Today is Thursday, August 30 2012, and you’re likely at work, not working today or coming home from work now. You woke up this morning in your rented apartment and went to work in your rented car and sat in your corner office or cubical that is rented by your employer. Lunch time comes around, and you go to the local sushi joint for quick takeout, and the Japanese father and son duo who make ridiculous fresh sushi are renting the 600 square foot facility from someone else. On your way home you stop at the corner store to pickup some bread from the guy who’s been renting the same space in the plaza for the last 15 years. You finally head back home to your rented apartment, and head to sleep, because at 7am the airport limo will be there to pick you up with a guy who barely speaks English and is driving a rented Ford provided by his employer. Two hours later, you jump on a rented airplane, and head off to NYC for your afternoon meeting. Then you repeat it all over again.
If you look closely in the above 150 words, I mentioned the word rent or some form of it seven times. Nearly everywhere we go, sit, eat, drink, work and sleep there’s some form of rent or another. You can rent anything today, a TV, a computer, a man, a woman, a boat, golf clubs, your office photo copier, cottage, housing, car and everything else in between. Nobody wants to take on the responsibility of full ownership, and instead more and more people want the convenience of “I want it today”, but “not tomorrow”.
It’s no surprise that there are as many commitment issues in dating and marriage. More people are having issues committing, why stick to someone for 15, 20, 30 or 40 years, when you can have a new flavor every month. Yes, it does sound pretty sick, but it’s true. Maybe those of you in long term relationships or marriage are oblivious, but dating today is a doggy-dog world.
Despite many things already available to rent for a given period of time, I always believe there’s room for improvement. Here are a few suggestions, and if you think that there’s some feasibility in any of them, holla at me and let’s launch a start-up. I got a few angel investors on horizon, so hopefully our combination of negotiation tactics are enough to persuade them.
Animal Rental
I know it may sound cruel upfront, but there could be a full fledged business behind the thinking. How often do pets get returned to the kennel within the first month? OFTEN! It’s because people don’t understand the commitment of a pet or because the parents gave into little Jenny to shut her up about whining about a dog. Only to realize that she has no interest in playing or walking the dog. Well you can rent a dog for 6 months with a buy option. And if one day you get tired of it, you don’t have to pretend that you sent him out in the country side, and instead can bring him back within the six months.
CEO/CFO Rental
This one already exists for small companies. Instead of paying for a full time rubbish big honcho, you “rent” a top of the range CFO for certain hours on a weekly or monthly basis. The thinking behind this idea is simple – experience and connections for the small time players without long term commitment and being on the hook for LARGE annual bonuses.
Marriage Rental
Short term rental for those who are thinking of getting married in the future. The person interested in marriage would rent a temporary spouse (male or female) to live with them, and perform everyday living as a married couple. This would give the candidate a good glimpse of what marriage would be like on day-to-day, and if he or she is cut out for marriage at all. Maybe they don’t like sharing their king size bed or whatever. I know realistically there’s a lot more involved, but at least it’s some food for thought or a good laugh. OK! Give me some credit for trying..LOL :)
Date Rentals
Lets say you’ve got a big career and no time for a committed relationship, and are attending events, galas and dinners, but you’d like to be accompanied by someone. Well there’s a solution for that – rent a date. It’s only for a night (weekends available), there’s no commitment, they dress, act, and say what you want them to say, and more importantly when it’s all over – you go back to living your life and they go back to living theirs. And if you really dig this person (and they dig you), well we’ve got us a match made in heaven.I’m sure by now, you’re probably thinking one could bring a friend along, sure that’s creative thinking, but who want’s their friends knowing all their career business.
Readers, what do you think, are we slooooowwwly becoming a lease everything society?
Best,
Eddie
Photo Credit (mythofgravity)
Eddie, I believe they already have rental dates. I think Charlie Sheen has been using this service for quite a while.
Kim@Eyesonthedollar recently posted..The Cost of Pet Ownership
We are indeed, which I think is a good thing for the savvy consumer.
Airbnb will be big bc it helps owners monetize their extra space. More and more such startups are growing here in the Bat. Task rabbit is another.
S
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We certainly are becoming a “lease” society. Some of your business ideas are kind of being implemented. I can’t think of the phrase off of the top of my head but the rent-a-date is out there (and no…I don’t mean a prostitute). The dog idea is a pretty good one though. It’s kind of crazy but that could actually work.
Jason @ WSL recently posted..Finding the Perfect Place to Spend Your Retirement After Years of Hard Work
I think so as leasing in one form or another is non committal in my opinion. At the end of the day, you own nothing but are making someone else richer. Yes you may have a lease or a term to pay but it’s still not yours. It’s the same as the credit cards and lines of credits we use, just borrowing money and making someone else rich. I could certainly see your examples becoming popular as odd as they may sound now.
Too many people are frightened to call something their own as money and jobs are far and few these days. My sister-in-law leased a car when she was in her early 20′s because she says she could give it back if she wanted. Yes, she will NEVER do that again, she says.
The dog idea is great as it breaks my heart to say so many pets without home or abandoned or injured. How many times do we see people offering “free pets” on kijiji and craigslist for one reason or another. Some people need a dose of reality before leaping in and maybe that’s what all this is about. Can they handle it, if it were their own!
Cheers
MR.CBB
Eddie, Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I think owning is the way to save money and get rich. Hey, this one’s going in my next round up, I like it :)
Barbara Friedberg recently posted..EXPERT FINANCIAL ADVICE; WHAT NOT TO DO WITH YOUR INVESTMENTS NOW
Fun article! If we are becoming a lease only society, then there’s money to be earned from buying stuff and leasing it out.
JP @ My Family Finances recently posted..Don’t Waste Your Money on AAA: Four Options for Free or Low-Cost Roadside Assistance for Your Family
I don’t know about renting, it just translates into recurring expense on a monthly basis. If I can avoid it, I buy.
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