Backyard Pools, Chickens, and Other Things You Didn't Know You Could Rent
You've likely rented cars while traveling, a tuxedo for some nuptials, and maybe even tools from the local big box hardware store … but have you ever considered renting a goat, a crowd, or a friend? If not, then you're definitely not taking up the American economy on the absolutely bananas variety of items and services that it now offers for rent. From services that feel a little (OK, a lot) cringe-y to others that sound kind of wonderful, here are things you can rent that might have you reconsidering how you spend or earn money.
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Are you a dog owner that lives in a cramped apartment or just doesn't have much of a yard? Sites like SniffSpot let you connect with a local who has a yard your pup can play and run in. Most spots rent for $10 or less, and individual listings show photos and give information on enclosures, amenities, parking, and more.
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If you've always wanted the privacy and convenience of a backyard swimming pool but just can't afford one or don't want to deal with the upkeep, Swimply will help connect you with pool owners who are happy to rent out their watery oases. Average prices range from about $30-$100 per hour, some pools require a minimum number of hours, and listings include photos, dimensions, depth, available outdoor furniture, amenities, and more.
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Recently, Swimply debuted a new feature on its website dubbed Joyspace where people can offer and rent other spaces that aren't swimming pools. Though the service has yet to launch — Swimply simply says it's "coming soon" — these spaces will include private gyms, sports courts, home studios, "majestic" backyards, and more.
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The saying goes that you can't buy love, but apparently, you can buy companionship (of the legal variety, of course) through Rent a Friend. Select a gender, age, sexual orientation, and more, and this service, which claims to have more than 600,000 rentable friends on its rosters all over the world, will connect you with a new buddy. The site charges a membership fee of $25/month or an annual fee of $70, and rented friends start at just $10 per hour, although the site notes that some friends will waive their fee "if you have tickets to a sporting event or concert."
Are you a super tactile person who just can't get enough snuggles in your life? The website Cuddle Comfort offers to "find you a cuddle buddy so you can start a friendship based on cuddling without any expectations of something more." While for some this might sound nightmarish, it apparently doesn't for many others — the site claims to have more than 230,000 members. Membership is free and so are many of the cuddle buddies; professional cuddlers, however (and yes that's a thing), can run an average of $80-$100 per hour.
If you live in New York City and need someone to tell corny jokes while you assemble furniture, negotiate a car loan, or give you life advice, Rent-A-Dad is here to help. "Dad" is actually a guy named Jeff who is also an "elite tasker" on TaskRabbit that charges around $68/hour for jobs that include accounting, computer help, and more. Caveat: We don't actually know if he tells corny jokes or not, but one can hope.
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If you're looking to look like a million bucks without the requisite price tag, some sites will let you rent designer clothes and accessories rather than buy them. For clothing, check out Rent the Runway, which allows customers to rent via memberships, one-time rentals, or even to buy "pre-loved" items. Bag Borrow or Steal rents out designer handbags, and sites like Adorn and Switch let you rent jewelry.
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If you want a bounty of farm-fresh eggs without the commitment of caring for chickens year-round, Rent the Chicken is here to help. Operating in many areas of the U.S. and Canada, this service will bring you everything you need to keep a few egg-layers for five or six months, after which you can return the chickens or keep them if you've fallen in love with the hens and/or their freshly laid eggs. The service includes a portable coop, two to four hens, enough feed to last you the entire rental period, food and water dishes, and "a chicken keeping book (and) instructions on how to keep your chickens happy." Fees vary by area but seem to average around $450 to $750.
For some who've lost loved ones, it seems silly to spend a ton of money on a casket that is just going to get buried underground. For those folks, there are rental caskets available at a lot of funeral service establishments. Rental caskets have an interior box that can be removed after a funeral or memorial, and that box can be used for burial or cremation. The body of the deceased never touches the actual casket, which can be reused. The savings involved? Rentals usually clock in at around $1,000, while casket costs can range from $2,000 to $10,000.
