14 of the Weirdest Things You Can Rent

You wouldn’t think twice about renting shoes at a bowling alley. And, depending on where you live, renting your home might be cheaper than buying.

However, when it comes to borrowing a casket for your great-aunt’s funeral or getting a couple goats to clear your lawn, you might have some reservations. But if you want to, you can rent these unusual items, and many others.

Don’t believe us? Below are some surprising items you can rent. While some may seem odd, you’re likely to find a few useful options that will save you time and money.

1. Chickens

Typical price for this type of rental: Varies by location

You may have seen chickens roaming suburban backyards lately. The “fowl” part about raising chickens on your own is the upkeep and maintenance. That’s why some try Rent The Chicken, instead.

“We take the guess work out of all of the questions by offering a portable coop, the food and supplies, and the egg laying hens,” says the company, which has locations across the U.S. and in western Canada. That’s all you’ll need to temporarily house chickens and enjoy fresh eggs for breakfast.

When your rental period is nearly over, you can decide to adopt the birds or let them go home to roost. Delivery and pickup are usually included in rental packages, and you can expect a dozen or more extra-fresh eggs each week.

Depending on the location, a standard rental package might be anywhere from $495 (Omaha, Nebraska) to $1,195 (Long Island, New York).

2. Christmas trees

Typical price for this type of rental: $55-$175

You’re concerned about furniture being tossed every few years? Imagine the impact on landfills from the winter holidays. Approximately 30 million Christmas trees are sold every year. Renting a tree doesn’t sound too ho-ho-horrible now, does it?

The Living Christmas Co. can vouch for the idea. Since 2008, they’ve been delivering tree rentals in the Los Angeles area. They offer species like Monterey pine and blue spruce. After the Christmas season, the trees are returned to their nursery and re-potted for the following year. Once a tree grows too tall for indoor use, it is planted in a community or nearby forest.

For those who absolutely can’t part with tradition, check out some eco-friendly uses for your dead Christmas tree.

3. Jewelry

Typical price for this type of rental: Monthly rates from $41 to $221, with discounts for annual memberships

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they aren’t friendly to your budget. Luckily for you, companies like Switch are in business to make your dreams come true.

A monthly subscription gives you access to designer jewelry and handbags — worth around $1,000 or $4,000 — that you can wear every day for as long as you like. When you’re ready for something new, exchange your pieces. Two-day shipping is included both ways. Available pieces include bracelets, bangles, earrings, ear cuffs, necklaces, chokers and rings

4. Caskets

Typical price for this type of rental: $725-$1,250

The Federal Trade Commission says the average casket costs a little more than $2,000.

A casket may be the single most-expensive item you’ll buy for a traditional funeral, so it makes sense to cut corners wherever you can. You could choose a casket made from cheaper materials, such as wood or plastic. Others, though, rent a casket.

Don’t kill the idea just yet. As the O’Brien Funeral Home in New Jersey says, renting is an environmentally friendly alternative to purchasing a casket.

Many families use a rental casket during visitation hours, a memorial service or the funeral itself. The body lies in a wooden box that is inserted in an empty casket.

“After the funeral service, the funeral director removes the inner container from the rental casket, transporting the inner container holding the body to the place of final disposition, most commonly a crematorium,” explains O’Brien Funeral Home’s website.

5. A neighbor’s garage

Typical price for this type of rental: $75-$250

It’s not unusual to ask your next-door neighbor for a cup of flour. You might have even called them to feed your cats or collect your mail while you’re away.

Requesting storage space, on the other hand, could be considered crossing the line.

Unless, however, they’ve listed their garage or extra room with Store At My House or Store With Me. These peer-to-peer companies offer homeowners a chance to rent out extra storage space to strangers. Store At My House, calling itself the “Airbnb of self storage,” claims that renters often save up to 50% compared with commercial storage solutions.

Plus, renting space gives you one more good way to get to know your neighbors.

6. Goats

Typical price for this type of rental: Varies by location

Hire Goats is a platform for renting out goats in the U.S., Canada and Australia. Why goats? These animals don’t pollute the air with carbon emissions, and they naturally fertilize the soil while they work.

Goats can clear brush and weeds from land around your home or office building. Goats have an affinity for eating unwanted plants and weeds, including poison ivy. This makes them attractive go-getters for clearing land.

Whether you have 1 acre or 100, these weed-eaters are effective, eco-friendly and cute to watch.

7. Camera equipment

Typical price for this type of rental: Varies by product; lens mounts start at $6 per week while high-end cameras can run nearly $2,500 per week

Save your smartphone camera for snapping selfies and posting on social media. When you’ve squirreled away money for months to take a memorable diving trip, you deserve to capture the moment with a real, professional-grade underwater camera. Or maybe you’re starting a vlog, but you don’t have the money for video equipment.

