10 Things You Never Thought You Could Share
SupperShare
Jessica Laine, a San Francisco artist and designer, has been organizing and sharing meals using SupperShare since December. She typically charges $5 to $15 per seat for a 10-person meal. If you’re a little wary of hosting strangers in your home, SupperShare has a three-step validation system to ensure safety.
Airpnp
Airpnp was started by two New Orleans natives who wanted to find a solution to the lack of places to – yes, this is true – legally urinate during Mardi Gras. “This problem is often solved by using what is known as a ‘rogue pee,’ the company said. “If caught, the person faces a weekend in Orleans Parish Prison.” Instead, they founded Airpnp, where people can rent their bathrooms for a fee. One user is offering his “porcelain paradise,” near the Mardi Gras parade route, for $3 per use.
Roost
Heddi Cundle of San Francisco has used Roost to make a few extra bucks renting out her basement. “It’s really a no brainer in renting unused space and making side cash,” she told The Fiscal Times. “I’m amazed it’s taken this long for someone to create this business.” Rentals go for $4 to $40 a day depending on the size of the space, and while Roost recommends that users purchase their own homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, it also reimburses a renter for losses exceeding $250 for specific perils (one exception: earthquakes in California are not covered by this).
CARMAnation
Dan Tinker, 32, who commutes just about daily to San Francisco’s Financial District from the East Bay, used CARMAnation to rent a parking spot near his work. “It was really simple to find a spot on the site in my desired location and it was half the price of parking garages in the area,” which can cost as much as $400 a month, he said. CARMAnation reminds drivers to check their auto insurance policies on damage and liability).
Eric Nyce was so tired of the kennel scene that when he heard of DogVacay he quickly jumped on the site and found Sarah M. in Gilbertsville, PA. She charges $30 a night to watch dogs. While watching Eric’s dog, Sarah “sent status reports and even pictures of our dogs having fun with their new vacation family,” he said on the DogVacay’s website. “When we got home, the dogs were happy. It was like we never sent them. What a relief!” All reservations include free pet insurance.
Flickr/Jerry
3DHubs
The 3DHub website connects people like Amsterdam-based industrial designer Jasper Dekker with the owners of 3D printers, so artists can bring their creations to life. Dekker turned some old bowls into a set of pendant lights and found someone willing to share a 3D printer in his area, thanks to 3Hubs to complete his product. “It was great to be able to print locally. This definitely contributed to the ease and speed of the whole process,” he said.
Ohmconnect
Ron Leavitt started using the OhmConnect app after being “startled to see so many fossil fuel power plants in operation” in the Bay Area where he lives, he said. After connecting his smart home devices, including a Nest Thermostat, Belkin WeMo and Tesla Model S to Ohmconnect, he was able to automate his house for optimal energy use. If you participate on a regular basis, you can make back 10 to 15 percent of your energy bill, perhaps $20 a month, as reported by Fast Company.
Spinlister
Cynthia Basinet loves her “comfortable bike” so much that she’s always wanted to share it with others, especially when she’s out of town. She started doing just that when she joined Spinlister a little over a year ago. “Not only has it helped amortize the bike, I have also met wonderful new friends while allowing others to have an eco-friendly experience in NYC,” she said, adding the extra cash (she rents it for $5 an hour, $19 a day or $100 a week) has also helped to pay for the bike’s maintenance.
Outdoors (Previously called Auckland Outdoors)
Trevor Joy, originally from West Virginia but living in Lakewood, Colorado, is passionate about hiking, camping and backpacking. He uses Outdoors to share and profit from his gear, including his three-person tent, which he rents out for $6 a day.
Vayable
Become an instant tour guide with Vayable (or hire one for your next trip). Jeff Orlick created a food tasting tour in Queens, N.Y., using the site. “I'll take you to the most diverse area in the world, and taste our way across the globe,” he writes on his page. “We'll travel from Little Manilla to Little India, then the Himalayan Heights to Bogota through Bangkok, exploring only the most authentic foods not made for tourists.” He typically charges $59 per person for a three-hour tour.