How To Earn Extra Cash By Renting Out Your Baby Gear

For little people, babies sure require a lot of stuff. There are high chairs, cribs, car seats, and that’s all before they even start to crawl. When your kids outgrow their gear, you may be tempted to let it languish in the garage or to even throw it out in the name of  KonMari-ing your space, but you can actually make money off of your baby gear by renting it out.

When families travel, they may opt to rent out items like a car seat or stroller rather than dealing with the struggle and hassle of bringing their own. Local parents can act as independent contractors, renting out their gear to traveling parents in need through a service like BabyQuip, which was founded by Match.com co-founder Fran Maier. Travelers simply enter their destination and receive a map of suppliers.

Other similar national services include Babies Getaway, goBaby and Traveling Baby Company.

Here’s how it works at BabyQuip: As the provider, you’re in charge of delivering the item to the renter, at places like the airport, their hotel or a vacation rental. Sometimes, you may be asked to help set up a crib or other item that requires a bit of elbow grease, but other times, it can be as simple as dropping the item off at the front desk of the hotel. At the end of the rental period, you pick up the item and clean it in preparation for the next rental.

This tweet from BabyQuip gives an idea of how much one of their package deals costs:

For around $50, you can rent a high chair for meal time, a walker to help your little one roam, and a changing pad to keep the mess contained in your hotel room on your next 4-day trip! Visit our website to check out all of the amazing packages and gear you can choose from. pic.twitter.com/cR5b2D6C4a

— BabyQuip (@BabyQuipCorp) February 13, 2019

“People are really grateful for the service,” Maier told Yahoo Finance. “They really are glad that we’re there, saving the vacation. You’re only going to spend $10 a day for a car seat. A crib, $20 a day. It’s not just the savings that you get, but the convenience and the fact that it’s all set up for you.”

According to Maier, providers can make an average of $600 a month or more renting out their stuff on the service. There is a $100 start-up fee to begin renting, which covers insurance for the first month and administrative expenses. Going forward, you will continue to pay a monthly insurance fee based on how much you’re doing in rentals. You keep 80 percent of rental and delivery fees, as well as 100 percent of any tips you may receive.

Babies Getaway serves every state in the U.S. and every city in the lower 48; the locations for Traveling Baby are a bit more limited. BabyQuip is established in a number of markets throughout the United States and Canada, including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Seattle and popular vacation destinations like Aspen, Disney World and Disneyland — where a carrier might be handy:

Whether you're hiking in the mountains or shopping 'til you drop, we have carriers that will keep you hands-free. Rent one for your next trip so you don't have to worry about taking up precious suitcase space! https://t.co/iLwikQiLja#babycarriers #babywearing #rentbabygear pic.twitter.com/8z5Hi3tQGh

— BabyQuip (@BabyQuipCorp) February 8, 2019

Rachel Clark and Jenna Cunigan have a BabyQuip business in Columbia, Missouri, and in addition to finding it lucrative, they’re proud of the example they’re setting for their kids with their work. “One thing that we’re excited about is that our kids are growing up seeing us be business owners and they get to be a part of it,” Clark told the Missourian.

Would you consider renting out your baby gear as a side hustle?