Is It Time To Rent A Friend?

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Is It Time To Rent A Friend?

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March 19, 2012

Sometimes I wonder whether the internet is a good thing or a bad thing. When it comes to making smart money moves, the internet has opened up a realm of possibilities making it easy for people to buy, rent, barter, or sell their goods on the internet to almost anyone anywhere in the world. I hear people comment sometimes that they think the internet can be creepy with all of the social media and access people have to personal information at the touch of their fingertips.

With websites like eBay and Craigslist, the buying and selling of goods became painfully easy. You really only need a decent digital camera and some imagination to get people excited about the piece of merchandise you are selling, and you can make money on just about anything in a short period of time. However, we quickly realized that people on Craigslist may have opened an invitation to sell other things that the website wasn't really intended for in the first place.

With the world of bartering becoming more and more popular through this recession, there have been a litany of websites springing up from Trashbank to U-Exchange to PeopleTradingServices all with a focus on helping put together people who want to barter for deals. You can trade item for item on some of these websites or items with cash for your bartering deal.

The last area I see more of now is to rent items from somebody else versus buying it new. A great website for this is called Loanables. On Loanables, you can loan something to anyone for a period of time for set fee. How does this one grab you? Someone in Rochester, MN recently put this one up. New 5 qt. stainless steel Rival Crock Pot with Little Dipper, carrying case and owners guide. Great for roasts or any other slow cooking ideas you have. Hmmm…. Is it a good time for some good old fashioned franks and beans?

All of this buying, trading, and selling is all good, but now the line has officially been drawn for me. I recently read about a new website called www.RentAFriend.com, where you can literally rent a friend if you need one for a few hours. I get the idea of renting a lawnmower, a ladder . . . you know anything that is kind of an inanimate object. People however. . now we've gone too far this time. Have you really sat home one afternoon on a Saturday and thought to yourself, I'd like to take a nice bike ride today if only I had a friend to share the experience with this afternoon? What a scary thought.

Here's a better money making idea. Since Pet Rocks (c'mon those of you in your 40's had one at some point) were a big money maker for a really silly idea, why don't we start rentanimaginaryfriend.com next week? It's real simple. You tell us how many hours you need a friend for and we'll give you the name of an imaginary friend you can have for more than just a day. You can have them forever! And . . . just for a fraction of the cost of getting a real friend.

The internet has certainly been more good than bad in my opinion, and you can make a lot of smart money moves if you use the right websites. Rent furniture, cars, hotel rooms, but think twice before your rent a friend!

Visit to www.oxygenfinancial.net to request a free consultation with the leading financial experts for people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's in the country.

Written by:

Ted Jenkin, CFP®, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CMFC®, CRPS®

Co-CEO and Founder of oXYGen Financial, Inc - The Leaders in Gen X & Y Financial Advice

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through NFP Advisor Services, LLC (NFPAS), Member FINRA/SIPC. Oxygen Financial is not affiliated with NFPAS. NFPAS does not provide tax or legal advice. This site is published for residents of the United States only. Registered Representatives and Investment Advisor Representatives of NFP Advisor Services, LLC (NFPAS) may only conduct business with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered. Therefore, a response to a request for information may be delayed. Not all products and services referenced on this site are available in every state and through every representative or advisor listed. For additional information, please contact NFPAS Compliance Department at 512-697-6000. PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of the web sites provided here, you are leaving this web site. NFP Advisor Services, LLC makes no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these web sites. Nor is NFP Advisor Services, LLC liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, web sites, information and programs made available through this web site. When you access one of these web sites, you are leaving our web site and assume total responsibility and risk for your use of the web sites you are linking to.

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Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. oXYGen Financial is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS do not provide tax or legal advice. https://Bit.ly/KF-Disclosures

This site is published for residents of the United States only. Registered Representatives of Kestra IS and Investment Advisor Representatives of Kestra AS may only conduct business with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered. Therefore, a response to a request for information may be delayed. Not all products and services referenced on this site are available in every state and through every representative or advisor listed. For additional information, please contact Kestra IS Compliance Department at 844-553-7872.

PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of the web sites provided here, you are leaving this web site. Kestra IS and Kestra AS makes no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these web sites. Nor is Kestra IS and Kestra AS liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, web sites, information and programs made available through this web site. When you access one of these web sites, you are leaving our web site and assume total responsibility and risk for your use of the web sites you are linking to.