New site lets you rent a friend for $10/hour
Body odour. Swastika tattoo. A propensity to watch Two and a Half Men.
Crude depictions, yes, but all of these could be viable reasons you don’t have friends.
Yet, if you’re looking and have the cash – $10 an hour, that is – don’t fret. Introducing: RentAFriend.com.
I happened to stumble across this latest social networking attempt on the Web this week, catching an article highlighting RentAFriend.com’s founder in the Daily Telegraph.
The site, as you might have extrapolated, is just as its name suggests: it’s an eHarmony/Lavalife/Plenty of Fish-type domain for everything except dating and sex. Just … friendship.
“No one was offering friendship,” said Scott Rosenbaum, the site’s U.S. founder, telling the Daily Telegraph he wants his network to “go a step back” from other romance-inspired sites to create something “strictly platonic.” 
Of course, RentAFriend.com isn’t quite like the aforementioned sites, in that you actually have to pay to interact with any people you might meet. This isn’t to say you don’t pay on other sites. On eHarmony, for example, you’ll dole out as much as $60/month to join but, after that, your interactions with other site members are at your own discretion.
With RentAFriend, you pay a fee (about $25/month) to join, but after that, you’re supposed to literally rent that person at an hourly wage. Ten bucks is the prescribed rate, though as the site says, some members’ fees “are negotiable.”
Now, we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether a) this is a site designed to facilitate meaningful, lasting, platonic friendships, or b) it’s really just a kind of friend-prostitute hook-up that you can access for $10/hour.
In any case, I highly recommend you type in your postal code (RentAFriend serves Canada, too) just to see what gems the site suggests you hire for an hourly friend date.
Personally, I’m eligible to meet up with Theodore, a 55-year-old bespectacled beardo from Toronto who likes comedy and “can easily make people laugh.” He’s available for such activities as swimming, shopping, hanging out or giving personal advice.
Seriously, this is a legitimate website. No, really.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Georgia Pavlatos | Jul 25, 2021 4:43:17 PM
What an idea! I think I like it!
Posted by: Georgia Pavlatos | Jul 25, 2021 4:44:59 PM
$10.00 an hour eh? Hmm.
Posted by: Georgia Pavlatos | Jul 25, 2021 4:46:45 PM
Enough already!
Posted by: Georgia Pavlatos | Jul 25, 2021 4:47:19 PM
No!
Posted by: Rhonnda | Jul 25, 2021 5:29:16 PM
Stole MY idea, but, I wouldn't charge for it! I know, from experience, that there are times when you really don't want a 'close' relationship, you just want a friend, who'll check on you when you are 'down' so you won't fade away without anyone paying any attention. Sometimes you just want to share talk about hobbies, concerns, nothing 'heavy'! Have to say, $10/hr. is a bit MUCH!!! Won't find me useing this site,...can't afford it!!!
Posted by: Theoren | Jul 25, 2021 6:34:06 PM
Haha so does the fee include driving time? Because I'd want to have someone geographically close. Man, even to go to a movie together would cost a pretty penny. You think 30 minutes driving/waiting in line, 2 hours for the movie, 30 more mins for leaving/driving home, that's another $30 on top of your movie admission and snacks!
Posted by: Jillian | Jul 25, 2021 7:29:09 PM
If I had to pay some person to hang out with me I definitely wouldn't consider them a friend.
I wouldn't want to pay someone to hang out with me. That's so superficial.
Posted by: Lala | Jul 25, 2021 9:55:58 PM
How about a site that helps people figure out why they dont have any friends and how to change that? People who got rich by winning the lottery or whatever can tell you money doesnt buy frends...
Posted by: Adrian | Jul 25, 2021 11:33:24 PM
Proof that society is coming to crumbles and the rise of idiocracy?
Posted by: Anawnymoose | Jul 25, 2021 11:39:30 PM
*DING* *DING* *DING*
Adrian has said it best.
Posted by: ruben | Jul 25, 2021 11:41:05 PM
Great Idea! too expensive! your new friends will always be available because they are getting paid. shallow relationship!,money in between.
It might solve your loneliness problem but it will affect your pocket and your new friends will be your temporary employees.
Posted by: kai | Jul 25, 2021 11:56:10 PM
yea Ill sign up when im desperate. . . lol
Posted by: Diana Toronto | Jul 26, 2021 10:44:07 AM
The writer should do some research on isolation and lonliness in the 21st century - the breakdown of the family unit, the movement of the world population, huge gigantic disconnected cities, more isolated seniors. It is a real social issue not a joke that is only getting worse and not everyone is a loser that can't connect with friends. Let's see some real research. There should be a site just for people who are alone - reach out and touch somebody the situation is only getting worse and is already a social issue. I would not rent a friend way too expensive but I would go on a site only to meet people with the same interests, hobbies and lifestyle.
Posted by: Diana Toronto | Jul 26, 2021 10:48:28 AM
To Zionist Media Control - you are mentally sick - and if you really have friends than that is even scarier cause we don't really need anymore racists in the world. Your comment should be removed. Good luck you need it.
Posted by: Sandra | Jul 26, 2021 2:20:54 PM
I went to the site... actually amazing. My favourite picture on the main page is the group of 20 somethings with the one man who looks about 55. Could this be aforementioned Theodore?? Either way - so hilarious and insane. My only question is about the group of 20 people in the one picture on the front - who is paying who? And is there a limit on how many friends you can buy? It seems like buying 15 friends at $10/hour could add up pretty quickly...
Posted by: oddiyo | Jul 26, 2021 2:28:53 PM
This just proves that society today has crossed a sacred line. If people are willing to pay to even have for a friend, then our modern world is basically a truly sad and lonely place. This is not a good idea, even to support it is dangerous for the future. Perhaps better to turn off your computer, and go out in the real world and make make a real friend. Having a friend at all has nothing to do with money. It's much better to be alone and happy, than pay someone to pretend to be one.
Posted by: jackme off trickster | Jul 26, 2021 6:32:39 PM
peolpe are so loney and depersate if it comes with sexual benifits its agood deal
Posted by: Zionist media control | Jul 26, 2021 6:41:45 PM
Just another jew owned "business" being plugged by jew owned MSN. We MUST BOYCOTT ALL jew businesses as they support APARTHEID Israel and their rape and murder of Palestinian children. But I guess if that jew Roman Polanski thinks it's okay to drug and rape a 13 year old girl, all Israelis must think it's okay as well.
Go to jewwatch.com to see what their race is doing to YOUR country as well.
Posted by: Zionist media control | Jul 26, 2021 6:48:31 PM
Like Marlon Brando said, "The jew portrays EVERY race negatively, except their own". Any TRUTH about the jew is censored by the jew controlled media. No wonder every decent society has expelled them and there have been so many pogroms (a word invented to mean the mass execution of their race).
Posted by: Amber Brooks | Jul 27, 2021 3:08:30 PM
I don't think so.