Sharing Is Good: How to Save Money, Time and Resources Through Collaborative Consumption (20 page)

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Who can use it?
Anyone.

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Cost to join?
It’s free to use GetYourGuide. There are no sign-up or subscription fees. Those who wish to become “guides” must

pay a commission fee that is based on company size, frequency of

bookings and other variables.

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What about safety?
A secure online payment system, a private messaging system, and user-generated reviews help GetYourGuide

users choose activities that are safe and appropriate.

Guidehop.com
— A peer-to-peer marketplace for group tours and experiences created by independent locals for those seeking authentic experiences. GuideHop is open to whatever you like to do.

Hiking, sports, shopping — whatever you’re interested in, there are probably other travelers who are interested too.

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Where is it offered?
Globally. Though, as a beta site, the number of listings in each city is somewhat limited. Most listings are in Austin, Texas, as that’s the city where GuideHop was founded.

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Who can use it?
Anyone.

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Cost to join?
None. It’s free to sign up and post activities. Guides control the cost, scheduling, and cancellation policies for their own activities. For each booked tour, GuideHop charges a 3%

processing fee to the guide and a fee of $5 or 15% of the tour price to the consumer.

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What about safety?
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appear to be the only way for users to differentiate between trust-ed and unproven guides.

Sidetour.com
— An online marketplace where users can find hand-picked activities, tours, and memorable things to do, all hosted by talented local people.

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Where is it offered?
As a fairly new company, Sidetour currently offers experiences only in a few US cities. At the time of this writing, only Chicago, New York City, and Washington, DC, were

available.

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Who can use it?
Individuals (including those seeking private group tours) and companies are invited to use Sidetour.

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Cost to join?
None. Joining and listing an experience on Sidetour is free. For each completed transaction, Sidetour collects a 20%

transaction fee before releasing payment to hosts.

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What about safety?
Sidetour personally vets all hosts to make sure they’ve got what it takes to lead an awesome experience.

Flat-Club.com
— An online service that helps you rent your place or find a place to stay through your own trusted academic, professional, and social networks. Stays can last anywhere from one night to six months.

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Where is it offered?
Globally. Most listings are outside of the United States and Canada.

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Who can use it?
Anyone can sign up for and browse/book on Flat-Club. However, only those with an active email address or

Facebook login can join a “club,” which is an internal network restricted to students, faculty, and alumni of a certain school, or employees of a certain company. Some people choose to display

their listings only to their clubs.

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Cost to join?
Everyone can join Flat-Club and the clubs of their existing networks for free. Flat-Club charges members a 5–15%

commission on each booking, depending on the length of stay.

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What about safety?
No personal details are revealed before a booking is complete. Users have the ability to limit visibility of their listings to personal networks of their choosing, and they

have complete control over who books their property. Flat-Club

does not provide a guest screening service.

Temporary House Swaps

Sometimes trips last longer than a week, or even a month. Rather

than booking a room that’s charged by the night, a temporary housing swap might be a way to save money and gain a more immersive

experience. With this kind of shared housing arrangement, users

who want to travel to a particular location are matched with property owners at the desired destination.

LoveHomeSwap.com
— If you’ve ever wished you could just pack your own house in your suitcase, LoveHomeSwap is the perfect

solution. List your home and then browse the listings of other members. When a match is found, you can vacation like a local while

someone does the same in your house. All for
free.

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Where is it offered?
LoveHomeSwap has more than 5,000 homes offered by members in over 100 countries. Most listings are in

Europe.

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Who can use it?
Homeowners only. Swaps do not need to be simultaneous. Members are free to work out scheduling on their

own.

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Cost to join?
Yes. LoveHomeSwap offers a basic membership starting at $14.58/month. This entitles you to unlimited listings and swaps with no additional fees. The Luxe membership starts

at $27.42/month and includes 5-star concierge service, an airport lounge pass, personal key exchange, and a trust authentication

service powered by Experian.

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What about safety?
Outside of Europe, it’s the responsibility of the homeowner to examine their insurance policy to guarantee

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that their property is fully covered while it’s occupied by other people. For those who reside within Europe, the company offers

a bespoke insurance product for LoveHomeSwap members that

deals specifically with the circumstances of a home swap. There is an additional fee to take advantage of this policy.

HomeExchangePlace.com
— An alternative to hotels and resorts for those who want to vacation in privacy and comfort. You stay in someone’s home while they stay in yours. In many cases, swapping

homes has been the beginning of a new and long friendship. Non-

simultaneous exchanges are allowed.

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Where is it offered?
Globally.

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Who can use it?
Anyone. Both homeowners and renters are welcomed on HomeExchangePlace. However, swapping properties

as a renter may be viewed as subletting in some lease agreements, so you should clear that with your landlord before making a

swap.

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Cost to join?
None. Membership is free, as is listing and swapping accommodations.

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What about safety?
As always, good communication is key to a successful home swap. Members are responsible for contacting

and asking questions of those with whom they choose to swap.

