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Get Paid to Be a Friend ($20-$50+/hour)

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Out of all the money-making methods I have talked about, this could be the wackiest.

Yes, it is possible to be someone’s friend and get paid for it.  And no, it doesn’t involve dating nor any illegal activity.  It’s all about people who are just looking for companionship for the day.

Whether it’s going to the movies, out to a park or even out to eat, if you like the idea of meeting strangers and being their “friend” for the day, then this could be something to consider.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the few platforms you can sign up for if you’re interested in meeting people in your area who are looking for a friend and are willing to pay for your company.  All of these websites are 100% legitimate and could earn you as much as $100+ a day.  You get to set the rates, so it’s really dependent upon your area and what you have to offer.

There aren’t many options online, but the ones I do mention are good.  So, sit back, check out a few I mention, and hopefully, you can find someone who wants to pay you to be their friend for the day.

Get Paid to Be a Friend (Online and Off)

RentAFriend.com

By far, this is the best option online if you’re looking to make friends and nothing else.  If you landed on any websites before you landed on mine researching this very topic, then there’s a good chance you saw them promoting this option.  It’s for a good reason.

For one, it appeared they had the largest database of “friends” and “friend seekers.”  When I took a look, there were more than 288 pages of people looking to be my friend for the day!  This was just in my area alone.  The website claims more than 600,000 people are looking to be a friend for a day.  That’s a lot.

If you’re interested in joining as a friend, here’s how it works…

First, you will be asked to fill out an application, which is no different than any other membership site.  It will ask the basics such as your name, location, etc.   You will want to be sure to sell yourself, because, after all, you want people to want to hire you.  If I did it, I would just check out the other profiles on the website to see what they were doing.

After you submit it, you will have to wait for your profile to go live.  As it will be manually approved, the website states you need to wait up to one hour before you show up in a search.

If you want to become a friend, it’s 100% free, and there is never a cost to you.  You also get to keep 100% of all proceeds made.  Not only that, but you get to be friends with anyone you choose.  As you get to talk with your potential friend ahead of time, you can determine if it’s a good fit for you.  Every person that contacts you are paid members, so if they contact you, there’s a good chance they are serious about hiring you as a friend for the day.

So, how much can you make?

According to the website, friends are said to make anywhere from $20 to $50+ an hour.  They even claim some friends make more than $2,000 for the week working full-time.

How much you make really depends on how often you want to work, where you live, your demographic as well as what you’re willing to do (legal, of course).  As there are so many factors involved, you could earn a lot more or a lot less than the average member.

What I recommend is that you simply create a profile and see what kind of interest it garners.  I don’t see why you couldn’t make a few hundred dollars a month doing it.

What is expected of me?

As a potential friend, it can be anything you already do with your friends.

From a sporting event to bowling, your friend will ask you what they want to do ahead of time to make you more comfortable with the situation.  Just go out and be their friend for the day.  That’s all!

According to the website, some of the most popular activities include the following…

  • amusement park
  • bowling
  • casino
  • comedy show
  • concerts
  • going to the beach
  • family events
  • golfing
  • hiking
  • parties
  • traveling
  • VIP events
  • wine tasting

These activities are quite similar across all platforms you find online.  Just remember, if you plan on being a friend, it’s strictly for fun and nothing romantic is involved.  This isn’t what the website was designed for.

As mentioned, you should know about all of the minor details before you even meet.  This will include the time, date, plans for the day as well as total payment.

Is it safe?

The website does not perform a background check.  The only key here is that members do have to pay to contact you, but that doesn’t automatically make them a safe individual.

It’s up to you to take safety precautions just as if you were going on a date or even selling to someone.  It’s always best to meet in a well-lit, populated area and always make sure you friends and family know where you’re going for the day.



RentALocalFriend

RentALocalFriend isn’t as popular as RentAFriend, but it’s another option.  The biggest difference is that you can be a friend online.  This really opens up your opportunities as you can be a friend from anywhere.  You can also be a text friend if need be.

To use, people looking for friends will first want to select a city where they want to find a friend.  This can either be at a travel destination or even in the city they live in.  As for online, this can be anywhere.

In a search, they can then browse the profiles to see if they can find anyone that shares a similar interest.  This is where you will want to make sure your profile is as detailed as possible to maximize your chances of getting selected.

The thing I liked about this website is that you could offer tours of your city if you were to live in a popular travel destination.  You can also choose to simply be a friend if you choose to as well.

How much can I make with RentALocalFriend?

I couldn’t find much in terms of what people make, at least according to the FAQ.  However, when I looked at the many profiles, it appeared people would charge anywhere from $50 to $100+ for a virtual friend visit to as much as $250+ for a full day experience.

It’s really up to you as you do get to set your rates, but it is possible to make $150 in one day.

In the end, you do have to pay an annual fee with RentALocalFriend if you wanted to create a profile, but in doing so, you will be very limited with your competition.  So, even though there are fewer “friends,” there could be just as many friend seekers.  I can’t tell you if it’s worth it or not, but the fee is north of $100+, so do your due diligence before investing your cash.

Why would anyone even pay me?

There are quite a few reasons for most, but in my eyes, it’s for one reason — simplicity.

As a human being, you probably already know how hard it is to make friends outside of your childhood.  Even if you have friends now, it’s probably not as many as you did in elementary school.  If you still have a ton a friends, good for you!  You’re definitely in the minority, ha.

For some people, they just don’t have the companionship, whether it’s due to a long-distance move or simply losing touch with their old friends.  Whatever this reason may be, it’s a lot easier to pay someone a few bucks than running around town trying to get someone to go to that concert.

And, no, you don’t have to worry about these people being strange, either, as many testimonials online said it was a very satisfying experience.

In short, as humans, we need companionship and many don’t mind paying a few bucks to have it.

Final Thoughts

Being someone else’s friend is a fantastic way to make money and have fun at the same time.  Who knows?  You could turn it into a lucrative gig.

It’s flexible, you don’t need a skill and you could get paid to do a lot of fun things like go to the movies, amusement park, etc.  It’s almost like mystery shopping but a lot less stressful.

With thousands of people out there looking for friendship, they often turn to these websites to find someone to hang out with for the day.  I guess it’s a lot easier to pay someone than build a relationship, right?  It’s really a win-win for both sides.

If you want to make $20+ an hour and don’t mind meeting people in your town, then I suggest you at least create a profile to see what kind of leads you get.  Again, based on your profile, how much you make and the interest you receive will really depend on a few factors.

Nonetheless, seeing it’s free to create a profile, try it out and let us know if it works out for you!

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

5 comments

  • Hi Tom Nathaniel.. your creation of lushdollar.com is great and it’s going to motivate most youths financially and also boost their thinking and creativity.

  • Hi Tom, you are really doing great keep it up. Though most times the sites choose a specific country. Wish you could try and find some that included all countries. Thanks!

    • Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I agree! Maybe one day I can research more than just the United States 🙂

      Thanks for visiting!