Rental Properly

Those high winds finally knocked down that old oak tree in your back yard. Luckily, no one was hurt, and no property (other than the tree) was damaged, but the fact remains, there’s a 40-foot tree on its side in your yard. You now have a few options for dealing with this problem. 1) You can hire a professional tree removal service, which could get expensive. 2) You’re pretty handy with tools, so you could buy a chainsaw to tackle the hardwood, which could also get expensive. 3) You could rent a chainsaw for a day or two.

Yes, in areas such as real estate, it may be a buyer’s market, but there are also times when renting just may be the way to go. Let’s take a look at a few examples where ownership may take a back seat to a short-term relationship.

Tools
Rental tools can offer a two-fold advantage. Take the example of the fallen tree—if you don’t imagine much use for a chainsaw around your house, renting one rather than purchasing one to use for an isolated event could save you hundreds of dollars. Then again, if you’ve been thinking about all those other old tress in your yard and how they could come down some day, renting a chainsaw can help you decide on a particular variety, a test drive of a possible later purchase. Places like Home Depot offer rentals on quite a few tools, from carper cleaners to pressure washers to floors sanders to, yep, chain saws!

Designer dresses
Those award ceremonies sure highlight all the red-carpet glamor of flashy dresses and gowns, don’t they? Have you ever wondered how you’d look walking into your next big event in that to-die-for Vera Wang? Well, rather than eat peanut butter and crackers at lunch to bankroll such a fashion statement, why not rent? After all, many of those camera-ready starlets don’t own the dresses they wear on special occasions. There are businesses out there that specialize in making you red-carpet ready at Berber carpet prices.

Textbooks
As if the cost of college tuition isn’t enough, cracking those books can easily crack your budget as well. According to College Board, books at four-year public colleges can cost an average of over $1,100 for the 2011-2012 school year. That is, if you purchase the books. Why not rent them? After all, how often do you anticipate the need to reference the Longman Anthology of British Literature? At places like CampusBookRentals.com, you can save up to 90% off full price.

Trucks
Who hasn’t bought a new mattress and wished for a truck rather than the reality of a more gas-friendly compact in the garage? Most of us don’t really have a need for a truck on a regular basis, which is why it may be smarter to rent one for those occasional hauling needs. Places like Enterprise Rent-a-Car offer truck rentals (of all sizes) to make any hauling job a snap…that is, if you have plenty of help for all the heavy lifting. And, members receive discounts when they make their reservation via our website.

Furniture
We’re not going to champion renting furniture if you plan on using it for years to come. After all, you can move furniture from location to location, and if treated properly, much of it could last for years. But what about if you’re having a big party and you need extra tables and chairs? Or maybe you’re moving and want to stage a room or two with some nice furniture to help the place sell? Places like Cort specialize in these types of rentals.

While rentals can work to your advantage in some instances, there are times when ownership trumps all. If you’re looking into ownership of a new vehicle, a new kitchen or college degree, don’t forget, Vantage provides a number of loan options for your needs, all with competitive rates!