Side hustle - renting out spare parking spaces
Sam Hunt, a UC Berkeley graduate, capitalised on the sharing economy by renting out his unused parking spaces. Through platforms like Spacer, he transformed this side hustle into a lucrative venture, generating substantial passive income. Pexels

Many Americans now rely on the sharing economy to supplement their income. For example, Sam Hunt, a 61-year-old San Francisco resident, earns an additional $54,000 annually by renting out spare parking spaces.

Several years ago, Sam stumbled upon a profitable side hustle when he began using Spacer, the nation's premier parking marketplace, to rent out three vacant parking spaces.

Sam, a UC Berkeley graduate with a background in architecture and a successful property development business with his brother, recognised the potential of his extra parking spaces as a source of income.

Parking Profits: Sam Hunt's Success Story

"I pursued a fulfilling career in property development and design after studying Architecture," Sam shared with The U.S. Sun. Additionally, Sam told the outlet that he identified an opportunity to earn passive income from his unused parking spaces and started using Spacer to rent out three of them, generating $900 per month.

Sam explained that the renters are predominantly locals who either lack parking spaces or have multiple cars and desire a safe, guaranteed spot. With his foresight, Sam earns $300 per space, resulting in $900 monthly and $10,800 annually from the three spots he rents through Spacer.

Expanding His Parking Portfolio

Beyond the three parking spaces he manages through Spacer, Sam's real estate portfolio includes several unit buildings, where he also rents out parking spaces to tenants. In total, his parking rental business generates an impressive $54,000 in annual passive income.

"It took 20 years of hard work building these assets, but it's paid off by generating about $54,000 annually in passive income," Sam said.

The Role Of Spacer

Sam attributes his success partly to Spacer, describing the platform as reliable and user-friendly. Spacer was recommended to Sam as a trusted marketplace, and he found it remarkably easy to use. The majority of renters opt for monthly leases, often for extended periods.

The platform's user-friendly interface enables Sam to concentrate on other areas of his life while enjoying a consistent flow of passive income.

Other Advantages

Sam and his family have been using the extra income to fund the children's education. Aside from that, Sam uses the income to support his passions, including design, art, and family travel. He advises others to take advantage of similar opportunities.

"If you have a garage or an empty space, I'd highly recommend exploring its value to boost your income," he told The U.S. Sun. Sam's story shows parking rentals have the potential to be a source of passive income for any individual willing to convert unused assets into profitable ventures.

Like Sam, many individuals have successfully transformed their side hustles into a reliable source of income. For instance, Courtney Lynch, a fashion entrepreneur who owned a small vintage store, utilised a reselling app to generate a monthly income of £25,000.

Similarly, Michael Morgan, who initially sold his first vintage Rolex Submariner out of boredom at the age of 13, transformed his fascination with "old things" into a lucrative business, generating an annual income of $10 million.

As demonstrated by Sam Hunt and countless others, the sharing economy offers many opportunities to generate passive income. Entrepreneurs can transform side hustles into lucrative ventures by leveraging online platforms and their existing assets.