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If you'd rather spend your money on actually seeing the world than on the gear and equipment (not to mention storage space) it takes to do so in comfort and style, then Rent Luggage is here for you. The site rents luggage, yes, but also backpacks, rooftop carriers, racks, gear, and more. Need something to pack your skis or snowboard in for that Colorado trip? Or maybe you're going on a golfing tour of Scotland and want to take your own set of clubs? Rent Luggage has you covered on both fronts and more.
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Speaking of storage space, if you never had much of it or have just about packed what you do have to the gills, sites like Store At My House offer a solution and an alternative to paying huge fees at storage units. The site connects you with local residents or businesses that have an abundance of space, be it in a garage, empty room, shed, or driveway. Rates vary, but the site notes that it encourages its "storage providers to offer at least a 50% discount over their closest commercial self-storage provider."
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The website Rent A Goat bills its team of rentable goats as "cost-effective, eco-friendly, and super cute weed removal" while noting that the animals will help clear unwanted plants and invasive weeds like kudzu, thistle, and poison ivy. The service is only available for Californians, where it's noted that goats have cleared more than 100,000 acres of land to help prevent forest fires. While it might not be a service the average homeowner would use, a rancher or farmer with a big landscaping job on their hands might want to think about this option, which, according to Rent A Goat's Mike Canaday, Rent A Goat's Mike Canaday, can range "anywhere from $400 an acre to $1,000 an acre." Note: Goat experience not required — the rental comes with a goat herder and fence system that help the animals do their job.
Bridesmaid For Hire was started in 2014 by Jenn Glantz, who decided there was a market for women who would rather delegate the duties of a bridesmaid — "shopping for a wedding dress, organizing RSVPs, coordinating the bridal shower or bachelorette party, helping with a registry for gifts, etc." — to a professional over a friend or family member. Rental prices range from a few hundred dollars into the thousands, depending on how many responsibilities you want to hand off to your professional.
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Yes, you can make like a Kardashian and rent your own private island — if you have the cash, that is. Private Island Vacation Rentals has a number of wanderlust-worthy rentals in its portfolio. Prices, however, range from a relatively measly $1,880 per night (for Wadigi Island near Fiji) to an eye-popping $132,000 per night for this Calivigny Island vacation rental off the coast of Grenada.
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If you're one of those people who just has to have the new iPhone every time it comes out, you might already know you can rent a person to stand in line for you. If not, take note — you can rent a person to stand in line for you. The men and women from Same Ole Line Dudes, for example, will hold your place in line for concert tickets, Broadway shows, meet and greets, and more. Rental prices start at $45 and go up from there, with some specific services costing more.
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If the next-to-most-recent presidential inauguration taught us anything, it's that crowd size can be incredibly important to some people. For those folks, there's Crowds on Demand. The service lets you rent throngs of people for "protests, rallies, advocacy, audiences, PR stunts, and political events." If you're interested in knowing more about the inner workings of such an operation, a new hire wrote a story for The California Sunday Magazine in 2016 that's fairly fascinating.
Looking to meet your soul mate or just pick up some pointers on dating? Get a little help from The Professional Wingman, a service from Dynamic Dating that promises to get members into "a quality relationship with an amazing woman in as little as 8 weeks." The wingman in question here is just one guy, actually — his name is Thomas Edwards Jr. — and, while he won't actually accompany you to bars to help with your pickup prowess, he does offer three levels of "Dynamic Dating" courses ranging from around $300 to $450 that will teach the basics and beyond of flirting, dating, and more.
If you've always wanted to explore the country in a van but aren't sure the lifestyle is for you, Cabana offers a "hotel that travels with you" in the form of a van, and it will even help you plan your trip and itinerary. The service only exists in Los Angeles and Seattle for now, but it has plans to extend into additional markets that include San Francisco, Denver, San Diego, and more.
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You know a boat would make that trip of a lifetime so much more fun, but are you prepared to plunk down the money required to buy a watercraft and keep up with its maintenance? If the answer is no, then Get My Boat might offer a solution to your quandary. Through the service, you can find and book boat rentals, jet skis, yachts, pontoon boats, and more. The service is available worldwide, and you can even find chartered experiences on the site, too.
