You may have spent a lot of money on your home and everything in it, so why not earn some back? A bevy of new apps and online services gives you more options than ever for making money from your property and belongings.
Take a look at some of the more unexpected ways of making your home pay its way.
1. Make your home a movie star
Letting out your home as a film or TV set is perhaps one of the most unusual ways to make money from your home – but it could be the most lucrative, and it’s definitely the most glamorous.
To see your home on the silver screen, get in touch with agencies such as Amazing Space, Lavish Locations, or the BBC’s locations department. If they’re interested, they’ll send someone out to gauge your home’s multiplex appeal.
Keep in mind: renting out your home to a film crew can be intrusive and disruptive. Bigger projects can take a long time, with crews unloading vans of equipment and dressing up your home to their liking before the shoot even begins.
On the bright side, they’re obliged to return your property to the way they found it, and should be fully insured to cover any damage.
2. Rent out your driveway
Anyone who’s ever driven around for hours trying to find parking will appreciate the appeal of having a reserved spot on someone else’s drive.
If you have a driveway or parking space that you’re not using, you can offer it up to other motorists with services such as Park On My Drive and Just Park.
3. Turn your living room into an office
The rise in flexible working has driven demand for flexible work spaces.
Your house, or one specific part of it, could be the working environment someone in your area is looking for.
A website like Vrumi lets homeowners list spaces for ‘busy professionals’ to work from, including living rooms, garden sheds, and even boats.
4. Offer up storage space
If your home isn’t full to the brim with your own stuff, you can still put any empty garage, spare room or attic space to use.
Services such as Store Mates connect people with spare storage space to people who need it. You can list your space, its size, and your price online.
5. Hire out your car
If you have a second car, or just don’t drive very often, you can rent out your vehicle through websites such as Hiyacar and Turo.
With Hiyacar, you can fit a ‘QuickStart box’ in your car. Borrowers can unlock this with the app, meaning you never have to arrange to meet them.
6. Host a premium dinner party
Keen chefs can host paid-for dinner parties or cooking classes with a service such as EatWith.
You design the event and control the number of guests who can attend. Then you cook them a meal and eat with them.
This is definitely the most social way to make money from your home. It’s one of the most rewarding, too, since it lets you improve your cooking skills. Plus, it’s the only entry on this list that will prepare you for a stint on Come Dine With Me.
7. Let out your caravan
If your caravan or motorhome sits empty for most of the year, letting it out will give other people the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.
Sites such as Camptoo and Camplify allow users to list their motorhomes online to rent out to happy campers.
8. Rent out everything
Okay, maybe not everything. But services such as Fat Llama and Borrow-it encourage users to list items they aren’t using for others to rent.
Current listings include DJ equipment, bikes, games consoles, and even a baby play mat.
