SpaceOut was featured in one of the cover articles from the September 2010 edition of Money Magazine  – An Extra $200 a month renting out spare space.

The Money Magazine “Smart Money” article outlines some of the many benefits of renting out your spare  space and Quotes our Technical Director (Andy Henderson) :

“Almost everyone has unused space around their home,apartment, or business – whether that’s your garage, your parking spot, your shed, a spare room or even your fridge – you’ll find there is someone out there willing to pay you to use it.”

Private rentals are increasingly becoming recognised as real alternatives to traditional self-storage facilities – and are often much more convenient, and significantly cheaper as well.  Using online services such as www. SpaceOut.com.au, ordinary Australians can lease out their excess or unused space privately and make a little extra cash on the side.

“Many of us have got a spare bedroom or shed. More often than not it’s half-filled with our own junk,  Why not do a reshuffle and rent it out?”

Private storage suits all types of people – particularly retirees and “empty nesters”,  who wouldn’t dream of  getting in a tenant (and sharing their house and lives with someone), but are very happy to store someones furniture in the spare room for a few months or more while the person is off travelling.

“Typically you are looking at between $100 and $200 a month for doing little more than putting stuff in a room and shutting the door”

If you’d like to read more about how you can make money from space, and turn your unused bedroom, shed or garage into an extra regular income, get out today and get your own copy of Money Magazine – September 2010.

Over the last few years Councils across Australia have been attempting to minimise traffic congestion by reducing the number of car parking spaces available in new developments.  As the number of parking spaces is dropping, the value of these spaces is soaring.  Car parking spaces in Sydney, once worth $5000 to $10,000, are now regularly selling for between $40,000 and $140,000 each.

Brisbane City Council has also tightened rules to reduce parking in buildings over recent years, and the number of available carpark spaces had been reduced by 50 per cent.

Business owners with spare parking spaces, and owners of inner city units without a car, have been using services like SpaceOut (www.spaceout.com.au) to rent out their unused parking spaces and cash in on council policy changes.

There is currently a proposal put forward by the City of Melbourne (which is yet to be approved), limiting a single car park space per dwelling for new developments at inner-suburban Carlton and Southbank, and in parts of the northwest and east of the city.

As inner city parking becomes increasingly scarce across CBDs throughout Australia, there will be more and more opportunities for the owners of Private and Business parking spaces to make some extra cash, by renting their unused space out.  Conversely, as the price of inner city parking fees increase there are fabulous opportunities for people looking for a parking space to make great savings by searching for cheap parking on SpaceOut.

Property owners in cities and towns throughout Australia, with unused garages, parking spots or even driveways are offering them up for rent as private parking – providing a great alternative for people who are fed up with paying high parking rates.  Some owners are charging as little as $150 a month for inner city parking – or even less for suburban spots. Using private parking could save you thousands of dollars a year. A recent study shows that Sydney CBD has a median parking rate of $730 per month.

A new type of online services like that offered at www.spaceout.com.au allows you to locate and get in touch with people who have lock up garages, undercover parking or private driveways that they are willing to rent out on an annual, monthly and even casual basis.

These days many people living in or near capital city CBDs have parking spaces included with their lease but don’t own a vehicle, and don’t need or use the parking spot.  Many of these people are happy to rent out the parking space at a fraction of the normal rate.  They get a regular extra income, and you can get bargain priced parking – it is a win, win situation where everyone benefits.

A spokesman for classified advertising and community website Gumtree said it had seen a “massive increase” in the number of parking spaces and garages for hire in recent months. It has now introduced a section for people looking to rent a garage or parking space.

Whether you need to park near the CBD, sporting arenas, shopping centers, hospitals, theatres or close to a railway station you are probably used to paying a fortune for parking. However space owners with driveways near the CBD, train stations and even major shopping centers are renting out private parking spaces for as little as $150 per month.

Damon Russell from SpaceOut says “we get new listings just about every day from people wanting to lease out their unused space.”   Right now SpaceOut has hundreds of cost effective parking space listings that are available for rent in capital city CBDs and suburban locations throughout Australia.

Steve and Craig from, Sydney currently “share” a garage in Redfern. Steve, “the home owner” leaves early to work at the Sydney airport and Matt parks his car there whilst he is at work from 8.30 -5pm. Steve makes $3000 per year and Craig is saving about $2000 per year on parking fees and is actually closer to his office.

“It works for both the parking space owner and the motorist wanting the space. Drivers typically save between 30 and 70 per cent off the cost of parking when they choose to use this method instead of a commercial car park.” Says Russell.

Some residents close to airports have even been offering lifts to the airport as well as their driveway to park your car.

Private parking space rental is a relatively new concept, but the idea of ”sharing” unused space actually ties in very nicely with societies increasing awareness of the benefits of recycling.  Why not give it a go, save yourself some money on parking fees (or make some extra cash if you are an owner) and do your little bit for a greener community.

If you have a finance related resolution this year, chances are that you can utilise SpaceOut to that end. Whether it’s to save money or add to your monthly income, SpaceOut is a great place to start.

Looking for: Office space, Storage space, a handy parking space, a place to park your boat or caravan or truck, a paddock or shed, then SpaceOut is the place where you can find the best deals that are not found anywhere else! Space Owners are regular people who offer their space for very reasonable rates, and you’re likely to find something that suits in the suburb you want it.