Though HomeExchangePlace doesn’t offer insurance, they point

out that most agencies cover exchange partners just like invited

guests in your home or “permitted” drivers and offer coverage

as such. To avoid unnecessary liability, it’s always a good idea to check with your individual insurance provider before swapping.

Digsville.com
— An international vacation home exchange. Expand your horizons and visit new destinations on a shoestring budget by swapping with others who want to visit your hometown.

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Where is it offered?
Listings and members are located in hundreds of countries around the world; however, the most popular

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destinations are in the US, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Italy.

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Who can use it?
Anyone, from homeowners to apartment renters.

Second homes and vacation homes are also welcome. Digsville

guarantees you will find the home exchange you’re looking for

or they will extend your full paid membership (to list your own

home and offer) for an entire year until you do.

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Cost to join?
There is no cost to search, save, and contact your favorite listings. To post your own listing and access full member benefits, the annual fee is $44.95. There are no hidden charges or transaction fees.

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What about safety?
Digsville provides a member-generated rating system called U-Rate that allows members to rate any home in

the database that they have swapped with. Potential swappers can

read publicly visible, objective feedback from members who have

swapped with a particular member and stayed in the very home

you are considering.

SabbaticalHomes.com
— The leading Internet-based directory for academic home exchanges, home rentals, and house-sitting opportunities, facilitating sabbatical home matches across the globe.

Established in 2000 by the spouse of an academic, SabbaticalHomes is still run by its founder and a team of multinationals who find inspiration in members’ extraordinary lives.

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Where is it offered?
Internationally. Top countries include Australia, Canada, England, France, Greece, Ireland, and Israel.

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Who can use it?
Although it was designed for academics and their families, anyone is welcome to use the service if they prefer to work with scholars, artists, and writers.

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Cost to join?
It is free to register as a member of the site. The fee for posting a home offered listing is $45 for academics ($65

for non-academics). It is free for academics to post a home

wanted listing, and only $20 for non-academics. Listings remain

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active for up to 14 months, can be updated at any time, and are

renewable.

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What about safety?
A private messaging system and user-generated feedback help to ensure you choose the right guest for your

property. The site also offers a number of publicly visible testimonials from users.

CommuterSwap.net
— Commuter Swap represents a shift in the way people think about getting to and from work. By swapping

accommodations with someone who lives closer to your job, it’s possible to create an economically, environmentally, and mentally more efficient way of commuting.

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Where is it offered?
CommuterSwap has members in 20 countries, including the US, Canada, France, the United Kingdom,

Japan, Norway, and Argentina.

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Who can use it?
Anyone who wants a shorter commute. Both property owners and renters are welcome.

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Cost to join?
Search and browse the site for free. It normally costs $10 to post a listing, but that fee was being waived at the time of this writing.

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What about safety?
CommuterSwap encourages private messaging and interviews before choosing a swap partner. Commuter

Swap does not post your name, street address, or email address

on your public listing page. A well-documented contract between

parties is highly recommended. All users are encouraged to con-

tact their local insurance agent to confirm that their insurance

policy completely covers liability when a guest occupies the home.

HomeExchange.com
— A vacation home exchange services that allows members to trade their homes, condominiums, or apartments

at a time that is convenient to both parties. HomeExchange also facilitates
hospitality exchanges.
With these, members stay with you as guests and then you go and stay with them as their guests.

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Where is it offered?
HomeExchange hosts 41,000 listings in hundreds of countries. The US, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom,

France, Denmark, and Spain are some of the most popular

destinations.

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Who can use it?
Both property owners and renters are welcome.

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Cost to join?
There is no cost to browse listings. A $9.95 per month fee for a one-year unlimited membership costs around

$119, while a three-month membership costs around $48.

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What about safety?
HomeExchange believes that good communication minimizes misplaced expectations. Members are

encouraged to ask questions about the home and neighborhood,

and should always request to see photos and ask for referrals from prior exchanges. As always, members should verify liability with

their insurance company or landlord before swapping.

Permanent Housing Swaps/Relocation

The current housing market, especially in the United States, is

rather grim. Homes that used to demand hundreds of thousands

of dollars now can’t be sold at any price. Individuals that have found work in other states or countries find themselves facing the prospect of paying two mortgages because they can’t unload their current home. Once again, when we eliminate the need for money to change

hands, we find that even the task of moving to a new home can be

vastly simplified. So far, I’ve talked about housing swaps in terms of vacations, sabbaticals, or short-term exchanges. But there’s a growing industry of permanent house swapping that can allow you to

eliminate the hassle and high cost of traditional real estate sales.

GoSwap.org
— Who says using a realtor is the only way to find a new house? GoSwap is a permanent house swapping site, meaning

you list your house or land, look for a house you want, and then exchange it with someone who wants your house. It works even if you still owe on your mortgage.

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Where is it offered?
GoSwap facilitates housing trades all over the world, although most listings are in the United States.

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Who can use it?
Anyone. Trading homes is just another way of selling real estate. The concept is especially beneficial to someone who is moving to a different location and simply wants a similar