Call the experts at Borrow Lenses and get the professional photographic gear you need shipped straight to your front door. They have DSLRs, lighting accessories, video-recording equipment and more. The only shots you’ll miss are the ones you don’t take.

8. Furniture

Typical price for this type of rental: Subscriptions start at $149

Making a home for yourself is a beautiful part of life. But when it’s time to move on, the amount of wasted furniture gets pretty ugly.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 12.1 million tons of furniture and furnishings were tossed in American landfills in 2018.

Feather, available in New York City, San Francisco and Southern California, lets you choose furniture and styles you need in the moment. You rent the furniture, with the option to buy it.

When you’re ready to move homes or move on to a new look, you can swap out your pieces for different ones. This subscription-based service leaves an environmental footprint that’s as light as, well, a feather.

9. Dogs

Typical price for this type of rental: Varies by location

Renting a dog may seem like a “ruff” sell, but the reality is, it’s a walk in the park — literally. Here’s your chance to take a dog for a walk, play in the park or just sit and cuddle on the couch.

Animal shelters across the country have “doggy day out” programs, so search locally for dates and details near you. At SPCA Florida in Lakeland, “doggie dates” cost $10. At some locations, may not even be asked to pay a fee, although donations are graciously accepted.

Of course, the hope behind these programs is to turn your “rental” experience into a lifelong relationship.

10. Wedding cakes

Typical price for this type of rental: $200+

Renting tables, chairs and linens makes sense. They can be reused until the threads run bare.

But renting cakes? Leave it to Mary’s Cake Design, which has mastered the art of faux cakery.

The company creates show-stopping, weatherproof confections guaranteed to hold up for pictures and outdoor parties, made from styrofoam and covered with fondant.

You pose, guests oooh and ahh, and when you’re done “cutting” and capturing the moment, the fake cake is hidden behind the scenes, leaving you to cut and serve a less-expensive, edible sheet cake without anyone knowing the difference.

While a traditional wedding cake might go for anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000, the company says, its cakes start at $200 for a simple three-tier design.

11. Friends

Typical price for this type of rental: $10 an hour and up

Yes, renting a friend is a very real concept. You can rent a friend for a number of reasons: to hit the gym, go see a ballgame, guide you through a new city and much more.

Though adamantly not a dating website, RentAFriend.com has some similar features. Users browse potential friends’ pictures and profiles to decide if they’re a good fit for you. Membership is free. The cost of renting a friend is usually about $10 per hour, but “some might even waive their fee if the value of the activity they’ll be partaking in more than compensates them. (Like seeing a hit show.) It’s all negotiable,” RentAFriend’s site says.

Once you become a member, you can contact “friends” by phone or anonymous message to discuss plans.

12. Private islands

Typical price for this type of rental: Varies by location

The proliferation of Airbnb listings makes renting an entire home a vacation essential. Naturally, the next step is to rent your own private island. We promise you’re not dreaming.

With over 750 islands for sale or rent, the Private Islands Inc. portfolio has a little slice of heaven for every traveler. Browse rentals by region, price, island type or lifestyle.

What is a bit lofty are the prices. When the rent price last was publicly posted, in 2017, exclusive use of Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands, for example, was $80,000 per night. Many private island rentals do not list fees. Potential renters must inquire.

For a more (relatively) affordable piece of paradise, try Rent My Island, in the Florida Keys, where weekly rates can be under $3,200 for this island.

13. Rage rooms

Typical price for this type of rental: $65-$75 per person for 20-30 minutes

Mad as heck and not going to take it anymore? Try renting space to vent: a rage room. They’ve become all the rage for letting off a little steam, and there’s likely one near you.

For example, Smash Therapy in Spring, Texas, lets you bring stuff to destroy or provides various wooden objects, electronics and glass to beat on. It also says safety gear and “a variety of weapons such as baseball bats, sledge hammers, golf clubs, crow bars etc. are provided.” (You cannot bring your own weapons.) You can play music, too.

14. Recycled mannequins

Typical price for this type of rental: $40 per week

Think of all the metal racks and mannequins in your favorite clothing store. Now imagine what happens when a store closes its doors. Many of those perfectly good mannequins end up in landfills. The fortunate ones, however, are recycled to Mannequin Madness.

Mannequin Madness receives mannequins from retail stores that are closing or remodeling and sells them at a discount. If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you can rent from Mannequin Madness as well. They have a wide selection of mannequins, dress forms and “body parts.”