Apparently You Can Get Paid To Be A Friend · 1:10pm Feb 23rd, 2017
There is this site called Rent A Friend where you can rent someone to hang out with you, go skydiving, go on a date; basically rent a friend to do any kind of platonic friendly activity.
You can either join as a member who wants to rent a friend for a specific activity or you can join as a 'friend' who sells their platonic services to whomever might be looking for them.
The 'rent a friend' service is for people who need say a last minute date to the prom, or someone to sight-see with, or someone to be in a photo or video they are shooting, or someone to teach them a specific thing like dancing, etc. It's basically hiring someone to do a task as a 'friend' for one occasion. Or perhaps more if you hire the same friend more than once. It is an interesting idea and has all sorts of creative applications. Like some people rent themselves out as language tutors, dog sitters, house cleaners, etc. One person was paid to stand in line for an iPhone for someone. It has all sorts of different uses.
It isn't as dangerous as you might think because people who join the site as 'members' pay a monthly or yearly fee to have access to the 'friends'. Because people pay a fee for using the site and also pay the friends for their various services, they are less likely to do something creepy because they have money invested in them. That being said, it is always smart for the friends to talk to the individual before they meet with them and meet their employers in a crowded area to avoid being potentially hurt.
There is also a protection for renters. They can request a refund from the site if the renter didn't follow through with their end of the deal and they can also report 'friends' that are shady or intend people who are using their services harm.
This is what they have written on their website.
How does RentAFriend.com work?
RentAFriend.com is extremely easy to use. No matter where you live, all you have to do is enter the location you wish to search on the Friend search page. Once you choose the location of where you are looking to find a new Friend, you will instantly see available Friends that are located in that area. You can view their photos, read their profiles and see what they are interested in for FREE. If you would like to contact the Friend, you must register to become a member of RentAFriend.com by paying a small membership fee. Once you become a registered Member, you can instantly contact all of the Friends on RentaFriend.com.
How are people using RentAFriend.com?
People are using RentAFriend.com for all different kinds of friendly activities. Here are just a few real examples that people are using RentAFriend.com for.
People who travel to a new city can hire a local to show them around town. It's always good to know someone from the area who can give you first hand information about where to go and what to avoid.
Someone might want to see a movie or go out to a restaurant but don't have anyone to go with. They could "Rent a Friend" to go along with them.
Many Friends on RentAFriend.com have unique talents and skills. They can teach you a new language, tutor you, share a new hobby, art, dance, and much more. It`s also a great way to meet people of different cultures and religions.
People who travel often for business that are looking to find local Friends to go out to dinner with, go to the bar with, or watch a sports game with. It's always great to have Friends in different cities.
People who have an extra ticket to a sporting event or concert and don`t want to go alone. They can "Rent a Friend" to go along them.
Someone may want a workout partner for the gym. Renting a Friend to help motivate and spot you during your workout. It can also be a lot cheaper than hiring a personal trainer.
Just looking for someone to give you personal advice. There are lots of people who just want to get real advice about a situation and it's always great to get an outsiders point of view.
How much do the Friends cost?
Most of the Friends on RentAFriend.com start at just $10 an hour, but almost all of them are willing to negotiate or even waive their fees depending on the activity you are planning with them.
How do I contact the Friends?
Once you become a member you can contact any of the friends by phone or message the Friend through our anonymous messaging system to negotiate your plans, price, and time.
How do I get started?
The best part about RentAFriend.com is that you can view all of the Friends' photos and profiles for free. This will allow you to find a Friend you are interested in meeting before you join.
This is the world we live in in 2017. :I
Why is this a thing?
4433557 Well, this site has been around since 2009 so I suppose there is a market out there for renting friends for specific tasks like hiring a last minute date for the prom, renting someone to take traveling with you so you don't feel lonely going by yourself, employing someone to take on extreme sporting activities like skydiving, and etc. :/
4433558 *Sarcasm alert* I totally cannot see this site being exploited by perverts, and murderers. Oh wait, I can see that happening
4433562 There actually really hasn't been too big of a problem with perverts or other weirdos on the site. Part of the reason for this is because people who join the site as 'members' pay a monthly or yearly membership fee. People who pay a fee are usually more invested in the service than those who join or use a site for free.
4433568 Ah, okay. I was worried about that for a second there
4433571 That being said, it is still the internet, so it is probably smart for the 'friend' to talk to the individual a lot before they meet up with them. And also to only meet them in areas where a lot of other people are around.
4433584 LOL That sums up my thoughts on this pretty good.
Just... Why? Friendship is priceless. Why would anyone think of putting a price tag on something that's been around for as long as our species has existed? It's so stupid.
4433605 As I mentioned in my journal entry, the 'rent a friend' service is more for people who need say a last minute date to the prom, or someone to sight-see with, or someone to be in a photo or video they are shooting, or someone to teach them a specific thing like dancing, etc. It's basically hiring someone to do a task as a 'friend' for one occasion. Or perhaps more if you hire the same friend more than once. It is an interesting idea and has all sorts of creative applications. Like some people rent themselves out as language tutors, dog sitters, house cleaners, etc. One person was paid to stand in line for an iPhone for someone. It has all sorts of different uses.
I think it is interesting that the site has been up and running since 2009. It has a bunch of registered members and 'friends' on it. So it must be getting good use and have an application for various things. It's also gotten a lot of press on news outlets and such. It is a very interesting concept, although it is at the same point in time very strange.
I'm so late. I find this weird but possibly useful
4448104 It could be useful if you need a friend to do a specific task for you or something. I could actually see this having a lot of unique applications. Too bad the service gets such bad press in general.
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I can understand why it would sound weird, but you're right. It could definitely be useful.
4453840 I think that it does as well. :)
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How did you find this site?
4458927 I read about it on this list of 'weird websites' that some site posted. And it is very weird indeed.
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Indeed it is.
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:)