Your Driveway and Four Other Unconventional Things You Can Rent Out To Make Up To $10,000 a Month
Written by
Martin Dasko
Edited by
Angela Corry
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The percentage of full-time American workers with more than one job reached 5.3% of the workplace in 2024, the highest figure since 2019, according to data from The Washington Post. While supplemental income sources are likely necessary to help with rising costs, the good news is that there are fairly easy options available if you want to bring in some more money monthly with a side gig.
Here are five things you can rent beyond a room or apartment to earn at least $100 a month and up to $10,000, depending on your resources.
Your Driveway
“Garages, driveways, carports, and empty lots can be rented out for parking,” said
Ryan Barone, co-founder and CEO at RentRedi. “This can be particularly successful and lucrative if your property is located in an area where there’s a severe shortage of parking spaces, such as a crowded metropolitan city.”
The first option is your driveway because someone could be looking for a parking spot in your community. The amount you can earn will depend on your location and the demand for parking. You can get a rough ballpark range by looking through classified parking ads in your community. If you live near a college campus or sporting/entertainment venue, you could also offer daily parking for visitors.
According to Spacer, the average amount that you can earn for renting out your driveway is $200 per month, but some locations can earn up to $450 monthly. This income stream doesn’t require much effort on your end aside from finding a paying client.
Backyard/Pool
“Backyards seem to be another great income source,” noted Ed Huang, a side hustle and finance expert at SideHustles.com. “Think dog-playing areas, tiny weddings, or photo shoots.” If you have a backyard or a pool, you can rent out both of these as there are many lucrative opportunities available.
Huang suggested that you rent out your backyard by the hour to entertainers wanting to host pool parties or provide aquatics classes via platforms like Swimply. A spokesperson from Swimply informed Forbes that pool owners can earn anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 monthly on the platform.
Barone added, “If you have an expansive, nicely landscaped yard, consider renting it out for parties, events, photoshoots, or filming locations.”
There are numerous options for making money from your backyard if you set it up correctly.
Storage Space
“Storage is also typically in short supply and/or comes with a hefty price tag at storage companies,” noted Barone. “Your attic, basement, closets and outdoor storage sheds can be rented out to those who need extra storage space.”
You could even set up a shed or alternative structure in your backyard to offer storage. If you live near a college campus, you could find students looking for temporary storage options during the summer months so they don’t have to haul their stuff around.
According to data from Neighbor.com, you could earn $294 per hour worked with this venture. With a storage side hustle, you have to focus on setting up your space and listing first, which could then lead to passive income for the foreseeable future.
Camper or RV
Huang mentioned that if you have a camper or RV, you can rent it out as a parked Airbnb or short-term rental. According to data from Tipalti, the average annual earnings for an Airbnb host were listed as $44,235. If you browse through a platform like Airbnb, you’ll find plenty of RV options to gather data on pricing points. You could earn some decent money from this, depending on your location and space.
Tools or Instruments
“Tools and equipment like a lawn mower, snow blower or power drill will always be in demand, so it’s a good idea to consider renting these things out,” stated Huang.
The good news is that you can list almost anything due to the sharing economy, as there are platforms for listing your stuff for rent.
Here are a few other options for tools and equipment that you could rent out for money:
- Specialty kitchen gadgets, like a stand mixer, pasta maker or pizza oven
- Musical instruments for those trying out something new
- Costumes and formal wear
- Cameras and streaming equipment
- Hiking gear
Huang elaborated, “Parents love renting instruments for kids just starting out, and people can save a fortune by renting costumes or formal clothing like prom dresses.” The tools, equipment, and instruments that you can profit from will depend on what you already have in your home. For example, you can rent your camera equipment on ShareGrid or list your power tools on Fat Llama. Research from Neighbor.com shared that you can earn $50 to $150 daily based on the tool and up to $100 daily from renting out streaming equipment.
With some creativity, you can turn even the most random things you own into a steady side income. You’ll want to start by exploring the different platforms available to see where you can monetize your stuff.
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