These days, more Australians are trusting so-called ‘sharing economy’ services as opposed to more traditional alternatives. This could be great news for many older Australians looking to supplement their retirement income.

Around 61 per cent of Australians have used a sharing economy service such as Uber, Airbnb and eBay over the past six months.

Uber is the ride-sharing service promoted as an alternative to taxi cabs. Airbnb allows people rent out their home or a room to travellers for an agreed period of time, whilst Carparkit pairs unused car spaces with people who need them. Another sharing service, SpaceOut, lets you rent out storage space if you have some room to spare, and online freelance portals such as Upwork, Airtasker and Freelancer allow for users to outsource everything from designing websites to gardening or assembling flat-pack furniture.

The sharing economy provides Australians with many opportunities to earn some extra cash in order to supplement their existing income. And with more Australians trusting these services, there may be no better time for older Australians in particular to get in on the ground floor and take advantage.

Read more at Brisbane Times

Are you looking to supplement your retirement income? Have you had any experience with these services, either as a user or supplier? What other type of work can you suggest? Can you tell us of your experience?