Of course if you own any of the above, clean it up and list it now – get in early and see how you can leverage previously unutilised space into cash income that is literally money out of thin air! We receive great feedback every day from people putting all kinds of space to great use, and love hearing from our members. Go ahead, add SpaceOut to your New Year Resolutions and tell your friends so they can benefit too.

We here at SpaceOut wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010, and a big thank you to all our members who helped to make us what we are today.

Data released yesterday by Commsec shows that over the last 20 years, the average size of a home in Australia has increased by more than 30%.

The houses are emptier too, with the number of people in each home gradually declining over the last 100 years because of a trend towards smaller families.  This trend has only just started to change, with the number of people to a dwelling rising slightly last year – the first time it has done so in over a century.

However, with the increase in house sizes, there appears to be a corresponding increase  in rental costs.  A report from BIS Shrapnel has  also forecast that rents are expected to spiral – with increased rents of 5% a year in most capital cities over the next few years.

So, if you (like many Aussies apparently) are living in a large home  and have more space than you know what to do with, now is a prime opportunity to cash in on it.  You can convert that empty,  unused, or spare  space into a regular extra income – simply advertise your space for rent, make some extra cash, and provide an opportunity for someone else in your community to save money on storage costs.

This episode featured SpaceOut in a story about some innovative Small Business ideas for making money. Paul Clitheroe, one of Australia’s leading media commentators on financial issues said :

“One Idea that I really like is SpaceOut.  I love this idea of making money out of things that we already own.  SpaceOut is a website where you can list a spare bedroom, an empty garage, or a farmer could even list an empty paddock for animals for agistment.  It’s kind of making money out of nothing – that’s got to be a really good idea.“

The Final episode also included stories about :

• Making your own Washing Powder - is easier than you think and a way to save a packet on your laundry costs
• Kids Jobs – becoming a referee for their favourite sport – or busking can be a great way for kids to make money
• Family Daycare – ever thought about setting up your own Family Day care centre ?
• Small Business Ideas – setting up your own small business (like SpaceOut) can be a fabulous way to make some extra money

We are excited to see that SpaceOut has once again been recognised as a great way for ordinary Australians to make some extra money (by renting out unused space in your home and business) or saving money (by finding cheap and convenient space to rent).

The 7th episode included stories about :

• Wild Women – perfect for all women who want to lead healthy, happy lives.
• Clothes Swap Parties – Swap fashion items that you no longer wear. Upgrade, update and refresh your wardrobe without feeling guilty!
• Haul – creating accessories from recycled materials
  

Remember that one of the easiest way for you to make money is by renting out unused space in your home and business.  You can earn $200 or more (that’s over $2,000 a year) by turning your wasted space into cash – now that really is Money for Jam.

p.s. we’ve heard that SpaceOut may be getting a mention on next weeks Money for Jam (the final Episode) – so loom out for it.

The 6th episode included stories about :

• Garage Sales – an age old favourite – and a great way to clear out the things you no longer sue (and make some money)
• Money from pets – training your pets for film or TV can be very lucrative
• Any Old Iron ? -  You can make some extra cash by collecting and selling scrap metal

Remember that one of the easiest way for you to make money is by renting out unused space in your home and business.  You can earn $200 or more (that’s over $2,000 a year) by turning your wasted space into cash – now that really is Money for Jam.

The Owner

Paul, has a large shed in his yard that he barely uses.  He was told about SpaceOut by a friend and thought it could be a great opportunity to make some extra cash (and help pay off his mortgage) by renting it out.

The Seeker

Anthony, a self employed builder, (who happens to live in the very same street as Paul)  has a work truck that he had to park on the street outside his house. He was concerned about the security of his tools, so every day had to load and unload the truck to store his tools safely in his house.  Anthony  heard about  SpaceOut and was hoping to find a secure storage shed or garage within walking distance for his truck and tools.

The Match

Anthony spotted Paul’s listing and couldn’t believe his luck – finding a space so close by.  He got in touch; viewed the space; they struck a deal; and now both are much better off – thanks to SpaceOut.

But the story does not end there.  Although living so close – they had not actually met each other before SpaceOut.  As it happens, Paul was planning on doing some renovations to his house, was looking for a local builder, and realised  that Anthony might be the perfect man for the job.  So now they are discussing the possibility of a contra deal as part payment for the renovations.

Anthony gets somewhere to park his truck, as well as his next job lined up and Paul gets a bargain price for his renovation.  This is a win-win situation for both Paul (the Space Owner) and Anthony (the Space Seeker).

The Community Wins

This match shows the community working together and sharing resources in tough times…and that is what SpaceOut is all about.  Just imagine – in the future when SpaceOut is more widely known,  this scenario will happen all the time. Is there  someone in your street that you may be able to assist in some way ?

We love to hear stories of successful SpaceOut match ups – if you have a story to tell, please add a comment or let us know about your SpaceOut experience.

The 5th episode included stories about :

• Business is Booming – despite the economic downturn some business are still doing very well.   Businesses (such as SpaceOut) that provide cheaper or smarter alternatives are booming
• Community Gardens – not only provide a source of cheap healthy fruit and veggies – but also encourage you to interact socially with other members of your neighbourhood
• Extra and location work – can be a lucrative and fun way to make money
• Teaching your kids to save money – is a great way for them to learn the value of money and could encourage them to be the entrepreneurs of tomorrow
• Talented Kids – find out how talented kids can make money

Remember that one of the easiest way for you to make money is still by renting out unused space in your home and business.  You can earn $200 – $300 a month (or more) by turning your wasted space into cash – now that really is Money for Jam.