huge waste of resources.
Outdoorsy aims to fix that issue by connecting the 20-plus-million RVs around the globe with people who want to use them. While they have a wide range of traditional RVs from individuals around the globe, the site also offers small off-road trailers, SUVs with rooftop tents, and custom adventure vans. Maybe you don’t need to rent an RV but want to rent out that custom Sprinter or RV that sits in your driveway most of the year. Outdoorsy is the perfect place to list your adventuremobile.
Outdoorsy also just launched a Vehicle Purchase Program. The program helps you save money, get faster delivery, and possibly better financing to buy your own RV (or fleet of RVs) to rent out through the Outdoorsy marketplace.
GetMyBoat
I love wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and just being out on the water with friends. I, however, don’t have the budget to buy, maintain, and store a wakeboat. I’ve also been an avid sailor for decades but can’t wrap my head around the costs of a proper sailboat. Above all, I can’t justify the costs of boat ownership because I’m into too many other outdoor activities and wouldn’t have the time to get my value out of the purchase.
GetMyBoat is a great answer to both sides of that coin. Using the site or app, I can now rent just about any type of boat I want at a myriad of locations around the globe. The site would also allow me to rent out my boat — if I ever bite the bullet on such a big purchase.
Swimply
Most of us don’t have swimming pools. The summer heat is setting in, though, and a cool pool is a perfect place to hang out with family and friends. Sure, your gym might have a lap pool, or the local YMCA might have a public pool for the family to enjoy. But maybe you want something a little more private and upscale. Or, on the other hand, you may be tired of paying to maintain a big pool in your back yard that you rarely use.
Swimply, an online marketplace for pool sharing, is the answer to both these issues. The platform allows non-pool owners affordable access to pools of different sizes and locations while allowing pool owners to produce income from their underutilized pools.
Turo
I have an off-road-capable SUV that I’m setting up to carry adventure gear and go to remote off-road locations. While I’d love a sports car, I just don’t have the budget, parking space, or need for one. (I guess you could argue that you never need a sports car, but that’s beside the point.)
Turo offers people like me the ability to rent just about any vehicle I might want from other individuals. Using the site or app, I can rent luxury sedans to classic cars, sports cars, minivans, and just about any other vehicle out there. If one day I do buy a sports car, I can also rent it out to others through Turo. This would help me reduce the costs of ownership — and possibly make my dream car affordable.
