Why borrowing is the new buying - and how everyone can tap into the trend

Have you ever wasted money on a new hobby, like a kayak, breadmaker or even sports gear only for it to sit unused in a cupboard for the majority of the year until you have time to try it again? Or perhaps you bought your child a new bike or a pair of roller blades only for them to grow out of them - or get bored - within a short space of time?

Renting solves this dilemma, and saves you money too!

Deal days like Black Friday are part of the wider issue 

Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday - or any sales for that matter - you most likely receive hundreds of emails with the word ‘sale’ or ‘discount’ in the subject line. Not to mention, in the actual body of each email, notes on how much you’ll be saving by choosing to shop on this particular day. Don’t be fooled, these emails and adverts are designed to whip consumers up into a buying frenzy, setting the precedent that if you fail to make a purchase you’ll somehow be missing out, but that is simply not true!

These pre-sale marketing methods are designed to encourage the thought process that you need to buy and this deal is your last chance to bag a bargain ahead of Christmas or other celebration - INSERT CELEBRATION OF CHOICE. It’s a narrative that encourages thankless, unnecessary spending - which in turn creates huge amounts of waste - and often the discount is not what it appears to be.

The thing about these sale events, especially on days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is that some brands will hike up their RRP prices in a bid to ensure that the deal price they then set makes it appear that shoppers are getting a much greater discount than they actually are! We know, the cheek of it! And often you can find a similar or sometimes better deal by shopping at other times of the year. OR… we have another option for you to get what you want but for much less of a cost, less carbon and less waste!

Reasons to say no to buying and choose to rent instead 

Choosing to rent items as and when you need them - whether it’s something for the kids or a piece of tech you need for work - helps reduce your spending, as well as reducing waste from packaging, or simply from lack of use. It also helps to limit environmental damage, because the less we buy, the less is needed to be produced so carbon is saved!

Not only is is more efficient to rent what you need, when you need it, you also get the benefit of meeting and learning from the item owner. Perhaps you’ve never used a projector before and you want tips on how to set it up correctly. Or maybe you want to try photography and need some advice on how to take the best landscape shot with the camera you’re renting. This kind of knowledge is invaluable and often missed in the consumer climate!

Where can you rent things rather than buying? 

It’s easier than you would think to get started - thankfully, there are lots of easily accessible renting services that can help with whatever you need. Whether it’s a new skateboard for the kids, a cooking appliance, or even a car - there’s a service available to help and RentMy is the hub for them all!

There are a wide range of websites where you can rent a variety of items, selecting whichever rental time frame works best for you and whatever location.

Bike Club, for instance, offers a wide range of kids bikes - a common Christmas gift.

Usually, you buy a bike for your kid and then it only ends up lasting a year - or two at the most - as they grow fast. By choosing to rent, once your child outgrows one bike, you can exchange it for the next size up, returning the old bike for another user to borrow. This eliminates waste and reduces unnecessary spending.

Another great site is By Rotation, a designer clothing rental site that allows users to borrow items of clothing for set periods of time, before returning them and swapping them out for something new. Great for the upcoming party season as you can get some real gems of designer clothes!

Stuck for inspiration? You can browse RentMy - the Airbnb of everything - to see what catches your eye – safe in the knowledge you won’t be lumbered with yet another item to have to store at home. From sports equipment to home appliances and camping gear, it’s all available to rent!

Need a car? No problem! Karshare have you covered with a great selection of cars across the UK’s major cities. It’s easy to sign up and once vetted you can get renting from as little as £30 a day.

Access to just about everything just got a whole lot easier and much more affordable!

But what about Christmas?

If there’s one time of year that effortlessly encourages waste, it’s the festive season. But, it doesn’t have to - just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean you have to splurge on pricey presents, that cost both a lot of money and a lot of carbon.

Instead, you could opt for gifts that are a little more environmentally conscious, such as gifting an experience rather than a physical present. There are some fantastic companies offering all manner of experiences, from spa days and race car driving to mushroom foraging and cheese making - and pretty much everything in between too.

Or, how about gifting subscriptions for food and drink? For anyone with a penchant for a specific tipple or a favourite food, a subscription could make a winning present, you could even say it’s gift that keeps on giving, as the recipient will receive it for several weeks or months after!

Still want to buy something physical? Have you considered second hand? It’s not the dirty word it used to be! You can find some beautiful gifts, craft tools to make something or even designer clothing from places like eBay and Gumtree. Or even better head to Rumage where you can find everything in one place!

Lastly, you could make the most of rentals! Whether gifting a voucher for a rental subscription (check out The Little Loop and Bike Club), or booking a kayak rental and planning a day out for your loved ones, the sharing and circular economies offer great options for an eco-conscious  Christmas without having to buy into Black Friday!