21.07.2025
Buying less, sharing more – that’s the principle behind the sharing economy. Sharing can have a positive impact on everyday life: more freedom, lower costs and a more sustainable lifestyle. Our overview shows everything that can be shared – from drills to camping pitches.
Sharing items instead of owning them can be a real luxury and a relief. Not necessarily because we couldn’t afford to buy them, but because we don’t need them permanently. Instead of filling our basements with rarely used items, sharing them enables us to access exactly what we need in that moment: an e-bike for a weekend getaway, a drill for renovating the house, a projector for a movie night or a standup paddleboard for a lakeside barbecue.
It gives us the luxury to live spontaneously and simply without tying ourselves down. If we share, we can free ourselves of clutter, maintenance requirements and the need for storage room. Owning fewer possessions often creates more space – both literally and figuratively. Shared usage can also encourage us to interact with others and create new social contacts. And finally, the sharing economy can boost the circular economy . Sharing also means less consumption, less production, less use of resources – and a more conscious, sustainable life.
If you save money or even earn extra money by sharing, you can use these amounts in a targeted way – for example, by leveraging the opportunity to build up assets. Discover your options.
The sharing economy is an economic model in which ownership is no longer the be-all and end-all. Instead, goods are shared – often for a fee or as an exchange. This is made possible by digital platforms that bring supply and demand together in a straightforward way. From vehicles and sports equipment to holiday homes, almost everything can now be shared. Below, we present a few selected services:
Having your own car or bicycle generates costs – not just for the purchase, but also for maintenance. Why not just rent one when you need it? Whether it’s for a weekly shop, an excursion or a bicycle tour: in Switzerland, car sharing vehicles and rental bikes are often no more than a few steps away – and can be booked via app, sometimes even without a subscription. There are also shared camper vans for bigger adventures.
Sometimes special tools or devices are needed – whether for a small renovation project in your house, a creative idea in your garden or spontaneous refurbishment. It’s often not worth buying these tools, as you will only use them occasionally. Almost everything can be found on sharing platforms: from electric drills and lawnmowers to pressure washers.
With sharing services, equipment for sports such as tennis, golf, skiing and e-biking can be rented as required – whether for a weekend or an entire season. This reduces storage costs and enables you to access a range of sports without making a long-term commitment – ideal if you frequently try out new activities.
Many households have leftover food. The sharing economy also offers solutions for this: excess food can be shared or passed on inexpensively via platforms. This helps to avoid food waste in everyday life.
Camping is booming – but having your own pitch can be expensive. Platforms enable private camping pitches to be rented out. This is particularly practical for anyone who likes to go camping at short notice. At nomady.ch, for example, you can find places to camp on private land, farms and secluded natural sites with private hosts.
A change of scenery can do us good. On sharing platforms, it’s easy to find suitable holiday apartments for your getaway. If you own an apartment, you can easily rent it out when you’re not using it. This could boost your household finances while also ensuring that your apartment stays occupied.
It’s not just goods that can be shared, but also knowledge and time. Whether it’s bicycle repairs or gardening – platforms for (neighbourly) help can bring people together. You can receive help with everyday tasks directly at your home and get to know other people in your neighbourhood at the same time.
Changing tables, cribs and baby carriers – many purchases are often only needed for a short time. For example, instead of buying all your baby essentials, you can rent them or swap items with other families.
In addition to the practical and environmental benefits, sharing can also result in economic advantages. If you share, you save – and you can even earn some extra money.
Sharing can help to make you more aware of your household spending. If there are things you only use when needed, you can reduce your expensive purchases, maintenance costs and repairs. This can be particularly worthwhile for rarely used devices: instead of buying and storing them, they can be rented or shared, leaving you with more money for other things.
Another benefit of the sharing economy is that you can earn money as well as saving. If you have any unused items, you can share them for a fee: this could be a vacant guest room, a rarely used second car or a pram gathering dust in your basement.
The money saved or earned from sharing often ends up tucked away in your account. Why not put this additional money to good use – for example, by putting it in a savings account or investing it on the financial markets? Compared to savings accounts, which currently earn low interest, you can take the opportunity to generate higher returns by investing. However, investments also entail risks, as they are subject to fluctuations on the capital markets. At PostFinance, you can invest with just small amounts – as well as with larger ones. The important thing is to find the investment solution that’s right for you and makes you feel comfortable.
The sharing economy is an economic model in which ownership is no longer the be-all and end-all. Instead of buying products, they are shared or rented, often via online platforms. This means that resources are generally used more efficiently, the environment is protected and costs are reduced.
Platforms are at the heart of the sharing economy. They bring providers and users together, as well as regulating availability, payment, reviews and often insurance. Without them, large-scale sharing would be unthinkable – they create trust, security and transparency.
Sharing platforms act as digital marketplaces where individuals or companies offer unused resources – such as cars, apartments, tools or time – for shared use. Users register, search for a suitable offer, book and pay directly via the platform. Communication, payment and often insurance benefits are handled centrally via the system. After use, providers and users can generally rate each other, which creates trust and transparency.
Insurance is included directly on some sharing platforms. Private liability insurance also covers a lot of things – simply take a glance at your policy. However, you should always check in advance what is and isn’t insured in your policy.
